Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-03
THE PILGRIM SHORE.
Visit to Interesting Country
South of Boston.
SETTLED BY THE INDIANS
Houses of Revolutionary Period Still
Standing in Dorchester.
STORY OF THE MINOT MANSION
Built in 1910, It Is Probably the
Oldest Wooden Dwelling on
the Continent.
STORY OF THE MINOT MANSION
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
BIZ W WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

BIZ WILLIAM r.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
QUINCY. Mass. July 81, 1911
What is known as the Pilgrim shore
lies along the shore Of Boston bay, south
of the city, as distinguished from the
Puritan coast, which lies north Of the
city. and includes Boston. A little stream
which flows into the bay near Cohasset
was the boundary line between the Ply
mouth and the Massachusetts Bay colo
MES
The first town south of Boston lis Rox-
bury, which you could never distinguish
from the city. because the boundary line
was built over years and years ago. Then
comes Good Old Dorchester" which was
named after the native place Of the Rev.
Mr. White, who organized the settlement.
built the first meeting house In Massa
chusetts Bay colony in 1881, and insttut-
ed the first town meeting in New Eng
land. Dorchester takes even greater
pride in the fact that 1t was the first
town in all America by direct tax to
AXE provision for a free public school,
and the town meeting admonished the
schoolmaster to equally and impartial
ly instruct such as shall be sent and COM
mitted to him for that end. whittier there
parents bee poore or rich," which shows
that their Intentions were better than
their spelling. This was the corner stone
of the free public school system of the
United States. After time the tax
payers were relieved of the burden and
the schoolmaster was paid from the pro-
ceeds of the rental of Thompson Island,
which is owned by the town. It lies on
the other side of Dorchester bay, off
Squantum point. on the road to Nepon-
set. and furnishes lovely view
The first fertilization north of virginia
was built on Castle Island in Dorchester
bay in 1884, when God stirred up his
poore servants to use means in their be-
ginnings for their preservation. At first
they built castle with mud walls, which
stood diverse years. When the mud walls
failed it was built again with pine trees
and earth, and brick walls replaced these
in 1915. Although this castle cost about
pie weary Of maintaining it in good re-
pair Indeed it was strong fort for
that time mounting thirty-eight guns
and sixteen whole culverin." In 1905 1t
was christened Castle William in honor
Of the Prince of Orange, and bore his
name until 1899, when 1t was rechristened
Fort Independence and remains so today.
Revolutionary Houses.
Several houses of the revolutionary
period remain at Dorchester. the most
conspicuous and interesting being one that
was built in 1850 by James Blake. 1t is
now owned and occupied by the Dor
chester Historical Society which has re-
stored it, furnished it with beautiful old
colonial furniture and filled it with
relics of the period when Dorchester was
the greatest town in New England.
There are other and older houses at
Neponset, just little way farther south.
The old Minot Mansion, dating back ten
years earlier. to 1910, is probably the
oldest wooden dwelling on the continent
1t is built of ponderous oaken timbers
and bulletproof walls. which were needed
m the days when they were raised. A
story goes with the house. In King
Phillips war a fierce-looking warrior APP
peared at the door and demanded food.
No one was at home but young maid
servant and two of John Minots children.
Throwing down the bar that held the door
the cool-headed young woman hid the
two children under a brass kettle in
the kitchen took down John Minots
musket which hung over the door and
approached the window. The Indian fired
first and missed her; she, taking careful
aim. shot him in the shoulder. Dropping
his empty gun, he attempted to force the
window, but the brave young amazon
rushed to the fireplace, filled shovel
with burning Goals and hot ashes, and
threw it's contents into the painted face
of the savage. Howling with agony and
rage he fed and she gave him another
shot before he was out Of range. Two
or three days later his dead body was
found in the forest nearby.
The Neponset tribe of Indians were an
important factor in the settlement of this
coast, and Squantum was named after
their chief stanch friend Of the Pill
grims, who piloted Myles Standish, Ed
ward Winslow and eight other members
of the Mayf1ower party on their first ex-
ploration of the coast. The Daughters of
the Revolution have erected a monument
to commemorate that pilgrimage. The
story has been told in both prose and
poetry many times. For it was then that
Massachusetts received it's name Standish
is supposed to have been responsible. and
there are various versions of the incident.
Some of them say that Squantum called
hammock upon which his tepee stood
.'Moswetuset." Others say that a hill
back of Neponset was called "Massawa-
chusett' But, however that may be, the
poet puts it this way:
1.-The Sachem of the bay, by Squantum's shore,
Held DER his feathered warriors sway of yore;
There stood his wigwam in the hummock's shade
There the maize tasseis with the breezes played
There the red hunter chased the antered game
Thence Massachusetts, took her honored name