Noddle's Island (now East Boston)
East Boston in 1879
East Boston was for more than two centuries known as Noddle's Island, named after William Noddle, who was likely sent out by Sir William Brereton, and settled here in 1629. Brereton received an early grant of the land; but the first conspicuous settler was Samuel Maverick, who erected a small fortified mansion, with artillery to defend it, and was in comfortable possession and authority long before John Winthrop's fleet entered Massachusetts Bay in 1630. [Sam Maverick's house stood just north of where Maverick Square is located today.]
The Puritans allowed Maverick to remain here, subject to a yearly payment of "a fatt weather, a fatt hogg, or XLs, in money." Maverick certainly lived under the stigmas of being an Episcopalian and a Royalist, and met with annoying persecutions from the Boston authorities. Maverick became the first slaveholder in New England, when Captain Pierce brought African Americans here from the Tortugas in 1638, and sold them at Boston. In about 1645, the Godly brethren of Boston made new encroachments on the rights on Maverick, and he found himself forced to depart from his island home. Some years later he died at New Amsterdam [New York].
During their time of suffering from persecution in about 1660-70, the Baptists of Boston used to meet here under the title of "The Church of Jesus Christ worshipping at Noddle's Island in New England." The poor fellows labored under all sorts of disadvantages in town; but in this insular sanctuary their worship was undisturbed, until the slow liberalization of Massachusetts gave them opportunity to enter Boston as accepted Christians.
A century later the comfortable Williams mansion was the pride of the island; and Putnam, Knox, Lincoln, and the clergy of Boston made frequent visits here. The house was graced by six lovely daughters, whose harpsichord was the forerunner of musical Boston; and the hills on the island gave pasturage to 43 horses and 223 cattle.
The Williams house burned down in the skirmish of 1775, and George Washington gave Mr. Williams one of the Continental barracks at Cambridge, which was moved down to the island, and remodeled into a new mansion. During the siege of Boston that winter, a score of young ladies left the beleaguered town, and took refuge on Noddle's Island, perhaps in this well known house of Williams. One of these was especially dear to William Tudor, the judge-advocate-general of the American army; and he used to visit her frequently, passing from Cambridge to Chelsea, where he undressed, tied his clothing in a bundle, fastened the bundle upon his head, swam to the island, resumed his dress, and then called upon the fair lady. The result of these wooings was a happy marriage, where came three sons and two daughters, who later became patricians of the good Commonwealth.
Passing abruptly from love to war, we find that on this same island was fought the second battle of the American Revolution, and the first in which American artillery was used. On May 27th 1775, General John Stark and 300 men were sent to clear out the livestock on Noddle's Island; and after they had driven about 400 sheep inland from Breed's Island, they engaged the British marines on Noddle's, but were driven back when large re-enforcements of regulars crossed from Boston.
At the same time, General Gage sent a schooner armed with sixteen small guns and eleven barges full of marines, up Chelsea Creek to cut off the raiders; while Putnam came to their relief with 300 men and two guns. The fight lasted all night; but, although fresh troops poured over from Boston, the Americans forced the crew of the schooner to abandon ship and flee, and drove back the other vessels. They took the artillery from the captured vessel, and then burnt the ship, and retired to the mainland, having inflicted severe losses on the British forces. Lord Percy was immensely disgusted at this affair, and wrote home to his father: "The rebels have lately amused themselves with burning the houses on an island just under the admiral's nose; and a schooner, with our carriage-guns and some swivels, which he sent to drive them off, [had] unfortunately [ran] ashore, and the rebels burned her." Philip Freneau, the poet of the Revolution, makes General Gage speak thus, at this time, referring to the partial famine caused by the American raids on the islands:
"Three weeks, ye gods! nay, three long years it seems,
Since roast beef I have touched, except in dreams.
In sleep, choice dishes to my view repair:
Waking, I gape, and champ the empty air.
Come, let us plan some object, ere we sleep,
And drink destruction to the rebel sheep.
On neighboring isles uncounted cattle stray,
Fat beeves and swine, -- an ill-defended prey
These are fit visions for my noon-day dish."
In 1780, there were many sick men on the French fleet in the harbor, and barracks were erected on the island for hospitals. The poor fellows christened their gloomy quarters Isle de France, but they found small comfort with that nickname, with dead soldiers being borne to the burying ground every hour. The mortality rate was serious, and many a good veteran was laid to his eternal rest on the hills of Noddle's Island. After the British forces evacuated Boston, the island was strongly fortified.
