Rev. Nicholas, son of Nicholas and Mary Cutting, was born in Newbury, 22 Dec., 1647. Graduated at Harvard, 1667 (A. B.). Was made freeman 13 May, 1669. Chaplain of Connecticut regiment at Great Swamp fight, 19 Dec., 1675. He preached thirteen years at Haddam, Conn., and was given a unanimous call to become the seventh minister or church officer in Salem, Mass., 23 Oct., 1682-3, with a salary of £80 and 20 cords of wood annually, and was ordained over the First Church 14 Nov., 1683, and admitted to the church by recommendation from the church in Newbury. 66 Nov., 1685, Messrs. Higginson and Noyes advise that parents who have not been baptized may have their children baptized if they will consent to be examined." “25 May, 1693, the Rev. Nicholas Noyes preached the Election Sermon, which is prefaced by his senior colleague, John Higginson, and published." "15 Dec., 1698, Messrs. Higginson and Noyes sent a long letter to the authors of the Declaration who call themselves undertakers of the New Church erected in Boston (Brattle Street Church), and complain of the Declaration because they consider it too lax in doctrine, in the ordinance of baptism, and also in admission to communion. They desire the authors of the Declaration not to be the beginners of schism." (Annals of Salem). "Rev. Nicholas Noyes was among the clergymen who congratulated the Governor on the choice of John Leverett President of Harvard College, Nov., 1703." About 1702 he wrote the Memoir of his uncle, Rev. James Noyes, in Mather's Magnalia. He officiated as clergyman at the hanging of the witches, Sept. 22, 1692, and after they were dead, said, "What a sad sight it is to see those eight firebrands of hell hanging there" (see Calef, p. 256). Later in life he repented of his part in the witchcraft persecutions, and did what he could to assist the dependent families. He died unmarried, in Salem, 13 Dec., 1717. John Dutton, having visited him in 1686, writes, "He is all that is delightful in conversation; it is no lessening to his brother Higginson to say that he is in no ways inferior to him for good preaching or primitive living." Brattle says of him, "His talents were good, his literature general, his acquaintance with theology extensive, his attachment to the ministry strong, and his life both useful and desired. A learned, a charitable, and a good man." He has been described as being "extremely fat." Referring to the celebacy of Mr. Parker and Rev. Nicholas Noyes, a local poet (?) said :— 66 Though Rome blaspheme the marriage bed, Chaste Parker, Stoughton, Brinsmade, Noyes, These undefiled contracted HERE Are gone to Heaven and married THERE." Rev. Nicholas wrote several poems and elegies, one on the death of his colleague, Mr. Higginson, in 1708, which was bound with the sermon preached by Cotton Mather on the same occasion; and another on the death of Rev. Joseph Green, pastor of the church at Salem village, 1715 in which he says: "In God's house we of late did see A Green and growing Olive tree. He also wrote an epitaph upon the death of Mr. Green :— "Under this Sorry Heap of Stones Rich Treasure Lyes, dear Joseph's Bones. 66 July 29, 1697, John Davis of Gloucester, for 15 pounds, conveyed to Rev. Nicholas Noyes, Thatcher's Island, containing about 40 or 50 acres, lying off Cape Ann." "Rev. Nicholas Noyes sold to John Levett, for £36 current and lawful silver money of N. E., viz: good civil pillar and Mexico pieces at 17 dwt to me in hand paid, by John Levett of Beverly, Fisherman.-5 lotts of land containing in all 35 acres, commonly called Kettle Cove lots." Rev. Nicholas Noyes of Salem settled on the easterly part of a tract of about one acre and twenty poles previous to January 31, 1687, "bounded on ye south with ye land of Mr. Norrice, northerly by ye land formerly Mr. Sharp's, easterly upon ye broad street where ye school house standeth, and westwardly with ye street where Dr. Weld liveth." (Recorded February 9th, 1687.) CHAPTER III. DESCENDANTS OF JOHN NOYES OF NEWBURY. 4.—JOHN 2—1. Son of Nicholas and Mary (Cutting), was born 20 Jan., 1645, in Newbury. He was married 23 Nov., 1668, in Newbury, to Mary Poore of Andover. She was born in 1651, and died after 1716, as she is mentioned in her father's will in that year. He was made freeman 9 Jan., 1674; was a house carpenter, and lived in what was afterwards known as the "farms district," in a house built in 1677, and owned in 1879 by Luther Noyes. He died in Newbury, intestate, in 1691, and his widow Mary and son Nicholas were appointed administrators, and made their account 28 Sept., 1694; the personal estate was £309, and the real estate £246. Miss Emery in her "Reminiscences," in referring to old homesteads, says "another ancient residence is situated in the Farms District,' Newbury. The place originally belonged to John Hull, who died in 1670. At his decease it was purchased by John, oldest son of Nicholas Noyes, who built the house soon after. The house, a substantial edifice, was built in a style unusual for a farmhouse in those early days. The front hall is wainscotted, and a handsome staircase, with the elaborately carved balusters, then fashionable for the first class mansions, leads to the second story. The kitchen fireplace has been reconstructed, but when it was built it was huge even for the period; an ox could have been roasted whole in its capacious recess. This house has been the 52 |