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Lawrence SOUTHWICK, the
Immigrant, was born in England and according to the family tradition, was from Lancashire.
He is supposed to have come to America in 1627 and returned to England for his
wife, Cassandra, son John and daughter Mary, returning to Massachusetts in 1630 on the
second voyage of the Mayflower.
The first records found are
in 1639 when he and his famliy were baptized on the 2 month 24 day 1639, at Salem, First
Church.
Two acres were granted to him
by the Town to carry on the business of manufacturing glass and earthen ware. It is
believed that he was the first to manugacture glass in America. His land was called
"Glass House Filed" which name the followed the property for many years.
It was in a valley running Easterly from Aborn Street, and on the south side of
what was called Gallows Hill, where several persons were hanged during the Salem
witchcraft days. (later known as Salem and Peabody Streets).
Lawrence and his family
became Friends or Quakers and were, according to record, persecuted many, many times
by the
bigoted Puritan Authorities, being fined, whipped and imprisoned and finally banished.
Their son Daniel and daughter Provided were sentenced by the General Court to be
sold into slavery to any Christians of Virginia or Barbados. Thissentence was
not carried out, and the family removed to Shelter Island near the east end of Long
Island, NY., about 1659.
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of the faith, courage, fortitude and patience of
these, our fore-fathers in the Truth, yet, in the exercise of that fraction, it becomes
our duty, boldly to state their case, and hold up the bright example of their lives of
self-denial, even in these latter days!
And to-day, amid the enjoyment of civil and religious
liberty, are we not to look back with as much of gratitude, because of their
"faithfulness unto death," as for the deeds and misdeeds of the Pilgrim fathers?
Truly thy friend,
HENRY A. CHASE.
(Salem Observer, Oct. 5, 1878.)
HISTORY OF THE
PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.
By John Gough, published,
1790, in Dublin, Ireland.
Vol. I: Lawrence and Cassandra Southick, their
sufferings, p. 349, 361; Josiah Southick, p. 349,
361; Daniel and Provided ordered to be sold for
slaves, 376 to 381.
THE severities already
inflicted on the members of this society had so affected many of the inhabitants of this
colony that they withdrew from their public assemblies and met on the first day of the
week, to worship quietly by themselves, for which they were fined 5 shillings per week,
and imprisoned. Particularly Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick, an aged couple (who in the
last year had been imprisoned and fined for entertaining Christopher Holder and John
Copeland), with their son Joseph, were sent to the house of correction, whipped in like
manner as those before mentioned, and had their goods taken to |
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the value of œ4, 15 shillings, for not coming to
church. For the same cause Edward Harnet, aged 69, and his wife, 73 years of age, had 37
shillings taken from them without regard to their circumstances, which were but mean, or
their age, which would naturally excite tenderness. About this time (1658) there was a
meeting at the house of Nicholas Phelps in the woods about five miles from Salem, and upon
the information of one Butler, the six following residents were taken up and committed to
prison: Samuel Shattock, Lawrence Southwick and Cassandra his wife, Josiah their son,
Samuel Gaskin (or Gaskill), and Joshua Buffum, who being kept close in the house of
correction during the heat of the Summer, from their husbandry, after three weeks
confinement, represented their case to the court in the following letter:
This to Magistrates at the Court in
Salem. Friends:--Whereas it was your pleasure to commit us, whose names are under-written,
to the house of correction in Boston, although the Lord, the righteous Judge of Heaven and
Earth, is our witness that we have done nothing worthy of stripes or of bonds; and we
being committed by your court to be dealt withal as the law provides for foreign Quakers,
as ye please to term us; and having some of us suffered your law and pleasures, now that
which we do expect is, That whereas we have suffered your law, so now to be set free by
the same law, as your manner is with strangers, and not to put us on the account of one
law, and execute another law upon us, of which |
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according to your own manner we were never convicted,
as the law expresses. If you had sent us upon the account of your new law, we should have
expected the jailer's order to have been on that account, which that it was not, appears
by the warrant which we have, and the punishment which we bare, as four of us were
whipped, among whom was one that had formerly been whipped; so now according to your
former law, friends, let it not be a small thing in your eyes, the exposing as much as in
you lies, our families to ruin. It is not unknown to you, the season and the time of year,
for those that live of husbandry, and what their cattle and families may be exposed unto;
and also such as live upon trade. We know if the spirit of Christ did dwell and rule in
you these things would take impression on your spirits. What our lives and conversations
have been in that place is well known, and what we now suffer for, is much for false
reports, and ungrounded jealousies of heresy and sedition. These things lie upon us to lay
before you. As for our parts we have true peace and rest in the Lord in all our
sufferings, and are made willing in the power and strength of God, freely to offer up our
lives in this cause of God, for which we suffer: yea, and we do find (through grace) the
enlargement of God in our imprisoned state, to whom alone we commit ourselves and our
families, for the disposing of us according to his infinite wisdom and pleasure, in whose
love is our rest and life. From the house of bondage in Boston wherein we are made
captives by the wills of men, although made free by the Son, (John 8, 36). |
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In which we quietly rest, this 16th of the 5th month,
1658.
