The Saga of John Tower

The long contest both in civil and ecclesiastical affairs in England must reach a result either in suppression or success. The advocates for a change seemed to see their opportunity was in emigration and they embraced it. Among the parishes in sympathy with the Puritanic movement was that of Hingham, where Peter Peck had been installed as rector a few years before John Tower was born and under whose ministry, John Tower, had passed the whole period of his life. Robert Peck had become so decided in the expression of his opinions as to call for admonition and reform from his superior, Bishop Wren; and under the more forceful administration of Laud, he was reduced to the alternative of submission or flight. He chose the latter, and with many of his parishioners, among whom was John Tower, came to New England in 1637. The chronicler says that many of these sold out their possessions at a great sacrifice. It does not appear from any record what the possessions of John Tower were. In this emigration it was the practice of young men who wished to come, and who were without the means to defray the expense of passage and to establish themselves, to bind themselves in service to others in better condition for these purposes. The ancestors of some of our people came into New England as servants. John Tower, however, seems to have had means sufficient to pay his passage and to establish himself in the colony.

A few persons were here as early as 1633, but large accessions were made in 1635 by people from Old Hingham and from neighboring parts of co. Norfolk when a church was gathered and the proprietors received from the colony a grant of land in the limits of the township. The Rev. Peter Hobart had been called as pastor of the church. He was a few years the senior of John Tower, was born in the same parish, educated at and graduated from Magdalen College and seemed to have imbibed under the ministrations of Robert Peck, the Puritanic sentiment of religious faith and practice.

When John Tower arrived in New England he was not a stranger to the people among whom he came. Some were his own parish, among whom all the years of his life had been passed, and among whom he was to live through the rest of his life. The following year many more came, the most of them from Old Hingham. The land within the township was granted to those designated as proprietors, which included all such as should thereafter be admitted; and these lands were given or granted for several and distinct purposes, which grew out of their situation and want. They needed a compact settlement for social and religious purposes. They had been accustomed to village life in Old England for many generations, and for suitable and mutual aid, and protection from the savages, they must live near together.

A colonial ordinance limited the granting of house-lots to a distance of half a mile from the meetinghouse. In the laying out of the house-lots in Hingham this ordinance received such liberal interpretation as to extend about one mile. John Tower's house-lot was about one fourth of a mile from the Meetinghouse. These house-lots were limited in size to the supposed wants of the occupants, varying from three to ten acres. John Tower had a lot of three acres, sufficient for a residence and centrally situated, but of little value for agricultural purposes. For this latter and more important purpose, lands of greater extent were granted to all whom house-lots were granted.

These lots were a distance varying from one to three miles from the house-lots. As the earlier settlers of Massachusetts brought with them stock of cattle, the lands which would furnish these cattle with an immediate supply of food were of the greatest value. These lands were the salt meadows bordering upon the many indentations of the sea, and the fresh meadows bordering upon the running streams, and where the industrious beaver had, by constructing dams, converted wooded swamps into a condition for bearing crops of coarse and luxurient grass. As these lands were quite limited in area, they wer granted in small parcels, that all might be accomodated. There was another value these lands had, in the long and coarse grass which grew upon the immediate banks of the creeks, and which was used for thatching the roofs of the earlier dwellings.

It is to be understood that these lands were granted without any consideration, except the terms as expressed in the several votes of the proprietors, and were to be held in fee-simple, free from conditions of servitude, and subject to the obligations as the proprietors had made by their recorded votes, as follows: 18-28 Sep 1635: "It is agreed upon that every man that is admitted to be a townsman and have lots ganted them shall bear charges both to the church and commonwealth proportionable to their abilities, and in case the town shall refuse to give what it shall be worth, or find a chapman to buy it, than it shall be lawful for them to sell it; always provided it be an honest man that shall be placed into the said lot or lots. It is likewise agreed upon by a joint and general vote of the freemen that all cedar and pine swamps be in common, and preserved to the town's use, although any should fall into any man's lot." The proprietors' records show that through the years of 1637 to 1673 various grants of lands were made to John Tower. He also sold lands though but few of these sales are found in the records.

That John Tower was in sympathy with the whole movement which led to the settlement of New England will appear from the fact that on 13 Dec 1638, he made application to be a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As none but members of the churches could be admitted as freemen, it would appear that he had qualified himself for admission, as his application was granted on 13 Mar 1639/39. Pending the admission of John Tower for admission to the feedom of the Colony, another petition of more importance to this genealogy had been granted, as appears by Rev. Peter Hobart's record, wherein, under the date of 13 Feb 1638/39 we find: "John Tower & Margaret Ibrook, married at Charlestown."


