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Archiver > ESSEX-ROOTS > 1998-02 > 0888251411


From: John & Debbie <>
Subject: History of Ipswich
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 08:30:11 -0800


| FISHERY

This business, requiring but little capital, and bringing in much
profit, has long been considered as a source of wealth to New England.
WEARS. 1635. Richard Kent is allowed to build another wear on Chebacco
River and enjoy the profits. John Perkins, jr., had made a wear on the
same river, to have the profits of it seven years, beginning 1636, and
to sell alewives at 5s. for 1000. He disposes of this place to Mr. Wm.
Cogswell.
1674. Nathaniel Rust and Samuel Hunt are permitted to set up a wear
about the Falls, if it do not hinder the mill nor passage thereto. The
form of a wear was as follows. Stone walls were built down the stream,
till they came in contact at an angle of forty-five degrees. At this
angle a cage was placed, composed of hoops with twigs fastened to them.
The walls conducted the fish down to the cage, and thus they were taken
in great numbers.
COD AND OTHER FISHERY. 1641. The town raise a committee to “dispose of
the Little Neck for the advancing of the Fishery.” The fishermen have
leave to enclose this Neck, where a fishing stage is. Every boat that
comes there, shall have room to make its fish, and its crew have liberty
to plant an acre of ground.
* 1648. Among the fishing vessels of Ipswich, four had spent the
summer at “Monhiggan.”
† 1670. Fishermen are allowed to take wood from the common for needed
buildings and fuel. Each boat’s crew have leave to feed one cow on the
common.
1696. Lots are to be laid out at Jeffrey’s Neck for flakeroom and
stages.
1706, Dec. 10th. John Higginson of Salem writes to Symond Epes, of
Ipswich. “I hear a rumour of several whales that are gotten. I desire
you to send me work how much we are concerned in them, and what prospect
of a voyage. When they have done, I desire you would take care to secure
the boats and utensils belonging to them.”
1707, Sept. 22d. Mr. Higginson writes again about whaleboats and crews
at Ipswich, and remarks, “We should be in readiness for the noble
sport.” Hence it appears that the whale-fishery was engaged in here upon
a small scale.
‡ 1715. A committee of the proprietors meet at Jeffrey’s Neck and
confirm to the owners of thirteen fishing boats the use of the room
occupied by these boats.
† 1723. Flats are granted to set a house on to accommodate the
fishery.
1730. The town vote, that owners of fishing vessels shall give an
account of the crews, to the Clerk, on penalty of 20s. for every
person’s name omitted.
1747. A passage had been made through two mill-dams for alewives.
ƒ 1758. The fishery had declined one half in Massachusetts. Only six
fishing schooners now belong to Ipswich.
† 1782, Jan. 1st. The town vote that their Representatives endeavour
to have an application made to Congress, so that they instruct their
Commissioners for peace. to have the right of the United States to the
fishery, an indispensable article of the treaty.
1804. The fishery of shad and alewives in Mile River is to be
regulated.
1825. The privilege of catching shad and alewives in Ipswich River is
let. This privilege is one dollar a barrel. There are 350 barrels of
alewives caught annually on an average. They are disposed of for the
West India market.
CLAMS. § 1763. The commoners forbid any more clams to be dug, than are
necessary for the use of people in town, and of fishing vessels. They
allow one barrel for each of a crew to the banks, and in proportion for
boats in the bay.
1771. Owners of vessels are to pay 6d. a barrel. The poor may dig and
sell clams out of town for 2s. a barrel.
1789. The town vote to have the clam-flats, as well as sand-banks
which had been given them by the commoners, let out, the clams at 1s. a
barrel. There are 1000 barrels of clams dug in Ipswich annually. They
are sold in Boston and other places, for bait, from $5 to $6 a barrel.

* History of New-England; Indian Wars; by the Rev. William Hubbard
† Town of Ipswich Records
‡ Jeffrey’s Neck R.
ƒ Douglass
§ Commoners’ R.

Alewives - A North American fish (Clupea vernalis) of the Herring
family. It is called also ellwife, ellwhop, branch herring.

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