54 



ROGER CONANT'S HOUSE. 



It would be a very interesting item of local history if 

 we could know where the house of Roger Conant stood, 

 for, according to his own statement, it was the first house 

 erected in Salem. The town records mention, in 1639, 

 "Mr. Conant's house at Cat Cove." This was probably 

 only a small house used for fishing purposes, to which 

 pursuit, the Neck and Winter Island were devoted during 

 the first century, lots being first granted there in 1636 ; 

 and many of the more wealthy inhabitants had besides 

 their houses in town a "fishing house" at the Neck or 

 Island. 



The only other reference to a house belonging to Roger 

 Conant, in Salem, is a vote of the town Aug. 21, 1637, 

 that "Mr. Conant's house situated next unto Mr. John 

 Fisk, with half acre of ground," should be bought for 

 the benefit of Wm. Plase, a blacksmith, and it seems to 

 have been intended that it should belong to his heirs, or 

 assigns, after his decease. The purchase appears to have 

 been completed, for receipts for the sum of 10 16s, 8d., 

 paid to Roger Conant soon after, are entered on the 

 record. Win. Plase died April 15, 1646, and his estate 

 was settled by Thomas Weeks, who presented to the 

 town a claim for expenses and for care of the deceased 

 during his sickness. It is possible, if not probable, that 

 the house bought of Roger Couant for Wm. Plase came 

 into the possession of Thomas Weeks in accordance with 

 the agreement of the town. 



We find that Thomas Weeks owned, before 1655, a 

 house and half an acre of land on the north side of Essex 

 street, opposite where the Market, or Derby square, is 

 now. The site is at present occupied by the dwelling 

 house of Hon. Richard S. Rogers. Here, we believe, 



