John Evered facts for kids

Captain John Evered (around 1611–1668), also known as Webb, was one of the first Europeans to settle in what is now the Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts. He specifically helped found the town of Dracut, which he also named.

Early Life and Journey to America

John Evered was born in Wiltshire, England, around 1611. His father was John Webb and his mother was Rebecca Evered. He was baptized in 1612.

When he was in his early 20s, John, his brother Stephen, and their older sister Hannah with her husband John Ayer and children, set sail for the New World on June 3, 1635. They traveled aboard a ship called the James.

Surviving a Hurricane at Sea

As they got closer to New England, a huge hurricane hit. The ship was forced to ride out the storm near the coast of modern-day Hampton, New Hampshire. The ship's log and a journal from Increase Mather (whose parents were passengers) described the scary event:

"At this moment,... their lives were given up for lost; but then, in an instant of time, God turned the wind about, which carried them from the rocks of death before their eyes. ...her sails rent in sunder, and split in pieces, as if they had been rotten ragges..."

During the storm, they tried to stay put near the Isles of Shoals. However, they lost all three of their anchors because no canvas or rope could hold the ship. Amazingly, on August 13, 1635, even though the ship was badly damaged, all 100-plus passengers of the James made it safely to Boston Harbor. The ship's records listed John and his brother as laborers. John and Stephen stayed in Boston, while his brother-in-law moved on to Salisbury, Massachusetts before settling in Haverhill.

Life in Boston

As a single man, John joined the First Church in Boston. He became a sailor, also known as a mariner. On December 7, 1636, he became a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay province. This meant he had certain rights, like being able to vote.

In 1639, while living in Boston, John married Mary Faireweather. She was a widow with a son named John. Mary mentioned her plans to marry John Evered in a legal document:

"…to the use of such child and children that shall be lawfully begotten betweene me and John Everet als. Webb whome I intend by the grace of God to take to my husband…”

They bought their first home in Boston for 50 pounds. The next year, Mary and John had a daughter named Hannah Webb Evered. She was their only child together. This made their family a group of four, including Mary's son John, who was six years old when Hannah was born.

An old drawing showing "Mary Dyer led to execution on Boston Common, 1 June 1660."

In 1641, John Evered received permission to start fishing operations at the Isle of Sables. This was a special permit for his business.

In 1643, Evered became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. He was given the rank of Ensign and received 10 pounds for his first year of service. Later, in 1655, he was promoted to first sergeant and then to Captain.

John and his family moved from their small Boston home to a 90 acres (36 ha) farm in Braintree. This farm was located on the "Montaquid" (Monatiquot River). He sold this farm on February 19, 1648.

Settling New Lands

On June 7, 1659, John Evered (Webb) was given land by the General Court. This land was for military officers in Chelmsford. He also bought a nearby island, which is likely where downtown Lowell is today. Webb was the first European settler on the north side of the Merrimack River. He is also the person after whom the town of Dracut was named.

Webb sold part of his Boston property in 1661. This was probably around the time he officially moved to Chelmsford. The town of Chelmsford also gave Mr. John Webb several more pieces of land on November 9, 1661.

Naming Dracut

In October 1665, Captain John Evered bought land called Augumtoocooke. This land is now Dracut. He bought it from Bess, who was the wife of Nobb How and the daughter of Passaconaway. He paid four yards of Duffill fabric and one pound of tobacco for the land.

Webb then sold parts of this land to Richard Shatswell and Samuel Varnum. Even before he fully owned it, Webb had already sold 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) of the land months earlier to Samuel Varnum. The legal document for "Drawcutt upon Mirrimack" was dated 1664, and the price was 400 pounds. Richard Shatswell later traded his Dracut land with Edward Coburn for Coburn's home and land in Ipswich.

A few weeks after Evered's death, on September 13, 1668, his wife Mary sold their 1,600-acre (650 ha) family farm in Dracut. She sold it to Edward Coburn of Ipswich for 1,300 pounds. This land stretched from Samuel Varnum's property to Richard Shatwell's on the east, all the way to the Merrimack River.

Later Years and Death

John's brother, Stephen Webb, passed away in Boston on September 18, 1659.

In his will, dated February 10, 1665, John left property to his nephews and his own daughter. He mentioned:

... John Eyers, Robert Eyers, Thomas Eyers, Peter Eyers, Nathaniel Eyers of Haverhill and the wife of John Arsley of Andevour, and if there be any more brothers and sisters of that family the Eayres as is before mentioned although not named herein, yet the same to have equal portion with them as if they were herein nominated.

In his will, he said he was from Haverhill, which is where his daughter Hannah lived with her husband James.

Captain John Evered died in a whaling accident on August 17, 1668.