Richard Dummer facts for kids
Richard Dummer (born around 1589, died December 14, 1679) was an important early settler in New England. Some people called him "one of the fathers of Massachusetts" because of his big role in starting the colony.
He became rich as a trader, working from the port of Southampton, England. Richard was a Puritan, which meant he had different religious beliefs than the official Church of England. This sometimes caused problems with the King. He moved to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and helped found it. He started a business, bought land, and set up a mill. One of his sons was sadly killed by Native Americans. Another son was the first silversmith born in America. His grandson, William Dummer, became the Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. William helped end the Indian Wars and later used his land to start what is now the Governor Dummer Academy, the first school of its kind in the area.
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Richard Dummer's Early Life
Richard Dummer was born in Bishopstoke, Hampshire, England, around 1589. His parents were Thomas and Joane Dummer. We don't have exact records of his birth because the church books from that time are missing.
He trained to be an attorney (a type of lawyer). He also worked with his brothers in shipping goods in and out of the port of Southampton. He became a skilled sailor, even reaching the rank of "master" of a ship.
The Plough Company Adventure
Dummer became good friends with Stephen Bachiler, a Puritan who wanted to move his followers from England to New England. Bachiler married Helena Mason, and Dummer married Mary Jane, Helena's daughter. This made them family.
Dummer, Bachiler, and others started a company called "The Plough Company." Their goal was to send working colonists to New England. Even though Dummer wasn't part of the religious group, Bachiler convinced him to help pay for the trip. People said Dummer was "a man of breadth and ability," meaning he was smart and capable. His connections were very helpful to the new company.
He prepared a small ship called The Plough, which sailed to Massachusetts with 80 people in 1631. Dummer then sailed with his new wife, Mary, on The Whale, arriving in Boston on May 24, 1632.
When he arrived, he found that the company's plan had failed. Dummer worked to save what he could. Through the Massachusetts courts, he took control of the company's remaining goods and land. This made some of the investors back in England angry. In 1643, Dummer sold the company's land rights to Alexander Rigby. This meant Dummer was the only person who made money from the failed Plough Company.
Life in Roxbury
Dummer settled in Roxbury, a town near Boston. He quickly became involved in the colony's activities. He was made a "Freeman" on November 6, 1632, which meant he had full rights as a citizen. He and his wife Mary were among the first members of the church in Roxbury.
The next year, he built the first water-powered gristmill in New England. This mill used water to grind corn. The government (General Court) even lowered his taxes in Roxbury and Saugus because his mill was so helpful to the public. On the same day, he gave £30 to help build a movable fort to defend the colony. Dummer and other freemen were chosen to oversee the gunpowder and ammunition in their towns. He and John Johnson were also ordered to build a bridge over the Muddy River. Towns like Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Watertown helped pay for it.
Later in 1634, Dummer, along with Richard Saltonstall and others in England, planned to bring many cattle to the colony. They chose the land near the Parker River as a good place for the cattle. This area had fertile land and lots of salt marsh, which was great for feeding animals.
Many people from England, including Richard's brother Stephen, gathered in Southampton and London to sail to New England. A fleet of 10 ships left in 1634. Early in 1635, the Elizabeth arrived with Richard's sister Sarah. Other ships brought cattle. By the end of 1635, over 100 ships had made the journey, and Dummer's cattle-raising colony was growing.
Exploring Hampton
In March 1635, Dummer and John Spencer explored a place the Native Americans called Winnicunnet. They arrived in their small boat (a shallop) and were very impressed by the area. Dummer, who was part of the General Court (the government), convinced them to claim the land and plan a new settlement there. This place later became the town of Hampton, New Hampshire. On March 3, 1636, the Massachusetts General Court ordered Dummer and Spencer to "press men" (meaning, gather workers) to build a "Bound house" there.
Dummer liked the Hampton area because it had a lot of salt marsh, which was perfect for grazing his cattle. Spencer was also involved in the cattle business. They saw that the "several thousand acres of fine salt hay" would be a great help for a successful settlement.
Developing Newbury
On May 6, 1635, Dummer was given a farm of 500 acres at the falls in Newbury. On July 8, he and Mr. Bartholomew were allowed to set aside land in Newbury for sheep and cattle. These animals were coming from the Dutch ships that year and belonged to the cattle owners.
Dummer and John Spencer were also given permission to build a mill and a fishing weir at the Newbury falls. They would own these forever.
Dummer became close with John Winthrop the Elder, who was the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dummer was appointed to the Governor's Council in 1635 and 1636. On May 25, 1636, he was elected Treasurer of the Colony and served until May 17, 1637. He was also on important committees and was one of the two judges to hold the first Quarter Court in Ipswich in 1636.
