Introduction

In Chapter 10, I discussed Godfrey’s “early period” - 1648-1667 - specifically, between his birth in 1648 in Westminster, London and his 1667 court appearance in Northampton, Massachusetts when he was brought to trial as a “ringleader of the villanies” for the Bartlett residence theft.

I recently revisited Godfrey’s life between the 1667 court appearance and his 1680 admission as a “freeman” in Northampton (1). I was intrigued by his rise in social and economic position that coincided with the establishment of the town of Deerfield, Massachusetts under the “Dedham Grant”.

Somehow, between 1667 and 1680, Godfrey transitioned from being a “lad” to a being “freeman”, licensed cordwainer, and landowner of property in Northampton and Deerfield. That’s a remarkable leap in the space of thirteen years. I felt that researching this rise in stature and wealth might yield clues about Godfrey personally, and the world around him.

What was a Freeman?

It is important to understand the terms describing a New England colonist’s social, political, and economic position. The terms used at that time were:

1. Indenture: an arrangement where a person is bound to another for period of servitude in order to pay back an initial expense, typically for travel to the colony;

2. Servant: a person who performs duties for another in exchange for wages and/or living expenses;  

3. Apprentice: a person in a work arrangement with a “licensed” tradesperson to learn a trade in exchange for low wages, for a fixed period of time;

4. Freeman: a person free of obligations, entitled to full civic and political rights.

We know little about the period between Godfrey’s birth in 1648 and the court appearance in 1667, but that in itself tells us something: he was probably not well off and he likely made his way to America alone, possibly as an indentured servant. One current working theory is that he arrived in the Massachusetts colony in 1661. The 1667 court record sadly tells us little about his personal circumstances other than he was a “lad”, evidently without representation in court.

It’s the next 13 years that are remarkable in that he not only acquired a “licensed” trade, but he was admitted as a land-owning “freeman” in Northampton and also owned property in Deerfield. Later records show that he steadily acquired property through the rest of his life in and around Deerfield, to become an esteemed and wealthy member of society. Something transformative had happened in those 13 years - something which is either in the records, or could be inferred from them.

Cordwainer

Apprenticeship was a necessary part of acquiring a trade. Cordwainers (high-end shoemakers) were an especially valued and regulated part of New England society. The Company of Shoomakers [sic] was one of the first guilds in America; having formed in Boston in October 1648 to control shoemakers’ quality and workmanship (2). An established guild meant that by Godfrey’s time one couldn’t just “claim” to be a cordwainer. One would almost certainly have had to apprentice to a Master, for as long as 7 years. Therefore, prior to 1680 Godfrey must have been able to contract with and complete a lengthy apprenticeship to a Master Cordwainer in Massachusetts.

Settling in Deerfield

Some early family narratives state that Godfrey was one of the first three settlers in Deerfield, living there in a makeshift abode as early as 1671., approximately four years after the trial when we may assume he was still serving his time as an apprentice.

How can this be so?

I believe the answer lies in (1) how Deerfield was established; (2) by whom; and (3) how Godfrey might have been connected to them.

The Dedham Grant

The story of Deerfield actually begins with the “apostle” Eliot. In the mid-1600’s, a Reverend John Eliot was preaching to tribes of Algonquins throughout Massachusetts. Amongst other Christian works, he converted many and helped them establish agrarian communities and towns. In the end he was responsible for helping establish as many as 14 “praying” (or “Christianized”) Indigenous-American villages.

The Natick Indigenous-Americans were one such group. They were having trouble settling in an area they claimed the Dedham “fathers” had agreed earlier on they could farm, but which was now being withheld from them. In 1660, Rev. Eliot petitioned the General Court in Boston for a grant of land on which the Naticks could settle. The court agreed, and in 1663 granted Eliot and the Natick Tribe 2,000 acres in an area that was to become the town of Natick. This land unfortunately belonged to the town of Dedham.

In compensation for its decision to grant “Natick” to the Natick people, the court granted the town of Dedham 8,000 acres “in a convenient place”, provided such land was free and clear of encumbrances. In 1663, hearing there was some good fertile land to be had some 12 miles north of Hadley, Dedham sent a scouting party consisting of John Fairbanks and Lieut. Daniel Fisher to ascertain the suitability of the land.. They reported that the land was suitable, however it belonged to the Pocumtuck people. John Pynchon - an important historical figure known for his dealings with the Indigenous-Americans in the area - was engaged to negotiate the purchase the 8,000 acres from the tribe.

