90 FOUNDING OF DORCHESTER, MASS. 



(now Salem) on 6th September. He quotes from an 

 independent historical account of the settlement," that 

 " the inhabitants that hirst settled in this place, and brought it 

 into the denomination of an English town, was in Anno 1628, 

 as follows, viz.: Ralph, Richard and William Sprague, John 

 Meech, Simon Hoyte, Abraham Palmer, Walter Pamer, 

 Nicholas Stowers, John Stickline, with Mr. Bright, Minister to 

 the Company." The father of the three brothers was Mr. 

 Edward Sprague, a fuller, and owner of the old mill at Upwey. 



There seems little doubt that the Spragues went out in the 

 Abigail with John Enclecott, himself a native of Dorchester, 

 selected as supervisor of a Company organized by J. W T hite 

 (more or less in the Puritan interest) for the purchase of land 

 between the Merrimac and Charles Rivers. They would have 

 been of great assistance in promoting this undertaking, being 

 described as men of " character, substance and enterprise, 

 excellent citizens, and generous public benefactors." In the 

 following year, 1629, his Company was re-inforced by 

 emigrants lilling three ships, one of them called the Lyon's 

 Whelp, consisting entirely of passengers from Weymouth and 

 Dorchester. 



Endecott had full power to take charge of the plantation, 

 and to begin the " Wildernesse work." As a ruler he was 

 zealous and courageous, behaving to the Indians with marked 

 justice. It is recorded of him that, together with his Puritan 

 Council, he objected to the growing of tobacco, as they 

 " believed such a production, except for medicinal purposes, 

 was injurious both to health and morals." They also insisted 

 on the abolition of the use of the Book of Common Prayer, 

 Endecott earning the title of " Puritan of Puritans." He 

 exercised the chief authority as Deputy Governor, until the 

 arrival of John Winthrop, the lirst Governor elected under 

 the Charter of the home authorities. The original Mass. 

 Plantation thus became a self-governing community, by 



John Greene, appointed to transcribe the records of Charlestown, at 

 a meeting of the Select men, 18th April, 1664. 



