Old Planters (Massachusetts)

Old planters are early settlers and are to be differentiated from explorers and new planters. In the United States, there were many early explorers and early attempts at settlements along the east coast.

As an example of exploration, in Massachusetts we see that Cabot visited the coastline in 1498.^[1] Smith was a later explorer of the coastline. By 1602, a lot of the coast above Plymouth had been visited. On the west coast, early explorers, such as Coronado, of Spain got as far north as what is now known as Kansas.

In terms of early settlements, North Carolina had the Roanoke Colony. Virginia and Florida both had early colonies. There was an attempt, funded by Ferdinando Gorges, to settle a part of Maine (successfully building a seaworthy boat, Virginia (pinnace)). The west coast was populated even earlier, with offshoots into what is now New Mexico.

In Massachusetts, the 'old planters' proved through their hard work that settlement was possible; subsequent to this, there was a major influx of 'new planters' that continued over a decade.^[2] The early expansions centered around Plymouth and Essex but eventually spawned the westward movements.

Plymouth

Two early areas of settlement were Plymouth (c 1620) and Nantasket (c 1621). The Plymouth colony began with the Mayflower's landing and is a well-known story. The Nantasket settlement followed, soon after, that of Plymouth. Roger Conant (Salem) was at these two settlements before going north to Cape Ann.

Essex

The Essex colony started at Cape Ann in the spring of (ca 1624) with a party led by Thomas Gardner (planter) and John Tylly (planter). For this party, there were two ships with 32 people who were to settle the area commercially. About a year later, this party was joined by a group from Plymouth led by Roger Conant (Salem). In 1626, some of the original party, as many left to return to England or to go south, moved the settlement, in hopes of finding more success, to Naumkeag. This settlement worked out and became Salem.

According to the Essex Institute, the list of old planters, in 1626, who were in Cape Ann before the move were as follows:

Roger Conant (Salem) - Governor, John Lyford - Minister (went to Virginia, instead of Naumkeag), John Woodbury, Humphrey Woodbury, John Balch, Peter Palfray, Walter Knight, William Allen ^[3], Thomas Gray, John Tylly, Thomas Gardner, Richard Norman (and his son), William Jeffrey, and Capt. William Trask.^[4]

Some of these, with Conant, have been referenced as the 'old planters' of Salem: Woodbury, Trask, Balch, Palfrey.^[5]

With Gardner, and then Conant, in the lead, this early group was known for independence and tolerance which traits some (to wit, White) may have seen as being, perhaps, unfit; there had been reports detailing issues, such as insubordination, as far back as Merrymount and the Cape Ann effort. As it was, the old planters maintained their success through generations after the move; Gardner's line of progeny speaks for itself.^[6]

The subsequent changes in leadership, with Endicott and Winthrop, brought in military discipline and then a religious focus, respectively. After that, new planters came in successive waves.

John Endicott brought with him, in 1628, the patent that replaced the Dorchester company with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A little later, Rev Francis Higginson brought more settlers and set up the first parsonage. Rev Francis also established the notion that the settlement was of religion and not trade, seemingly contradictory to the interests of London.^[7]

By 1630, London had organized a massive influx led by John Winthrop who repaired out of the Essex area early on. Even with the population growth moving over to Suffolk, by 1700, the population of the Essex had grown rapidly through influx. Just the eleven year period from 1629 (pre-Wintrhop) to 1640, the population of New England went from less than 500 to over 26,000 souls.^[6]

Plymouth involvement

As one would expect, the Plymouth colony had made excursions along the Massachusetts coast including north to Cape Ann. Some records report that Cushman and Winslow of Plymouth had received a Patent for Cape Ann (1623/24). Other reports suggest that salting structures had been built in the Cape Ann area to support fishing efforts.^[8]

The Gardner group, who were to settle the area, did succeed in maintaining themselves after their landing, though the commercial goal was not met. Also, eventual disagreement between the Plymouth folks and the 'West Country' folks, due to Patent conflicts, did come about. Conant, having first been at Plymouth, would have been instrumental in working out a compromise, part of which was the option of moving the Dorchester group away to another area.

Thus, the move to Naumkeag resulted.^[6]

Suffolk

John Winthrop's influence, with his arrival with a caravan in 1630, was a big time change for the Massachusetts area, in that he came in with 700 people and stocked ships which necessitated the outward move for more space.

In June 1630, the Winthrop Fleet arrived in what would later be called Salem,^[9] which on account of lack of food, "pleased them not."^[10] They proceeded to Charlestown, which pleased them less, for lack of fresh water. Finally, they were shown the area now known as Boston.

Hence, Suffolk came to be. One story reports that Winthrop liked Conant's house and had it moved.

No doubt, some followed Winthrop from Salem; Conant and Gardner stayed in Essex. So too did some from the Arbella, such as Major William Hathorne, father of John.

Also, we can see that the full stature of the Church of England came in with Winthrop and drastically altered the landscape from that of the fewer souls who pioneered the area earlier. The government was organized. Within four years, Harvard was born.

Finally, families of substance started to come over, such as the Lowells, Welds, and many others, bringing with them the means to develop and to build what became a prominent section of a new country.

References

1. ^ Abbington, Benj F (Editor) [1922] The Municipal History of Essex County (Tercentenary Edition), Vol 1, Pg 11
2. ^ Butler, E.B. & M. [2009] Planters of Early New England: A Sketch of Roger Mowry Mann's Seventeenth Century Ancestors self-published
3. ^ Crane, EB (1907) Historic homes and institutions ... Worcester Historical Museum, (via google.com)
4. ^ Felt, Joseph B. [1827] Annals of Salem Referenced in Historical Collections, Essex Institute
5. ^ Raymond, R. (2003) 'Map of the Old Planters 1000 Acre Grant of 1635' self-published
6. ^ ^{a b c} Chapter III: The Planting of New England. The Beginnings of New England. (via Humanities Web)
7. ^ Higginson, Thomas (1891). Life of Francis Higginson, First Minister in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. New York: Dodd, Mead, & Co.. http://books.google.com/books?id=1mcvKTPkghQC&printsec=titlepage. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
8. ^ A Brief Post-Pilgrim History of Cape Ann (via cape-ann.com
9. ^ "World Chronology - 1630". Answers.com. 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/1630. 
10. ^ Weston, George F. Boston Ways: High, By & Folk, Beacon Press: Beacon Hill, Boston, p.11-15 (1957).

External links

• Thomas Gardner Society
• Higginson, TW [1900]. The Alliance between Pilgrim and Puritan in Massachusetts. Old Planter Society address. (Officers pg 19, Member list pg 21)
• Goff, J [2007]. Looking at Salem's beginnings: The White and Gardner family contributions.
• Salem Preservation, Inc Newsletter. Reporting historic preservation developments in the greater Salem area.