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' LIBRARY

DOGS

IN

EARLY NEW ENGLAND

BY
HOWARD M. CHAPIN

PROVIDENCE
PRESS OF E. A. JOHNSON & CO,
1920

YALE

DEDICATED
TO the memory of
PETER
who taught me to love dogs and inspired
this study into their history

Dogs in Early New England
By Howard M. Chapin.
Dogs have from the earliest times been domesticated even
by the most primitive races, and have had a marked influence
upon the thought and literature of mankind; yet when one
thinks of Colonial New England, with its austere Puritans,
one is too apt to picture a dogless society, and to forget that
even in that harsh theocracy, pioneer dogs strove, as did their
masters, with the rough hardships of a struggling civilization.
Even before the Pilgrims came to New England, two English
dogs,^ "Foole" and "Gallant" by name, "great and fearefull
mastives," the chronicler tells us, landed in 1603 upon the
shores of southern Massachusetts, where they nosed and
smelled about the beach and shrubbery, exploring and investi
gating unknown scents and smells. After the false alarm of
an Indian attack, in which turmoil "Foole'' grabbed up a half-
pike in his mouth, the dogs with their human companions
returned to Martin Pring's bark, the "Discoverer," and sailed
away. These were, as far as we know, the first European
dogs to set foot upon New England.
The "Mayflower," on her famous voyage in 1620, brought
two dogs, a mastiff and a spaniel,^ to New England. These
two dogs were permanent settlers, not transient explorers like
"Foole" and "Gallant." As dog pedigrees and stud books go
back, unfortunately, only to the early nineteenth century, none
of the blooded dogs of today are able to trace their descent
from the dogs that came over in the Mayflower.
Mourt recounts some of the hardships of these four-footed
Pilgrims as follows:
"These two (John Goodman and Peter Browne) that were
missed, at dinner time tooke their meate in their hand, and
would goe walke and refresh themselves, so going a little off
they finde a lake of water, and having a great Mastiffe bitch
iPurchas his pilgrimes. Edit, of 1625, vol. IV, p. 1656.
^Mourt's Relation, 1632, pp. 27, 28 and 29.

with them and a Spannell; by the water side they found a
great Deare, the Dogs chased him, and they followed so farre
as they lost themselves and could not finde the way backe,
they wandred all that after noone being wett, and at night
it did freeze and snow, . . . and another thing did very much
terrific them, they heard as they thought two Lyons' roar
ing .. . so they stoode at the trees roote, that when the
Lyons came they might take their opportunitie of climbing
up, the bitch they were faine to hold by the necke, for she
would have been gone at the Lyon,"* and under the date of
January 19, 1 620-1 :
"This day in the evening, John Goodman went abroad to
use his lame f eete, that were pittifully ill with the cold he had
got, having a little Spannell with him, a little way from the
Plantation, two great Wolves ran after the Dog, the Dog ran
to him and betwixt his leggs for succour, he had nothing in
his hand but tooke up a sticke, and threw at one of them and
hit him, and they presently ran both away, . . .""
It appears that previous to the arrival of the English, the
Indian has domesticated the dog, for in November, 1620,
Governor Bradford notes that Captain Myles Standish, on his
reconnoitring expedition on Cape Cod, met a party of Indians
with a dog." Roger Williams in his "Key" gives the Indian
name for the dog as Anum, with the accent on the last syllable.
He adds that this is the pronunciation in the Coweset dialect,
but that it varies as Ayim, Arum, and Alum in the Narragan-
sett, Quinnippiuck, and Nipmuc dialects respectively. In
Woods' "New England Prospect" we are told that the Indians
believed that "at the portall of their Elysian Hospitall, lies a
great Dogge, whose churlish snarlings deny a Pax intrantibus
to unworthy intruders.''
An Indian dog gave the alarm of the English attack on the
^i. e., wild cats.
•Mourt, pp. 27 and 28, under date of January 13, 1630-^1.
¦^Mourt, p. 29.
"Bradford's History of Plymouth, p. 48, also see Glover M. Allen's
Dogs of the American Aborigines."
Williams' Key, ch. XXXIl jdWoods' N. E. Prospect, pt. 3, ch. 19.
4

Doctor Hunter's Dogs by Gilbert Stuart
This is considered Stuart's earliest work extant. It is now owned by Mrs. William E. Glyn of
Mayfield, Newport, a descendant of Dr. Hunter. Reproduced through the courtesy of Mrs. Glyn.

M^^J

Copper hair ornament, found in the Indian graves at Charlestown,
R. I. Now in the Museum of the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Pequot Fort in 1637; Mason's description of the incident being
as follows :'
"There being two Entrances into the Fort, intending to
enter both at once : Captain Mason leading up to that on the
North East Side; who approaching within one Rod, heard a
Dog bark and an Indian crying Owanux! Owanux! which is
Englishmen ! Englishmen ! We called up our Forces with all
expedition, give Fire upon them through the Pallizado ; . . ."
Thus it will be seen that dogs were serving with the Indian
forces in 1637, and although not as highly trained perchance
as the canine warriors of the great World War, yet these
early dogs were doubtless as diligent and serviceable as the
times and circumstances permitted. A somewhat similar
instance occurred at Cocheco in 1689 when the barking of a
dog aroused Elder William Wentworth just in time to prevent
a surprise Indian attack. This dog's warning saved the Went
worth garrison, the other four garrisons at Cocheco being
taken by the savages.* --.;,
Nothing has been discovered to show that the English used
dogs in the earlier Indian wars, but by the time of Queen
Anne's war, they used dogs as regular auxiliary. A report in
regard to the operations of the English in Hampshire County,
Massachusetts, in August, 1706, reads :
"We are just sending out 50 Men with Dogs, who are to
divide into small parties, and range the Woods on both sides
the River (near Hartford), if possible to discover and annoy
the Enemy."^
But to return to the subject of Indian dogs, we find specific
references to the dogs of the Connecticut and Narragansett
Indians^" in 1658 and 1661, respectively, and also we find that
the Narragansett Indians used rough drawings of dogs as per
sonal signature marks in 1644^^ and 1660.^'' They also had
^Mason's Pequot War.
^Wentworth genealogy, vol. 1, pp. 97 and 98.
(5>3Ston News-Letter, August 12-19, 1706.
loProv. Town Papers 0121 ; Prov. Town Records, vol. 3, p. 7 ; and
New Haven Town Records, p. 358.
^^Gorton's Simplicities Defence, p. 160, mark of Tomanick.
12R. r. Land Evidence, vol. 1, p. 88, mark of Towasibban.