LAWRENCE
SOUTHICK, JOSIAH SOUTHICK,
CASSANDRA SOUTHICK, SAMUEL SHATTOCK,
JOSHUA BUFFUM."
The first victims to this
severe law were Lawrence and Cassandra Southick, their son Josiah, Samuel Shattock,
Nicholas Phelps and Joshua Buffum. They were called before the court 11th of 3rd mo.,
1659, and on their trial (such as it was), the same arbitrary spirit of tyranny appeared
in their manner of executing as in passing their laws. The prisoners making a rational
objection to their proceeding against them by their law as being in custody when it was
made, and therefore as to them an ex post facto law. To their query whether it was for an
offence against that law which then had no existence, they were committed to prison and
banished, they received no reply; then one of them desired the governor that he would be
pleased to declare before the people the real and true cause of their proceedings against
them. He answered, it was for contemning authority in not coming to the ordinances of God.
He further charged them with rebelling against the authority of the country in not
departing according to their order; to which they answered they had no other place to go,
but had their wives, children, families and estates to look after; nor had they done
anything worthy of death, banishment or bonds, or any of the hardships or ignominious
punishments which they had suffered in their persons, beside the loss of one hundred |
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pound's worth of their property taken from them for
meeting together. This remonstrance of their recent accumulated injuries silencing the
Governor, Major General Denison made this unanswerable reply, that they stood against the
authority of the country in not submitting to their laws, that he should not go about to
speak much of the error of their judgements but added he, you and we are not able well to
live together, at present the power is in our hand, and therefore the strongest must fend
off. After this the prisoners were put forth for a while, and being called in again, the
sentence of banishment was pronounced against them, and no more than a fortnight's time
allowed for them to depart on pain of death; and although they desired a respite to attend
to their affairs and till an opportunity of a convenient passage to England might occur,
the unrelenting malice of their persecutors would not grant them even this small and
reasonable request; so Samuel Shattock, Nicholas Phelps, and Josiah Southick were obliged
to take an opportunity that offered four days after, to pass for England by Barbadoes, in
order to seek redress from the parliament and council of state there, but without success.
