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The Plantation of Newbury is
located in the northeastern portion of Essex County. Pawtucket Indians hunted, fished and captured seasonal runs
of smelt, alewives, shad, salmon and sea-run trout before settlers
appeared. The shellfish were especially plentiful on Plum Island and were
appreciated by the 100 people from the Wiltshire and Hampshire sections of England
who established the first Colonial settlements. The settlers were
younger and more socially prominent than settlers of other towns in the area, and
were forced out of England by declining economic opportunities. In
1635,
Reverend Thomas Parker from Wiltshire applied to the General Court for
the liberty to settle and begin a plantation on land that is now
Newbury. The proprietors made the land grants in such a way that 60% of the land
was controlled by 10% of the population. As the community grew, fishing became an important industry, as did
small
scale shipbuilding, weaving, tanning and shoemaking. Farmers dealt
in cattle and sheep and by 1791 there were 3,000 head of cattle grazing
on town lands. About the same time, the town set a pattern of
diversified industry, producing woolen goods made by the first American-made
wool carding machines as well as snuff, chaises and slate. Competition
from England's woolen mills decreased the emphasis on woolens and led to
greater cotton fabric production and the establishment of a cooperage, machine
made
nail factory and scythe
mill. In the late 18th and early 19th century, industry rivaled
agricultural employment in the town. In 1844, James Steam Mills was established, in
1850 the railroads arrived in town and by 1845 45,000 pairs of shoes were
made.
After the Civil War, despite an abortive attempt to mine silver and gold
in the town, much of the manufacturing initiative died as water power gave
way to steam power. The economy of the town swung back to agriculture
and by the end of the 19th century there was a big shift to dairying in
Newbury. By 1905, instead of shoes, 450,000 gallons of milk were produced
and poultry and eggs became a significant business. Newbury hosts a number of
New England's most important examples of Colonial architecture, one of
which is the Tristram Coffin House, built in 1654. The Plum Island section
of town is a residential area, much loved by its summer and year-round residents. Narrative based on information provided by the
Massachusetts Historical Commission. |
