Thomas Wells left two sons, Thomas and Nathaniel. Thomas quitclaimed his portion to his brother, in 1669, and the deed gives the south and southeast bound on land of Samuel Rogers. This Rogers' land is located by the deed of sale of Daniel Epps to Mr. Samuel Rogers, for £240, of his house, barns, out-houses etc., and fifty acres of land" at a place comonly called Chebacko, the land of Mr. John Rogers & Thomas Wells toward north & north-west, lands of Major Denison and Mr. Saltonstall's farm toward the west, other land of said Samuel and a great creek toward the south and east" (Jan. 24, 1664).2 This may be identified with probable accuracy with the fields on the south side of the highway, nearly opposite the dwelling of Mrs. Charles Smith, where an old cellar and well, and traces of other buildings are still visible, and indicate the spot where, we may presume, the ancient farm buildings stood. Mrs. Martha Rogers, widow of Mr. John Rogers, sold a property for £246 to Nathaniel Wells in 1695, a house, barn and forty acres, which is bounded substantially as the preceding and may be identified with it.3 Thomas Wells sold Abraham Tilton Jr., his farm, described as part of ye farme which my brother bought of ye relict of Mr. John Rogers, & part of ye farm of aforesaid father Nathaniel Wells, deceased," sixty acres, in 1706,4 and Nathaniel Wells sold Tilton some sixteen acres more in 1709.5 Abraham Tilton gave his son, Daniel, a three-acre lot, on which Daniel had his residence, in 1729,6 which Daniel sold back to his father in 1737.7 Part of the Wells farm continued in the Wells line until 1809, when Nathaniel Wells sold to Oliver Cogswell, who built the house, now standing, about 1815. It was purchased and occupied for years by Mr. Manasseh Brown, owned later by the late Alvin Story, and now by Dr. J. L. Goodale. The remainder of the farm passed into other hands. Abraham Tilton conveyed one half his farm to his son Abraham, the northeast part, including the three acres in 1737;9 and in 1741,10 Daniel Tilton and others sold Jacob Smith about one hundred acres, with buildings, "lately owned and possessed by our Hon". Father, Mr. Ab. Tilton Gentleman," including land on both sides the road, "only excepting and reserv 1 Ipswich Deeds, 3. 2 Essex Co. Deeds, 3: 85. Essex Co. Deeds, 12: 10. 4 Essex Co. Deeds, 20: 19. Essex Co. Deeds, 24: 4. Essex Co. Deeds, 53 78. 7 Essex Co. Deeds, 73: 61. 10 Essex Co. Deeds, 83: 102. ing the road leading to Castle Hill, the road or way leading to Emerson farm1 (so called) now owned by John Choate, Esq., also a way or privilege of passing over the south side of said farm, heretofore reserved by Mr. John Rogers and after by Mr. Thos. Wells, deceased." It is interesting to note that, in the middle of the last century, the highway to Castle Hill was so ill defined that there was need of reserving to the public their right of way, in this deed. Moses Wells sold Smith several lots in 1773.2 Jacob Smith bequeathed his large estate to the three sons of his kinsman, Adam Smith, Joshua, Asa and Bemsley.3 It included "two mansion houses," with barn, etc.4 Joshua received the farm which he bequeathed in turn to his son Joshua, and he to his son Charles, whose widow and family still retain it. Asa Smith came into possession of the part now owned and occupied by Mr. John Burnham. He sold Hepzibah Day, wife of John Day Jr., twenty acres," at the corner of a stone wall and road or way leading to Cogswell's farm, near the southerly end of the house lately the property of Adam Smith, deceased."5 This establishes the pedigree of the old house, still standing under its rugged old tree, now owned by Mr. Asa R. Brown. It was built by Stephen Smith, who bought the land in 1742, and was bequeathed to his sons, Adam and Zebulon. The house itself with a small piece of land was sold to John Day Jr. by Asa Smith, by a deed of the same date as above. The eastern or northeastern part of the old Tilton farm, which was sold to Daniel, came into the possession of David Tilton, and at his decease, Abner Day bought the interest of several heirs. The deed of Zebulon and Asa Smith to Abner Day of one undivided fourth part of the widow's thirds of the estate of David Tilton describes the westerly end of the dwelling house, with the close or orchard before the barn, the forefield containing three and three-fourths acres, "also the herbage in the lane leading to Fox Point lane, from the road to the house," Nov. 5, 1802.8 1 The Randall Andrews farm, so called, now owned by Mr. Gardiner A. Brown. 2 Essex Co. Deeds, 133: 231. 3 Essex Co. Probate Records, 360: 122. Essex Co. Probate Records, 360: 405. Essex Co. Deeds, 220: 74. Essex Co. Probate Records, 342:362. Essex Co. Deeds, 220: 75. Essex Co. Deeds, 171: 59. Back of the Caverly farm house is a lane with stone wall on each side, which terminates at a level and sightly spot on the hillside. An immense willow tree stands near an ancient cellar. Here stood, within the remembrance of Mr. Aaron Kinsman, a venerable house, known in his boyhood as the Tilton house. It was the old home of the Tiltons, of whom we have been writing. The Caverly property then owned by the heirs of Samuel Wainwright, son of John Wainwright, was conveyed to John Patch by John Winthrop, given by him to Capt. Tristram Brown, who built the present house, bought by Mr. David Story, and then by Mr. Caverly. It is said that Daniel Webster frequently came to this house for his lodging, while he enjoyed the gunning on beach and marshes. A little way beyond the by-road to the Sagamore cottages on the slope of Sagamore Hill, a bridge crosses the ancient canal. As early as 1652 a move was made toward cutting a passage way for boats through the marshes, from Ipswich River to the River of Chebacco, to avoid the long and sometimes dangerous passage by the mouth of the river. In that year the town voted :— "Granted Thomas Clark and Reginal Foster, that when they shall have cut through a passage from this river into Chebacco river, of ten feet wide and soe deepe as a lighter may pass through laden, and to make a ford and foot-bridge over, that then the town have given unto them £10 towards said passage." Evidently the canal was not completed, as in 1682 it was "Granted to any one of the inhabitants to perfect cutting the cut, that comes up to Mr. Eppes' bridge, if they will submit to the selectmen yearly the setling of the toll for those who pass through and who do not help cut it." But still the work was incomplete, and in 1694 it was "Granted that such persons of Ipswich as will may have liberty to cut the cut through on the hither side of Castle Neck; and if any pass through, who do not help do it, they shall pay for a passage as the selectmen set the price." "Whoever will cut the cut through the marsh by Mr. Eppes sufficient for boats to pass through laden, shall have liberty. Such as pay about 5a towards doing it shall pass free. Such as pay nothing shall be charged 3d in money for a cord of wood or load of hay, or ton of other loading." |