Lawrence and
Cassandra Southick went to Shelter Island, where they soon died, within three days of each
other; and Joshua Buffum retired to Rhode Island. The proceedings of these haughty rulers
are strongly marked throughout with the features of self-importance, inhumanity and bitter
malignity, but I know of no instance of a more persevering malice |
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and cruelty, than that wherewith they persecuted the
aforesaid Lawrence and Cassandra Southick and their family. First, while members of their
church, they were both imprisoned for entertaining strangers, Christopher Holder and John
Copeland, a christian duty which the apostle to the Hebrews advises not to be unmindful
of; and after seven weeks imprisonment, Cassandra was fined 40 shillings for owning a
paper written by the aforesaid persons. Next, for absenting from the public worship and
owning the Quakers' doctrine, on the information of one Captain Hawthorne, they, with
their son Josiah, were sent to the house of correction and whipped in the coldest season
of the year, and at the same time Hawthorne issued his warrant to distrain their goods for
absence from their public worship, whereby there were taken from them cattle to the value
of œ4, 15 shillings. Again they were imprisoned, with others, for being at a meeting,
and Cassandra was again whipped, and upon their joint letter to the magistrates before
recited, the other appellants were released, but this family, although they with the rest
had suffered the penalty of their cruel law fully, were arbitrarily detained in prison to
their great loss and damage, being in the season of the year when their affairs most
immediately demanded their attendance; and last of all were banished upon pain of death,
as before recited, by a law made while they were imprisoned. Thus despoiled of their
property, deprived of their liberty, driven into banishment, and in jeopardy of their
lives, for no other crime than meeting apart and |
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dissenting from the established worship, the
sufferings of this inoffensive aged couple ended only with their lives. But the multiplied
injuries of this harmless pair were not sufficient to gratify that thirst for vengeance
which stimulated these persecutors, while any member of the family remained unmolested.
During their detention in prison they left at home a son Daniel and a daughter Provided;
these children, not deterred by the unchristian treatment of their parents and brother,
felt themselves rather encouraged to follow their steps and relinquish the assemblies of a
people whose religion was productive of such relentless persecution; for their absence
from which they were fined œ10, though it was well known that they had no estate,
their parents having been reduced to poverty by repeated fines and extravagant d??
traints; wherefore to satisfy the fine they were orde ?? to be sold for bond-slaves by the
following manda?? "Whereas Daniel Southick and Provided Southick, son and daughter of
Lawrence Southick, absenting themselves from the public ordinances, having been fined by
the courts of Salem and Ipswich, pretending they have no estates and resolving not to
work, the court upon perusal of a law which was made upon account of debts, in answer to
what should be done for the satisfaction of the fines, resolves, that the treasurers of
the several counties are, and shall be fully empowered to sell the said persons to any of
the English Nation at Virginia or Barbadoes, to answer the said fines." Pursuant to
this order, Edward Butler, one of the treasurers, sought out for a passage |
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for them to Barbadoes for sale, but could find none
willing to take them thither. One master of a ship to whom he applied, in order to evade a
compliance, pretended they would spoil the ship's company. Butler replied, no, you do not
fear that, for they are poor harmless creatures that will not hurt anybody. The master
rejoined, will you then offer to make slaves of such harmless creatures? and declined the
invidious office of transporting them, as well as the rest. Disappointed in his designs
and at a loss how to dispose of them, the winter approaching, he sent them home to shift
for themselves till he could find a convenient opportunity to send them away.
Is it strange that a few people became
excited unto ??anity, after such terrible outrages upon themselves ?? friends, as to
appear naked in public; rather is ?? not a wonder that more were not made insane? |
ERRATA.
Page 92. Ebenezer, 39, should
be 40.
Page 95. John Southwick, 56,
should be 57.
Page 96. Isaac Southwick, 62,
should be 63.
Page 116. Abraham Southwick,
59, should be 60.
Page 117. Benjamin Southwick,
61, should be 62.
Page 130. John Southwick, 90,
should be 87.
Page 132. Benjamin Southwick,
42, should be 43.
Page 136. Joseph Southwick,
79, should be 171.
Page 138. Ruth Southwick,
205, should be 204.
Page 139. Zacheus Southwick,
195, should be 196.
Page 148. Abigail Southwick,
160, should be 161.
Page 148. Lydia Southwick,
156, should be 157.
Page 150. Moses Southwick,
158, should be 159.
Page 151. Daniel Southwick,
152, should be 153.
Page 151. Caleb Southwick,
153, should be 154.
Page 163. Isaac Southwick,
155, should be 152.
Page 164. William Southwick
(III), was born in 1715, and died before 1767. Married first wife, name unknown, Aug. 6,
1748; second, Sarah Elizabeth King; third, Lucy Kilburn, of Rowley.
Page 188. Maria Brown, 369,
should be 370.
Page 192. Simeon Southwick
(252), was married in 1793.