Those same works were renewed and and strengthened in 1812, under the name of Fort Strong, having been re-erected by various patriotic societies, and guilds of tradesmen and mechanics, each of which marched to the place on their appointed days. After the removal of the barracks in 1833, the walls of the fort were allowed to waste away. In 1819, Lieutenants White and Finch of the United States Navy fought a duel here; and the former was killed, according to the code of honor.
The growth of the city of East Boston on the historic pastures of Noddle's Island, was rapid and solid. In 1833, there were 8 inhabitants; in 1835, 600; in 1847, 6,500; in 1880, nearly 30,000. The population of the island in 1880 was about equal to that of Mobile, Savannah, Memphis, Trenton, Utica, or Wheeling.
Some of the finest ships that ever sailed were constructed here by Donald McKay, vessels beautifully finished and furnished, and built for great speed. The Flying Cloud, 1,700 tons, made the passage to San Francisco in 89 days, being the quickest ever known. The Sovereign of the Seas, 2,400 tons, was the longest and sharpest clipper ever built, and once made a run of 430 geographical miles in 24 hours. The Empress of the Seas held high rank among the famous clippers of the same epoch. TheGreat Republic was the largest wooden sailing ship ever built. Her 4,556 tons included 1,500,000 feet of hard pine, 336 tons of iron, and an immense amount of white oak. She sometimes made 19 knots an hour, under full sail; and went from New York to San Francisco in 91 days.
Between 1848 and 1858, more than 170 vessels were built at East Boston; of which 99 exceeded 1,000 tons each, and 9 were above 2,000 tons. These were the famous racers, which swept around Cape Horn, and up through the South Seas, crowded with the Argonauts in search of El Dorado [lost treasure]. Others belonged to the Liverpool packet-line, and made regular trips across the Atlantic for many years, exciting the keen and jealous admiration of our British cousins.
The Atlantic Works on the island had built iron steamships for Russia, Egypt, Paraguay, China, and the East Indies: the monitor warships Nantucket and Casco; the turrets of several other iron clads; the engines for many American frigates; and entire fleets of ferry-boats and tugs. Other neighboring shipyards and works have done their share in creating that famous American marine which once was the wonder of all maritime nations.
(source: History of East Boston)
additional information: Wikipedia-East Boston
The Puritans allowed Maverick to remain here, subject to a yearly payment of "a fatt weather, a fatt hogg, or XLs, in money." Maverick certainly lived under the stigmas of being an Episcopalian and a Royalist, and met with annoying persecutions from the Boston authorities. Maverick became the first slaveholder in New England, when Captain Pierce brought African Americans here from the Tortugas in 1638, and sold them at Boston. In about 1645, the Godly brethren of Boston made new encroachments on the rights on Maverick, and he found himself forced to depart from his island home. Some years later he died at New Amsterdam [New York].
During their time of suffering from persecution in about 1660-70, the Baptists of Boston used to meet here under the title of "The Church of Jesus Christ worshipping at Noddle's Island in New England." The poor fellows labored under all sorts of disadvantages in town; but in this insular sanctuary their worship was undisturbed, until the slow liberalization of Massachusetts gave them opportunity to enter Boston as accepted Christians.
A century later the comfortable Williams mansion was the pride of the island; and Putnam, Knox, Lincoln, and the clergy of Boston made frequent visits here. The house was graced by six lovely daughters, whose harpsichord was the forerunner of musical Boston; and the hills on the island gave pasturage to 43 horses and 223 cattle.
The Williams house burned down in the skirmish of 1775, and George Washington gave Mr. Williams one of the Continental barracks at Cambridge, which was moved down to the island, and remodeled into a new mansion. During the siege of Boston that winter, a score of young ladies left the beleaguered town, and took refuge on Noddle's Island, perhaps in this well known house of Williams. One of these was especially dear to William Tudor, the judge-advocate-general of the American army; and he used to visit her frequently, passing from Cambridge to Chelsea, where he undressed, tied his clothing in a bundle, fastened the bundle upon his head, swam to the island, resumed his dress, and then called upon the fair lady. The result of these wooings was a happy marriage, where came three sons and two daughters, who later became patricians of the good Commonwealth.
