Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

62 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
ing place near its northern terminus, where it joins the "Great
Creek." Nicholas Davis, son of Dolar, appears to have been the
earliest -who transacted a mercantile business in that vicinity.
His wharf or landing place was on the Great or Mill
Creek. The name of Huckins' wharf has changed as often
as its owners have changed. In modern the Lewis' had a
shipyard thereon, and the upper part of the "little creek" where
salt water flows has recently been known as shipyard creek. The
salt meadows terminated at the south-west corner of Huckins' lot,
and from that point the record informs that little creek "runs up
into the woods." At the head of the meadows the "little creek"
made a sharp turn to the eastward, crossing the present wharf
road on the south of Elijah Lewis, 2d's, house and was the outlet
of the surplus water of the low lands as far east as the Agricultural
Hall. Then this tract was covered either by ponds, swamps
or a dense growth of maple, hornbeam, &c., and was of no value
for agricultural purposes. Much of it was not included in the adjoining
alottments, and remained some time as common lands.
At some former time the low lands on this tract were covered by
ceda? trees of immense size. In some violent commotion these
gigantic trees were all prostrated, and remaining for centuries
covered with water, peat accumulated over them and a growth of
maple, hornbeam, &c., succeeded. When Mr. Huckins settled
there, a stream of fresh water run all the year on the south of his
house, through a morass impassable by teams. In this isolated
spot he kept an ordinary, as taverns were then called, for the
accommodation of travellers. It is however to be presumed that
the lovers of "strongwaters" knew the paths that lead to his
house.
In addition to his houselot he owned nine acres of land in the
old common-field, two in the new, adjoining Mattakeese pond ;
3-4 of an acre of land by the "horse prison," (near where the
dwelling-house of the late Mr. Edward Gorham stood,) 11 acres
of meadow at Sandy Neck, and two acres of marsh, more or less,
lying by his house, bounded westerly by the creek, easterly by ye
upland, northerly to ye creek. These two acres included all the
meadows on the west of his, and the Davis or Blush lots to the
creeks, consequently he owned the ancient wharf or landing-place,
and hence the creek and wharf were called by his name.
He also owned, in partnership with Nathaniel Bacon and
John Phinney, ninety-six acres of upland and fresh meadows situate
on the east and south of the Bursley farm at West Barnstable.
He also bought the farm of Isaac Robinson, when the latter removed
to Falmouth.
Mr. Thomas Huckins married for his first wife, in 1642,
Mary, daughter of Isaac Wells of Barnstable. She was buried
28th July, 1648. By her he had three daughters, two of whom died