	Tower Family Website \| home The Saga of John Tower \| The Ibrook Family \| Lands of John Tower \| 1st & 2nd Generations \| 3rd Thru 7th Generations \| Contact Us The Saga of John Tower The long contest both in civil and ecclesiastical affairs in England must reach a result either in suppression or success. The advocates for a change seemed to see their opportunity was in emigration and they embraced it. Among the parishes in sympathy with the Puritanic movement was that of Hingham, where Peter Peck had been installed as rector a few years before John Tower was born and under whose ministry, John Tower, had passed the whole period of his life. Robert Peck had become so decided in the expression of his opinions as to call for admonition and reform from his superior, Bishop Wren; and under the more forceful administration of Laud, he was reduced to the alternative of submission or flight. He chose the latter, and with many of his parishioners, among whom was John Tower, came to New England in 1637. The chronicler says that many of these sold out their possessions at a great sacrifice. It does not appear from any record what the possessions of John Tower were. In this emigration it was the practice of young men who wished to come, and who were without the means to defray the expense of passage and to establish themselves, to bind themselves in service to others in better condition for these purposes. The ancestors of some of our people came into New England as servants. John Tower, however, seems to have had means sufficient to pay his passage and to establish himself in the colony. In a record kept by Daniel Cushing, a town clerk, who made many records of the early settlement of Hingham and of those who came from England, we find the following : "1637 - John Tower & Samuel Lincoln came from Old Hingham, and both settled at New Hingham." A few persons were here as early as 1633, but large accessions were made in 1635 by people from Old Hingham and from neighboring parts of co. Norfolk when a church was gathered and the proprietors received from the colony a grant of land in the limits of the township. The Rev. Peter Hobart had been called as pastor of the church. He was a few years the senior of John Tower, was born in the same parish, educated at and graduated from Magdalen College and seemed to have imbibed under the ministrations of Robert Peck, the Puritanic sentiment of religious faith and practice. When John Tower arrived in New England he was not a stranger to the people among whom he came. Some were his own parish, among whom all the years of his life had been passed, and among whom he was to live through the rest of his life. The following year many more came, the most of them from Old Hingham. The land within the township was granted to those designated as proprietors, which included all such as should thereafter be admitted; and these lands were given or granted for several and distinct purposes, which grew out of their situation and want. They needed a compact settlement for social and religious purposes. They had been accustomed to village life in Old England for many generations, and for suitable and mutual aid, and protection from the savages, they must live near together. A colonial ordinance limited the granting of house-lots to a distance of half a mile from the meetinghouse. In the laying out of the house-lots in Hingham this ordinance received such liberal interpretation as to extend about one mile. John Tower's house-lot was about one fourth of a mile from the Meetinghouse. These house-lots were limited in size to the supposed wants of the occupants, varying from three to ten acres. John Tower had a lot of three acres, sufficient for a residence and centrally situated, but of little value for agricultural purposes. For this latter and more important purpose, lands of greater extent were granted to all whom house-lots were granted. These lots were a distance varying from one to three miles from the house-lots. As the earlier settlers of Massachusetts brought with them stock of cattle, the lands which would furnish these cattle with an immediate supply of food were of the greatest value. These lands were the salt meadows bordering upon the many indentations of the sea, and the fresh meadows bordering upon the running streams, and where the industrious beaver had, by constructing dams, converted wooded swamps into a condition for bearing crops of coarse and luxurient grass. As these lands were quite limited in area, they wer granted in small parcels, that all might be accomodated. There was another value these lands had, in the long and coarse grass which grew upon the immediate banks of the creeks, and which was used for thatching the roofs of the earlier dwellings. It is to be understood that these lands were granted without any consideration, except the terms as expressed in the several votes of the proprietors, and were to be held in fee-simple, free from conditions of servitude, and subject to the obligations as the proprietors had made by their recorded votes, as follows: 18-28 Sep 1635: "It is agreed upon that every man that is admitted to be a townsman and have lots ganted them shall bear charges both to the church and commonwealth proportionable to their abilities, and in case the town shall refuse to give what it shall be worth, or find a chapman to buy it, than it shall be lawful for them to sell it; always provided it be an honest man that shall be placed into the said lot or lots. It is likewise agreed upon by a joint and general vote of the freemen that all cedar and pine swamps be in common, and preserved to the town's use, although any should fall into any man's lot." The proprietors' records show that through the years of 1637 to 1673 various grants of lands were made to John Tower. He also sold lands though but few of these sales are found in the records. That John Tower was in sympathy with the whole movement which led to the settlement of New England will appear from the fact that on 13 Dec 1638, he made application to be a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As none but members of the churches could be admitted as freemen, it would appear that he had qualified himself for admission, as his application was granted on 13 Mar 1639/39. Pending the admission of John Tower for admission to the feedom of the Colony, another petition of more importance to this genealogy had been granted, as appears by Rev. Peter Hobart's record, wherein, under the date of 13 Feb 1638/39 we find: "John Tower & Margaret Ibrook, married at Charlestown." Continue For Ibrook Family