28 NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
Ipswich History to b 
Historical Society Will Reproduce Notable Incidents in Town’s Life Fro 
Notable incidents in the life of the Puritans will be 
exemplified by more than 250 persons at an open air 
pageant to be given on the grounds of Mrs. Anna R. 
Peabody and Henry Brown, County road, Ipswich, Aug. 
25. 26 and 27, under the auspices of the Historical society 
of that town. 
The place chosen for the exhibition is ideal, the spa-_ 
cious lawn where the pageant will be held being en- 
vironed with hills and meadows, which are dotted quite 
thickly with shrubbery and trees. Upon the green will 
he loeated two log cabins typical of the early taverns of 
this town. In these structures Puritan maidens will 
have charge of booths and sales will be made to staid 
Puritans and Indians in much the same manner as 
during the early days of the settlement. 
Everything possible to make the pageant historically 
ecrreet will be done by the executive committee, consist- 
ing of Rev. T. Frank Waters, Henry Brown, Mrs. Cor- 
delia Damon and Miss Harriet Condon. The director, 
Miss Margaret MacLaren Eager, has had wide expe- 
rience in conducting pageants in different places, not- 
ahlv the successful exhibition recently held at Deerfield. 
The pageant will open with scenes in ‘*Gippeswie,’’ or 
Ipswich, Eng., in 1630, in which will be portrayed by 90 
characters festivities of village folk, including Maypole 
and Morris dances, supplemented by the appearance of 
a party of Puritans who hold a serious conference with 
the votaries of Terpsichore. Mrs. Isabelle Arthur and 
Mrs. Howard Dawson conduct the varied features. 
An interesting feature will be the leave-taking of the 
Puritans from their English home just previous to em- 
barkation for Massachusetts bay colony. 
The second scene will portray the method of life of the 
Agawam Indians, who owned and occupied what is now 
Ipswich territory. Scenes within wigwams, hunt dance, 
ete., will be given. 
Seene three will shift to Puritans in America and in- 
elude the coming of John Winthrop, jr., and his com- 
pany to Ipswich in 1633, and purchase of land from 
Masconnomet, sagamore of Agawam tribe of Indians. 
An interesting feature denominated “The Thursday 
Lecture’’ will be exemplified by several characters under 
the direction of Mrs. Cordelia Damon and Miss Elizabeth 
Lakeman. In the early days of the colony ‘<The Thurs- 
day Lecture’’ was a session held weekly in the church 
to hear complaints against evil-doers, and to mete out 
punishment. This scene will show the Puritans going 
to chureh. assembled in the edifice, and while the meet- 
ing is in progress, the unexpected sounding of alarm 
that Indians are approaching. The meeting is adjourned 
without formality, and each one grabs a musket and 
rushes forward to meet the foe. No conflict ensues, as 
the Indians are several miles away. 
A stirring scene will be the call for help at the out- 
break of ‘‘The King Philip War’’ in 1665, and the de- 
parture of Capt. Samuel Appleton’s company and Maj. 
John Whipple’s troop for service. Capt. Randolph M. 
Appleton will direct this scene. There will be a large 
number of characters. | 
A seene exemplifying action of the settlers in 1687 in 
resisting unjust taxation is certain to arouse the spirit 
of all spectators. This town is widely known a8 
sirthplace of American independence. Rey. Bs ee 
Waters and Henry Brown will be the leading character 
in this scene. « 
The next feature will be a colonial wedding— 
John Manning and Lucy Bolles.’’ The ceremony 
be followed with a reception, minuet dance, etc. a 
T. F. Waters, Mrs. ©. H. Noyes, Mrs. George Humphrs 
and 20 others will take part. ols 
A colonial tea party, in which 20 people will pat : 
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pate in contra dances, will be under the direction of 
Mrs. Elizabeth Baker and Mrs. F. H. Stockwell. 
Another scene of interest will be ‘‘The Call to Arms 
rtrayed in Pageantry. 
ning of Puritans. Special Emphasis on Colonists’ Relations With Indians. 
in 1775.’’ A company of soldiers leaving for war will 
add much animation to the scene. 
The pageant is in commemoration of the 20th anniver- 
sary of the Ipswich Historical society, and the proceeds 
will be donated to the fund of the organization. Sum- 
mer as well as permanent residents are interested in the 
venture, and with concert of action it is anticipated the 
exhibition will prove one of the most interesting open-air 
shows in the history of New England. No place is moré 
richly endowed with colonial history than Ipswich, or 
with more valuable relics of that period, and as a result 
there is widespread interest in the coming event. 
No place of its size in New England is more richly 
endowed with dwellings erected during the colonial 
period than Ipswich. A considerable number were 
erected during the 17th century. As a whole they retain 
architecturally their Puritan plainness and in numerous 
instances are devoid of paint. Modest front doors, great 
chimneys and small windows are conspicuous in many of 
these dwellings, which have been owned by the same 
families for several generations. The exact age of most 
o the oldtime houses is not known and cannot be deter- 
mined, notwithstanding that deeds recorded show de- 
finitely when the land upon which the houses stand was 
purchased. ‘ 
The house on High street, commonly known as the 
Caldwell homestead, is said to have been erected in 1652. 
In that year, records say, Richard Bett sold to Gornelius 
S Waldo the house which two years later became the 
property of John Caldwell. As the estate was sold 40 
years later at greatly increased value it appears that 
Caldwell must either have greatly enlarged the house or 
else erected a new one on the site of the original strue- 
ture. : 
The Reginald Foster house on Water street, said to 
have been erected in 1655, is a splendid example of co- 
lonial architecture.’ The property has been in the pos- 
session of the Burnham family for many years. 
The Norton-Corbett house on East street is another 
fine exbibit of architecture in vogue in the early history 
of the town. Tradition says the house was built in 1635. 
The Whipple house, now the headquarters of the His- 
tcrieal society, was erected in 1669. The interior has 
heen restored to its original plan and the rooms filled 
with innumerable treasures of the colonial period. 
The Howard-Emerson house on Turkey shore road is 
said to have been built in 1648. This is not attested by 
records. It is atmitted, however, that the house is a 
landmark of old Ipswich and is greatly admired by an- 
tiquarians and others. 
Following is an epitome of the more important events 
in the colonial history of this town rot embodied in the 
pageant program: 
In 1614 Prince Charles ordered that the place be 
called Southampton. In 1617 a plague killed most of the 
Indians in this section of Massachusetts. In 1628 settlers 
began to appear, and three years later each settler was 
given 50 acres of land. 
In 1630 warrants were sent to Ipswich, then Agawam 
for those who settled here to leave. Four years later, 100 
settlers arrived and the first meetinghouse was erected. 
