Excerpt from Historical Address Delivered by James W. Hawes

Especial credit must be given to William C. Smith author of the History of Chatham, without whose judicious investigations carried on through many years this account of Chatham could not have been written.tion, of much natural intelligence, of force and energy, and of a will strong to the point of obstinacy. He did not easily submit to the con trol of the governing powers of the Colony. He was the ancestor of all the great tribe of Nickersons that draw their origin from the Cape, and there are not many descendants of the other ancient families of this vicinity that do not, through the marriages of his female descendants, carry his blood in their veins. He died in 1689 or 1690, aged at least 85 years. His wife, born about 1609, had probably died a year or two beforef They were probably buried on the hill near their home, where some graves are still visible. Descendants of Robert Eldred dwell in this town today, though not all the Eldredges here are of his line. Trustrum Hedges, so far as we know, left no son. Nathaniel Covel left several sons. One of his sons, Nathaniel, and a grandson, James Covel, held prominent public office here, but the name has long been extinct in the town.

William Nickerson built his house west of, and near the head of Ry der's Cove. His son, Samuel Nickerson, and his son-ih-law, Nathaniel Covel, located on the Eldredge Neck, between Crow's Pond and Ryder's Cove. John Nickerson built a. House between the White Pond on the south and Emery's Pond on the north. Robert Eldred's house was near that now occupied by John K. Kendrick. Trustrum Hedges lived on the neck in West Chatham between the Oyster Pond river and Buck's Creek, then known as Ragged Neck, and later as Harding's Neck. William Nickerson, Jr., after 1689, built a house at Old Harbor, but moved about 1700 to the Stephen Smith neighborhood. Joseph Nicker son resided on Pleasant Bay west of Crow's Pond. Nicholas Eldred, son of Robert, before his death in 1702 lived south of the White Pond. Between this date and 1720, among the inhabitants of the town were William Nickerson, son of John, who lived in the vicinity of the pres ent Davis residence; Joseph Eldredge, son of Robert, who lived on Stage Neck not far away; Jehosaphat Eldred from Yarmouth, west of Crow's Pond; John Ryder, on Ryder's Cove; John Taylor, near Taylor's Pond in South Chatham; Nathan Bassett, near the East Harwich meet ing house; Richard Sears, in the Village; Daniel Sears, his brother, who soon after 1710 built the Sears house that stood until 1863 on the site above the Soldiers' Monument; Isaac Hawes, in the Samuel D. Clif ford neighborhood; Thomas Howes, who owned land on both Sides of the road, near where the late Joshua Howes resided, and who probably resided on the spot where William C. Smith now lives; Thomas Doane, who owned much land between the White Pond and Oyster Pond river and elsewhere in West Chatham. The oldest house now standing in the town is the one on the Stage Harbor road, formerly occupied by John Atwood. It was built by his grandfather, Joseph Atwood, probably before 1750. The region north and west of the old burying groundbecame the chief center of the town and so remained till about 1830. The land a little west of the burying ground is high and commands a fine View, while from the Great Hill not far away a marine View sel dom excelled may be obtained.

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