Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GENKALOGIOAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 21
Ponds. At West Barnstable the Indians belonged to the Seorton
tribe and their sachem, Secuncke,* resided in Sandwich.
Sandwich had been settled two years, and Yarmouth less than
one, when Mr. Hull came to Barnstable. There were in the plantation
about fifteen families, settled in two villages, one near
Goodspeed's, now Meeting House Hill, and the other near Coggins'
Pond. The settlement at Old Town, in the northeasterly
part of the town, commenced by Mr. Bachiller and his company
in the cold winter of 1637-8, had been abandoned. Mr. Hull and
Dimmock laid out the lands between the two villages into lots,
and those who came with Mr. Hull settled thereon. Mr. Dimmock
had then selected a farm for himself and built a house thereon,
probably the fortification house that has so often been named
in these papers.
Mr. Hull built for himself a farm house where Capt. Thomas
Harris now resides. The first Meeting House was on the oppo-
site side of the road, where the ancient burying-ground now is.
I infer from the fact the first settlers often held their meetings at
his house, that it was as large and convenient as any in the settlement.
Tradition informs us that Mr. Hull held his first meeting, and
preached his first sermon, beside the great rock lying in the road
near the house of Mr. Edward Scudder. Formerly it stood on
the blufC on the south side of the way, but it was gradually undermined
by the rains, and finally rolled down to its present position.
When the present jail was built a portion of it was split off and
used in the construction of the foundation of that building.
At the December term of the Plymouth Colony Court Mr.
Hull and Mr. Dimmock were deputies from Barnstable, and at the
same court he was admitted to be a freeman of the Plymouth
Colony.
His name does not occur on the Church records, as the pastor
or teacher. Dec. 11, 1639, a day of thanksgiving was held athis
house "for God's exceeding mercy in bringing us hither, safely
keeping us healthy and well in our weak beginnings, and in our
church estate. The day being very cold our praises to God in
publique being ended, we divided into three companies to feast
together, some at Mr. Hull's, some at Mr. Mayo's, some at Brother
Lombard's, Senior."
April 15, 1640, Mr. Hull assisted at the ordination of Rev.
John Mayo as teaching elder of the Barnstable church.
"May 1, 1641, Mr. Hull was excommunicated for his williul
breakeing of communication with us, and joyneing himselfe a member
with a companie at Yarmouth to be their pastour ; contrary to
the advise and couusell of our church."
*Secunoke's (or Black Goose'e) father was perhaps sachem in 1639. SecUncke was,
kowerer, an aged man in 1682.