Born: 1629
Died: February 12, 1686
Buried: Unknown
Married: Jacob Perkins, ca. 1648 in Ipswich, Massachusetts
Records:
ca. 1648 - marriage - U.S. New England Marriages Prior to 1700 entry: Perkins, Jacob (1624-1700) & 1st wife Elizabeth [Whipple] (ca. 1629-1686); ca. 1648 in Ipswich.
1668 - August 9 - Her father-in-law's original house, which she and her family lived in, was destroyed by fire, through the carelessness of a servant, who knocked the ashes from her pipe upon the thatch of an outbuilding. Elizabeth was about 39 with five children ranging in age from 3 to 16 living at home and her oldest daughter Elizabeth was married and living out of the house.
Another house was erected at or near the same spot, which standing at this day, though in a miserably decayed condition. The well near by has been, and is still called, Jacob's well. The servant was imprisoned and afterward brought up before the magistrate to answer for her deed. As it will be of interest to know the manner of the destruction of this house, we give the account of her examination at some length, as it is found upon the court files.
The examination of Mehitable Brabrook aged about 16 years taken on the 15 day of August 1668:
This examinate saith that on Thursday last was seaven-night her master Jacob Perkins and his wife gon to Towne she was left home alone about 2 or 3 a clock in the afternoon she was taking tobacco in a pipe and gott upon the owen on the outside and backside of the house to looke if there were any hogs in the corne and she layed her right hand upon the thatch of the house to stay herself and with her left hand knocked out her pipe and imediately went down into the corne field to drive out the hogs she saw in it, and as she was going toward the railes of the field toward Abraham Perkins house she looked back and saw a smoke upon her Mrs [master's] house in the place where she had knocked out her pipe which she was much frighted and went into the sd Abraham Perkins house to intreat her to help me about a kettle of cloathes and goodwife Perkins sent her to the barne to call her mayd to come and look to the child whilse she went to help this examinate and when I came with the mayd the sd goodwife Perkins and this examinate went toward Mr. Jacob Perkins. in the way we saw the smoake from the house and then ran and coming to the house found the fire in the place above the owen where I had knocked out my pipe. I ran for a paile of water but before I could get out of the well the thatch flamed and for want of ladders and helpers being ready the house was burned down. being demanded why upon her first seeing the smoke she did not aquaint goodwife Perkins, she said she was loath to fright her, and asked why when she first saw it she did not go back to quench it. she answered she was so frighted she durst not. she further said as she was coming with goodwife Perkins towards the house she said to said goodwife Perkins why do the woods look so blew beyond our house, and so there was a great smoke behind the house.
Mehitable [her X mark] Brabrook
This confession was taken made and signed the day and year above written before me - Daniel Denison.
This examinate further addeth that about an hour before the fire kindled on the house the chimney was on fire a little above the wing at which she was frighted, but she quenched it with Lye she had upon the fire in a kettle of cloathes.
This addition was made the day above written before me - Daniel Denison.
Goodwife Perkins [mentioned above was Hannah, the wife of Abraham Perkins] gives substantially the same facts. After some search she found the fire and attempted to quench it, but it gained upon them so rapidly that they ceased their efforts.
Several other witnesses were called, but only one could offer any testimony that the fire was set designedly. (This paper is in a very bad condition and some of the words are nearly illegible.)
1668 - Sept. 28 - Elizabeth Perkins did not have a good relationship with her servant Mehitable Brabrook:
The deposition of John Williston aged 20 years or thereabouts saith that one morning a little a fore Jacob Perkins house was burnt Mehitable Brabrook, as I was Going into the meddow to make hay and Mehitable Brabrook toald me her dame was angry with her but she ---- she had ----- her now for she had put a Great toade into her kittle of milk, which she toald me the next morning after she had put the toade in the milk. it was about the latter end of last July, and further saith not.
Sworn in Court held at Ipswich the 29 of Sept. 1668 - attest. Robert Lord cleric.
1668 - September - After the destruction of this old mansion, Jacob Perkins, built another house not far from the site of the first; this house was standing in 1885, but in a very dilapidated condition and not tenantable and was then taken down. The western half had blown down some years before.
The house built by Jacob Perkins was of two stories with two large-sized rooms and a bed-room upon each floor and a "lean-to" upon the back, as was the fashion of the time. IN the middle of the house was an immense chimney, the bricks of which were laid in clay mortar as high as the roof. The portion above the roof, which was exposed to the weather, was laid in lime mortar; all the lime of those days was prepared by burning clam shells - some portion of these imperfectly burnt shells could be seen in the mortar. The frame of the house was oak, the floor timbers were fourteen inches square. Just in front of the door and quite near it was a well of water; this has been known for many years as "Jacob's Well;" it is still to be seen [1885], though choked with rubbish and soon all vestige of the old mansion will have disappeared.
1671 - The Perkins' home was struck by lightning on a Sunday "while many people were gathered there to repeat the sermon, when [Jacob Perkins] and many others were struck down, and had his wasitcoat pierced with many small holes, like goose-shot, and was beaten down as if he had been dead for the present.
1687 - March 7 - Jacob Perkins deeded land to his son Jacob, Thomas Lovell served as witness. It may be that Thomas was Elizabeth's brother and this property may have been part of her dowry. This deed was executed about a year after Elizabeth's death.
Children:
Elizabeth
John
Judith
Mary
Jacob
Matthew (?)
Hannah
Joseph
Jabez
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