This “purchase” was completed in stages over the next few years. By 1669, 8,000 acres was available to the town of Dedham to administer. It did this by means of a “lottery” system. Lots were drawn and awarded to citizens of Dedham. The whole episode is well recorded and described in various New England early histories (3, 4). The original deeds from the Pocumtuck people, some of which were witnessed by Pynchon’s young children, are apparently still in existence.

Interestingly, almost none of the new Dedham proprietors of Pocumtuck (Deerfield) settled there. The vast majority sold off their properties. That’s not to say no-one wanted to go there as the records clearly show there was somewhat of a scramble to settle the area. This was started by one Samuel Hinsdale, followed shortly by his friend Sampson Frary. If family tradition is accurate, Godfrey followed soon after, as the third purported settler - at first “informally” in 1671, followed by his purchase of land in 1679.

Possible Connections

Interestingly, Samuel Hinsdale, the first Deerfield settler, moved even before the dust settled in 1669. Sampson Frary, son of a cordwainer and Hinsdale’s friend, followed soon after. If Godfrey indeed was one of the first three settlers, it is highly likely that he knew both Hinsdale and Frary beforehand. Regardless, we know that Godfrey Nims’s land was right next door to Frary’s.

Hinsdale and Sampson Frary both were from Medfield, which had originally been part of Denham and incorporated as Medfield in 1651. Also, the land Denham contributed eventually broke away to become Medway in 1713

You may recall that Frederick C. Nims recorded the story that Godfrey “at first settled in Medford” (from a visit in 1910 to Mrs. Eunice Nims-Brown in Deerfield. This nugget was recently uncovered by NFA President David Nims). Is it possible this record was meant to say Medfield?

If Mrs. Nims-Brown’s information actually relayed that Godfrey was in Medfield in the late 1660’s it could explain his association with the Hinsdales and the Frarys, and his knowledge of, and early interest in property in Deerfield. And, indeed, Godfrey’s neighbor, Sampson Frary’s father, John Frary, was documented as a cordwainer in Medfield which offers John Frary as a candidate for Godfrey Nims’ Master cordwainer. Another candidate for Godfrey’s master is Northampton cordwainer John Lyman. Godfrey could have been apprenticed to him directly or to John Frary through Lyman’s cordwainer connections.

These associations could explain why Godfrey was one of the first purchasers of property in Deerfield and why he hurried to set up shop as a cordwainer in Deerfield; as Northampton and Medfield had cordwainers John Lyman and John Frary, respectively.

The early history of the “Company of Shoomakers” states the purpose of the guild was to regulate both shoemakers and the quality of their product. Amongst other things, they wanted to normalize the practice of cordwainers operating their own workshops using their own leather and tools, rather than the custom of moving around and living with their clients using local materials and whatever tools were available.

Lieutenant Daniel Fisher

Returning to Lieut. Daniel Fisher who with John Fairbanks scouted the 8,000 Pocumtuck acres for the town of Dedham in 1663 that would become Deerfield, we find another interesting connection. In a deathbed confession in 1735, Fisher’s daughter Lydia revealed that in 1671-2 she had been sent to tend to the Regicides while they were in hiding at the house of Rev. Russell in Hadley! Is it possible that Lydia took over these duties from Godfrey NIms when he moved to Deerfield in 1671? As a further line of research, it might be important to see how the Fishers were connected with the Russells and/or the regicides.

Summary

By 1673 Godfrey was on the path to becoming a cordwainer and had acquired property in the new town of Deerfield, MA which didn’t have an existing cordwainers shop. It is likely that he initially took his grant of property in Northampton in the 1670s, living either there or in Medford (-field) before starting his own business in Deerfield as one of the first three residents.

Additional research into what land was purchased, from whom and when may yield further clues about about Godfrey’s chronology during his early adulthood.

It never ceases to amaze me how intricate and strategic colonial New England was: how the early colonists strove for personal betterment through dreams and industry, toil and hardship. Godfrey’s was obviously one such colonial striver as his early achievements testify.

References

(1) “History of Northampton”, John Russel Trumbull, Northampton, 1898, p.147

(2) “American Shoemakers: 1648-1895 A Sketch of Industrial Evolution”, John R.    Commons, first published in 1909, reprint by Oxford University Press (JSTOR)

(3) “History of Deerfield”, George Sheldon, Greenfield Mass, 1895

(4) “History of Dedham”, Erastus Worthington, Dutton and Wentworth, Boston,1827

(5) “History of the Town of Medfield”, William S. Tilden, George H. Ellis, Boston, 1887