Puritan Beliefs and Challenges
Governor Winthrop was a very strict Puritan. He made strong rules to make sure everyone followed Puritan ideas. However, others in the colony, like Roger Williams, questioned these rules. Williams believed in being tolerant of different beliefs, including those of Quakers, Anglicans, Jewish people, and even Native Americans.
Dummer's wife, Mary, supported Williams and Anne Hutchinson during a time of religious disagreement called the Antinomian Controversy. Because of this, both Mary and Richard were sent away to Boston. Soon after their son Shubael was born, Mary became sick and died in February 1636.
After Mary's death, Dummer lost his rights as a citizen because he had supported Williams and Henry Vane. He then left the colony and returned to Southampton, England.
The Ship Bevis
When Dummer returned to his family home in Bishopstoke, he found his brothers getting ready for their own trip to New England. At this time, there was political and religious trouble in England. The Puritan Parliament was arguing with King Charles I.
The King's officer, Sir John Oglander, watched what was happening. He saw Richard's ship, the Bevis of Hampton, docked at Southampton. He ordered the ship to be held while he investigated. He sent his men to search the homes of the Dummer brothers: John, Thomas, and Stephen. They didn't find anything illegal, but they did see all the supplies the family was preparing for their journey.
- At John Dummer's house: oatmeal and beer for his son Thomas.
- At Thomas Dummer's house: beef for Richard and Thomas's daughter Joan.
- At Stephen Dummer's house: lots of beef, meal, bacon, beer, and cheese for his family and servants.
Even with the searches, the ship was allowed to sail. It left for New England in May 1638 with almost 70 people. This included Richard, his brother Stephen, Stephen's wife Alice, and their children Jane (10), Dorothy (6), Richard (4), and Thomas (2). Also on board were Thomas (19), son of Richard's brother John, and Joan (19), daughter of Richard's brother Thomas, plus ten servants.
Returning to Newbury
When Richard Dummer came back to New England, he returned to Newbury, where he had lived before. He owned a 4-acre house lot and other land. In October 1638, Dummer bought a house from Thomas Hale, with land on both sides of Merrimack Ridge. He lived there for several years before moving to his farm.
The mill he was allowed to build wasn't finished until after August 6, 1638. On that date, the leaders of Newbury agreed that if Richard Dummer "doe make his mill fit to grynd corne" (made his mill ready to grind corn), they would send their grain to his mill. They also promised not to build another mill in town. Dummer received more land grants until he owned most of the land and marshes on the south side of the Parker River. This included land that later became famous farms like the Fatherland and the Dummer Academy farms. On October 7, 1640, he bought another 500-acre farm.
In 1643 or 1644, Dummer married again to Frances Burr. She was the widow of Revd. Jonathon Burr, who had died in August 1641. Frances's late husband had been a church leader in England but had moved to New England. With Frances, Dummer had five more children.
Dummer represented Newbury in the General Court from 1640 to 1645 and again in 1647. He was also a judge in Ipswich in 1644 and again from 1671 to 1672.
In 1650–51, he visited England to handle the will of his niece's husband, Thomas Nelson.
Richard Dummer died in Newbury on December 14, 1679. His widow, Frances, died on November 12, 1682, at age 70.
Richard Dummer's Family
Richard Dummer had six children in total:
- With his first wife, Mary:
- Shubael (1636–1692): He started the first church in York, Maine in 1672. Sadly, he was killed by Abenaki Native Americans in the Candlemas Massacre of 1692.
- With his second wife, Frances:
- Jeremiah (1643–1718): He became the first silversmith born in America. His son, William Dummer, became Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Another son, also named Jeremiah Dummer, helped start Yale University.
- Hannah (1647–1668): She married Revd. James Allen in 1663. He was a minister at the First Church, Boston. Hannah died in March 1668 and did not have any children.
- Richard (1650–1689): He became an army captain at 33 and a Justice of the Peace (a local judge) at 37.
- Nathaniel (around 1652–1658): He sadly drowned as a young boy while playing alone in a canoe.
- William (1657–1678): He died from smallpox.
Richard Dummer's Generosity
Even before he first went to New England in 1631, Richard Dummer set aside money from his land in Bishopstoke. He made sure that 40 shillings a year would be given to the poor people of the parish forever, twice a year.
In 1640, Governor Winthrop lost a lot of money because his agent in England was dishonest. The colonists were asked to help him. Richard Dummer gave the largest amount, £100, which was one-fifth of the total money collected. This was very generous, especially since he had faced problems with Winthrop in earlier years.
Dummer's kindness was also seen when he paid a Native American named "Old Will" £12 for 10 acres of land. This was much more than the land was actually worth, showing his fairness.