Page 193. James Southwick
(509), son of William and Sarah, married, April 25, 1787, Mary Day, not Persis Peabody.
Page 197. Solomon Southwick,
249, should be 248.
Page 200. Henry Collins
Southwick, 522, should be 523.
Page 203. Mary Southwick,
530, should be 531.
Page 213. Elisha Southwick
(464), was a tanner at Union Springs.
Page 214. Rachael Southwick,
534, should be 535.
Page 215. Chade Southwick
(473), was not a tanner.
Page 227. Hiram Brown, 370,
should be 369. |
FIRST GENERATION.
1.
LAWRENCE SOUTHWICK1. There is
a tradition in the Southwick family that Lawrence came from Lancashire, England, to
America in 1627, and returned to England and brought his wife Cassandra and son John and
daughter Mary to Massachusetts in 1630, on the May Flower, in company with Wm. Bradford
and others, and settled at Salem, Mass. We do not find any mention of his name in the
public records of Salem until 1639, when he and his family were admitted as members in the
First Church of Salem, and two acres of land was given him by the town of Salem to carry
on the business of manufacturing glass and earthen ware. There is a tradition that he was
one of the first to manufacture glass in America. This two acres of land was called
glass-house field, as there were two others engaged in the same business, and the land is
so designated to-day on the records and maps of said property, although the manufacture
has long ceased to be carried on there. Said land is a valley running easterly from Aborn
Street, and is on the south side of what is called Gallows Hill, where several persons
were hung during the Salem Witchcraft delusion, a very dark page in the history of
sectarian bigotry in Massachusetts. |
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Lawrence and wife Cassandra and son Josiah and
daughter Mary were fined, whipt, imprisoned and finally banished for being Quakers, and
their son Daniel and daughter Provided were sentenced by the General Court to be sold into
slavery. Lawrence and wife Cassandra went to Shelter Island, Long Island Sound, being
banished under pain of death in 1659, and died there in the spring of 1660 from privation
and exposure; his wife died three days after him. Their son Josiah went to Rhode Island
and established a home for himself and family. He came back to Salem in 1660 to look after
his parents' property and found the property in very poor condition, and was whipped for
returning to Massachusetts. It seems incredible that any followers of Christ could have so
belied their professions, but it was an illustration of the saying of Robert Pollock, in
regard to the hypocrite,
"Who stole the livery of the Court of Heaven
To serve the Devil in."
Copy of Lawrence Sethick's Will.
I, Lawrence Sethick, late of
Salem in New England, now being at the house of Nathaniel Silvester, on Shelter Island,
being weake in body but of sound mind and memory, do make and ordayne this my last will
and testament, tenth day of fifth month, 1659.
I first give and bequeath
unto my sonne Daniel Sethick my dwelling house at Salem, with all the houses, orchards,
gardens and appurtenances; and Gyle's lot, provided that John Burnell shall have a house
lott on the ground at the further end of the orchard newly fenct in. |
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Item. My will is that the lott which I had of Josiah
Sethick shall return to him again.
Item. I give unto John Sethick the lott next to his
owne.
Item. My will is that the
great meadow which lyes at Ipswich River, fenct in, shall be divided Daniel Sethick and
John Burnell equally.
Item. I give unto Samuel
Burton forty shillings.
Item. I give unto John
Burnell, if he stand faithful in the truth, two young steers and the first mare foal.
Item. I give unto Henry
Traske Marshall's lott joining to his orchard, provided that Daniel may have liberty to
mow a load of hay every year thereon.
Item. I give unto Mary Traske
my daughter, wife of Henry Traske, ten pounds sterling.
Item. I give unto Deborah
Sethwick and young Josiah, each of them fifty shillings sterling.
Item. I give unto Ann Potter
forty shillings, in she thinks beneficial for her.
Item. I give unto Mary
Traske, daughter to Henry Traske, one good serge suit of clothes; and unto Sarah and
Hannah each of them a suit of clothes.
I give and bequeath unto
Samuel and Sarah, John Sethick's children, to each of them thirty shillings sterling.
