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Cape Ann ought to get special consideration, in our view. The following is a brief summary that is meant to summarize some of the work done to date and to suggest further research and discussion.
Introduction
Europeans were
early in the visitation of
New England, including Cape Ann. John Cabot reported
in 1497 about his journey along the North American coast. By 1517, dozens of
ships were fishing along the Newfoundland banks. Later, England, Spain,
Portugal and France accounted for over three hundred boats that were fishing in
the area.
During the
1580s, Sir Walter Raleigh made his attempt to establish a colony at Roanoke in
the area now known as North Carolina. John White, the governor, went to England
for supplies. On his return in October of 1590, he found his colony deserted.
The fate of those early colonists remains a mystery.
By 1600,
thousands of English boats were fishing the bays and coves of New England. Captain
Bartholomew Gosnold had the honor of naming Cape Code and Martha’s Vineyard.
Gosnold found that the area was pleasant enough during the summer of 1602, with
an abundance of fish, to attempt a colony that did not take hold due to several
problems such as conflict with the American Indian population.
Captain John
Smith explored Maine in 1614 and suggested that the excellent fishing could be
exploited by having stations. Also, he mapped out the area of Cape Ann (named
by Prince Charles).
The Plymouth
experience was at a location not far from Cape Ann. Fishing crews from Plymouth
did use the area for processing fish.
Cape Ann experience
In 1623/24,
the Dorchester Company made an attempt to found a commercial venture in New
England at Cape Ann. Thomas Gardner was in charge of the planting, according to
Hubbard. A year later, Roger Conant came to the area as supervisor on the direction
of the merchants in England. At that time, there had been growing conflict with
the Cape Ann crew and those of Plymouth due to differences in opinion
concerning who had authority in the area. Conant is noted as arriving in time
to play peacemaker. Too, the venture never found commercial success.
The Cape Ann
crew did succeed in establishing themselves, by the time of Conant’s arrival,
by overwintering twice. A group had spent the summer of 1623 fishing in the
area. Part of this group remained and awaited the coming of the party the next
year. In 1624, a house was erected using, in part, material brought from
England. Too, they planted crops which were sufficient to support the group
given that we have no record of the deaths that occurred later when the influx
swamped the local capacity to support the population.
This house,
later, was seen by Higginson in Salem and termed the
great house. Conant got
access to the house upon his arrival. Prior to that, the occupants may have
been Gardner and family. With Conant coming in to take charge, there was the
first of several transitions in power that were to come.
Salem move (where was Thomas and his family?)
By 1626,
Conant had determined that Cape Ann was not suitable for supporting the commercial
expectations of the company. Hence, he asked for and got permission to move the
Cape Ann crew to the area that became Salem. He and those who went with him
were later to be called “old planters” to distinguish them from those newcomers
who came after the arrival of John Endicott in 1628.
Many have
asked questions pertaining to the short list of “old planters” since many of
the Cape Ann crew are not on the list. The Paine sisters, for instance,
suggested that Thomas Gardner may have returned to the old country. Other stories abound.
When John
Winthrop showed up on 1630, his party stopped on Salem. They were welcomed with
a feast, in the Great House. Too, the party went over to Cape Ann for
strawberries.
A proper
retrospective would have Thomas staying in Cape Ann, using the house, and
keeping the plantings properly maintained.
Old planters (Thomas not in the group)
Craddock
wrote to Endicott that he ought to
soothe the feathers of Conant and friends
who had worried that they would lose their privileges of being free men. Each
got a grant of a thousand acres. Thomas Gardner was not of that group of
worriers.
When Endicott
came over, he visited Cape Ann and saw the house which was occupied by Thomas
and family. After the house was moved to Salem, Thomas would have moved with
his family. In 1629, Endicott mentions Mr. Gardner in a letter to London.
Old Planter Society
In the latter
part of the 19th century, as the 300 anniversary of the arrival
loomed, there was much interest in the colonial ancestors around and about the
country. Many families got acquainted with their family history and wrote
books.
Frank A.
Gardner, M.D. authored a book on his genealogy. Too, he, and several
illustrious colleagues were instrumental in establishing an
Old PlanterSociety. Dr. Gardner also established the second try of the
MassachusettsMagazine which published for ten-years. One section dealt with history and
genealogy, including meetings of Societies. One discussion brought up during
this time was that the Cape Ann crew had been forgotten in history and had not
been given the proper credit. Also, Dr. Gardner tried to get Thomas Gardner and
others on the old planter list.
The Old
Planter Society became associated with the Balch family which has had regular
meetings in Beverly over the years.
Retrospective
In review, we
can describe how Thomas Gardner, with his family, remained in Cape Ann after
Conant left with the “old planters” crew. There were plantings to attend. Too,
the house which was the first two-story structure in New England would have
been available.
One might
consider that this “solitary” time on Cape Ann was the first example of an
idyllic life experience. Essentially, there would have been no church and no
preacher. There were peaceful relationships with the American Indians. Too, the area was
still supporting fishing.
Hence, Cape
Ann would have given us the first experience of the
American Dream. That is, an
effective pair of a man and his spouse in a non-turbulent environment would
have been free to pursue those ideals we later see in writing.
The upcoming
400
th anniversaries ought to encourage re-looks such as this which
represents the start of a series that will argue the importance of Cape Ann.
Remarks: Modified: 03/25/2023
06/06/2018 -- Need to
prepare for 2023/4. Some, of literary inclinations, have looked back 200 years:
American Jeremiad. But, we need to go back to the Cape Ann times and before.
01/05/2019 --
Enduring Gloucester. How did I miss this?
Commented. I guess, the focus on the
western expansion that still has tales needing telling. Wait, I did a post on a story about
the beginnings.