Passing abruptly from love to war, we find that on this same island was fought the second battle of the American Revolution, and the first in which American artillery was used. On May 27th 1775, General John Stark and 300 men were sent to clear out the livestock on Noddle's Island; and after they had driven about 400 sheep inland from Breed's Island, they engaged the British marines on Noddle's, but were driven back when large re-enforcements of regulars crossed from Boston.
At the same time, General Gage sent a schooner armed with sixteen small guns and eleven barges full of marines, up Chelsea Creek to cut off the raiders; while Putnam came to their relief with 300 men and two guns. The fight lasted all night; but, although fresh troops poured over from Boston, the Americans forced the crew of the schooner to abandon ship and flee, and drove back the other vessels. They took the artillery from the captured vessel, and then burnt the ship, and retired to the mainland, having inflicted severe losses on the British forces. Lord Percy was immensely disgusted at this affair, and wrote home to his father: "The rebels have lately amused themselves with burning the houses on an island just under the admiral's nose; and a schooner, with our carriage-guns and some swivels, which he sent to drive them off, [had] unfortunately [ran] ashore, and the rebels burned her." Philip Freneau, the poet of the Revolution, makes General Gage speak thus, at this time, referring to the partial famine caused by the American raids on the islands:
"Three weeks, ye gods! nay, three long years it seems,
Since roast beef I have touched, except in dreams.
In sleep, choice dishes to my view repair:
Waking, I gape, and champ the empty air.
Come, let us plan some object, ere we sleep,
And drink destruction to the rebel sheep.
On neighboring isles uncounted cattle stray,
Fat beeves and swine, -- an ill-defended prey
These are fit visions for my noon-day dish."
In 1780, there were many sick men on the French fleet in the harbor, and barracks were erected on the island for hospitals. The poor fellows christened their gloomy quarters Isle de France, but they found small comfort with that nickname, with dead soldiers being borne to the burying ground every hour. The mortality rate was serious, and many a good veteran was laid to his eternal rest on the hills of Noddle's Island. After the British forces evacuated Boston, the island was strongly fortified.
Those same works were renewed and and strengthened in 1812, under the name of Fort Strong, having been re-erected by various patriotic societies, and guilds of tradesmen and mechanics, each of which marched to the place on their appointed days. After the removal of the barracks in 1833, the walls of the fort were allowed to waste away. In 1819, Lieutenants White and Finch of the United States Navy fought a duel here; and the former was killed, according to the code of honor.
The growth of the city of East Boston on the historic pastures of Noddle's Island, was rapid and solid. In 1833, there were 8 inhabitants; in 1835, 600; in 1847, 6,500; in 1880, nearly 30,000. The population of the island in 1880 was about equal to that of Mobile, Savannah, Memphis, Trenton, Utica, or Wheeling.
Some of the finest ships that ever sailed were constructed here by Donald McKay, vessels beautifully finished and furnished, and built for great speed. The Flying Cloud, 1,700 tons, made the passage to San Francisco in 89 days, being the quickest ever known. The Sovereign of the Seas, 2,400 tons, was the longest and sharpest clipper ever built, and once made a run of 430 geographical miles in 24 hours. The Empress of the Seas held high rank among the famous clippers of the same epoch. TheGreat Republic was the largest wooden sailing ship ever built. Her 4,556 tons included 1,500,000 feet of hard pine, 336 tons of iron, and an immense amount of white oak. She sometimes made 19 knots an hour, under full sail; and went from New York to San Francisco in 91 days.
Between 1848 and 1858, more than 170 vessels were built at East Boston; of which 99 exceeded 1,000 tons each, and 9 were above 2,000 tons. These were the famous racers, which swept around Cape Horn, and up through the South Seas, crowded with the Argonauts in search of El Dorado [lost treasure]. Others belonged to the Liverpool packet-line, and made regular trips across the Atlantic for many years, exciting the keen and jealous admiration of our British cousins.
The Atlantic Works on the island had built iron steamships for Russia, Egypt, Paraguay, China, and the East Indies: the monitor warships Nantucket and Casco; the turrets of several other iron clads; the engines for many American frigates; and entire fleets of ferry-boats and tugs. Other neighboring shipyards and works have done their share in creating that famous American marine which once was the wonder of all maritime nations.
(source: History of East Boston)
additional information: Wikipedia-East Boston