Furthermore my will is that
Daniel my sonne, and Provided my daughter, shall possess and enjoy all that which remains
of my estate after debts and legacies paid, and my will above mentioned fulfilled, equally
to be divided between them so that Daniel may have that part which belongs to husbandry.
Lastly my will is that in
case my wife survives me shee shall be my executrix and keep all possessions during her
life, and after her decease my will to be performed according as above expressed; and I do
ordayne William Robinson |
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and
Thomas Gardner to be overseers of this my last will and testament, signed and sealed by me
the day and year above written with my hand and seal following.
In presence of
NATHANIEL SILVESTER, signed
by
THOMAS HARRIS, LAWRENCE SETHICK.
WILLIAM DURAND,
This will was allowed by the court 29, 9 mo., 1660.
attest
HILLARD VEREN, Clericus.
Lawrence and Cassandra(*)
Southwick, both baptised 2 mo., 24th, 1639, at First Church, Salem. Their children were:
2. John2, born 1620, died
Oct. 25, 1672; married first, Sarah Tidd;
second, Hannah Flint; third, Sarah Burnett (or Burnell).
3. Mary2, born 1630; married Henry Trask, son of Capt. Wm
Trask.
4. Josiah2, born 1632, died 1693; married Mary(???).
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(*)
Cassandra, according to Homeric Legend, was the fairest
daughter of Priam and Hecuba, and the twin sister of Helenus.
The children playing in the court of the temple of the Thymbrucan
Apollo, not far from Illium, till it was too late for them
to return home, a bed of laurel twigs was made for them in the
temple, and there in the morning two snakes were found licking
their ears, from which resulted such an acuteness of hearing that
they could hear the voice of the Gods. Cassandra afterward attracted
the love of Apollo by her beauty, and he taught her the
secrets of prophecy; but displeased by her rejection of his suit,
laid upon her the curse that her vaticinations should never be
believed. Accordingly she prophesied in vain of the treachery
of the Grecian horse and the destruction of Troy. On the capture
of the city she fled to the temple of Minerva, and being
captured she fell to the share of Agamemnon, to whom she bore
twins, but she was murdered by Clytemnestra.--Chamber's
Encyclopedia.
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5. Provided2, born 1635, died 1640; was baptized in
First Church,
Salem, Dec. 6, 1639.--Salem Court Records.
6. Daniel2, born 1637, died 1718-19; married Esther Boyce, 1663.
7. Provided2, born Dec., 1641; married Samuel Gaskill, Dec.
30, 1662.
In
1653, Lawrence Southwick is overseer Wm. Bacon's will.--Town Records, p. 235.
April 8, 1659, Lawrence
Southwick of Salem bought of Edward Lummus, of Ipswich, 3 acres of land.--Salem Records.
Henry F. Waters, of Salem,
Mass., says: "The names Southwick and Eastuic (Eastwic), found on our Salem records
both suffered more or less change by the slighting of the w; the former occasionally
appears as Sethick, Southerick, Suderick, etc., and the latter being rather fixed as
Estick."
"In 1639 there were two
acres of land set off for each of the persons Annanias Conklin, Obediah Holmes, and
Lawrence Southwick; and there was granted to the glass men several acres of ground
adjoining to their houses. This was in the neighborhood of Aborn street and near Strong
Water Brook," (now, 1881, Salem and Peabody).--Felt's Annals of Salem.
Daniel Appleton White's
records, First Church, Salem: "This covenant was renewed by the church on a solemn
day of humiliation, March 6, 1660, when also considering the power of temptation amongst
us by reason of ye Quaker doctrine to the leavening of some in the place where we act and
endangering of others, doe see cause to remember the admonition of our Saviour Christ to
his disciples, |
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Matt. 16, 'take heed and beware of ye leaven of the
doctrine of the Pharisees', and do judge so far as we understand it yt ye Quaker doctrine
is as bad or worse than that of ye Pharisees, Therefore we do covenant by the help of
Jesus Christ to take heed and beware of the leaven of the doctrine of the Quakers."
What an impious act, as the Quakers
have no creed. |
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