101 



our local history. The records of the coiiiitj and of 

 several of our towns contain a mass of material on the 

 suhject that would amply repay a careful examination. 



The ferries on the Merrimac near Haverhill have varied 

 at dill'erent periods in number and location. The first on 

 record was in 1G47, Thomas Hale authorized to keep a 

 ferry. In 1711, a ferry was established at Holt's Rocks 

 between Havcrliill and Newbury, and was kept for many 

 years hy John Swett, father and sou, hence the name of 

 "Swett's Ferry." In 1745, there were no less than five 

 ferries l)etween the village of Haverhill and Holt's Rocks : 

 Swett's, at Holt's Rock ; Cottle's, at the mouth of East 

 Meadow River (Cottle's Creek) ; Pattee's near the House 

 where David Nichols now or recently lived ; Milliken's 

 at the "Chain Ferry"; and Griffen's nearly opposite the 

 central part of the city. 



A ferry has been kept at the location of the New Bridge 

 from 1738 to 1872, or 134 years, as a public landing; for 

 more than one hundred years it had been a regulai'ly at- 

 tended ferry. About thirty years after the opening of 

 Haverhill bridge, regular attendance was suspended ; 

 boats, however, have been kept by individuals for the 

 conveyance of foot passengers. 



Some of the party, who were interested in genealogical 

 investigations, repaired to the old records ; others, among 

 whom was the author of a valuable memoir of one of the 

 old families of the place, visited tlie location of several of 

 the original grants of land to settlers from Rowley who first 

 came hither in 1649. This territory at that time was 

 known as "the Merrimac lands" and was within the town- 

 ship of Rowley. The first grants were bounded on the 

 river (the river before the building of roads was the 

 most convenient mode of communication), and extended 

 back a considerable distance, some as far as the present 