implements ornamented with figures of dogs. A stone pipe
ornamented with a dog carved in relief was found in an
Indian grave at Burr's Hill, Warren, Rhode Island," and a
copper hair ornament, with two dogs in relief as the chief
ylecorative design, was found in an Indian grave at Charles
town, Rhode Island." The latter may be of a foreign design
and received in trade. The killing of noncombatant Indian
dogs in Queen Anne's war only serves to illustrate the
brutality of human beings.^'
Dog laws were enacted at an early date in New England,
Salemliaving passed one in 1635." The dogs' chief offences
were killing sheep" and swine,^' biting horses^' and cattle,^"
-spoiling fish^^ and entering Meeting Houses^^ during service.
The latter offence being explained by the fact that they could
not understand the sermons and simply wanted to find their
masters. Their attacks on other animals were often directly insti
gated by human beings, as when Mr. Verin's maid set her dog
on Mr. Brown's goats ;^^ when Samuel set his dogs "to the
pullinge of the tayles" of John Leech's cows;^* when Mrs.
Rowden hunted cattle with her dog^° ; when Joseph Billington
I'Now in Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, New
York. ^*Now in Rhode Island Historical Society Museum, Pro-vidence.
ii^Boston News-Letter, February 10-17, 1706.
^"Salem Records, p. 40; Jamestown Proprietors' Records, vol. 1, p. 66;
Portsmouth Records, vol. 1, p. 223.
I'Mass. Col. Records, vol. 2, p. 252; New Haven Town Records,
p. 233 ; R. I. Col. Records, p. 22, mss.
isNew Haven Town Records, pp. 170, 171, 246 ; Prov. To-wn Records,
vol. 3, p. 125 ; Essex County Court Records, vol. 7, p. 273.
i»New Haven Town Records, pp. 470 and 471.
2°Prov. Town Records, vol. 3, p. 7; Prov. Town Papers 0121; Salem
Court Records, vol. 1, p. 19; Essex County Court Records, vol. 1,
p. 174; New Haven Town Records, p. 358; Austin's Geneal. Diet, of
R. I., p. 85.
2iSalem Records, p. 130.
22Salem Records, vol. 2, p. 210; New Haven Toiwn Records, p. 233,
vol. 2, pp. 156 and 355.
"^Salem Court Records, vol. 1, p. 19.
^''Essex County Court Records, vol. 1, p. 174.
2°Essex County Court Records, vol. 2, p. 101.

3

Indian pewter pipe found in excavations at Montague, N. J. Reproduced
through the courtesy of the Museum of the American Indian, New York.
Roger Williams in Chapter 6 of his "Key'' says of the Indians that "They
have an excellant Art to cast our Pewter and Brasse into very neate and
artificiall Pipes."

hunted Edward Gray's ox with a dog,^° and when Thomas
Langden and his dog killed Mr. Prudden's hog.^' Even the
I drastic Massachusetts dog law^' of 1648 recognized the fact
that the dogs were not always really to blame, but were often
, "set on" to such acts by human beings.
Dog derivatives served as ship-names and place-names in
New England," and also the words'" "dog" and "puppy" were
used as terms of reproach, as they are today.
Reference has already been made to the part that dogs
played in military service. We find that their usefulness in
other lines was also recognized legally, even by our self-
centered Calvinistic ancestors. In 1648 the Colony of Massa-
¦ chusetts Ba^^Pauthorized each town to purchase hounds for
^use in the destruction of wolves. The town of New Haven
I voted in 1656 to purchase some mastiff ^^Mrom "Stratford or
Long Island, where they here (hear) is some," to be used as
\ auxiliary to the militia. During the interim before these dogs
arrived, twelve local dogs were drafted temporarily into the
service of the town. The names of the owners of these dogs
are given.'' This is the first recorded list of dog-owners in
New England. Governor John Winthrop'* and Governor John
Endicott'^ were both dog owners. Roger Williams wrote in
1669 in regard to Governor Winthrop's dog, "I have no tidings
(upon my enquiry) of that poore dog (about which you sent
^^Austin's Geneal. Diet, of R. I., p. 85.
2^New Haven Town Records, pp. 170 and 171.
28Mass. Col. Rec, vol. 2, p. 252.
2^Salem Records, p. 163; Plymouth Colony Records, July 6, 1640;
Commerce of Rhode Island, vol. 1, p. 47.
5°Essex County Court Records, vol. 1. p. 256; Steuart's "Some Ob
servations," etc., p. 64 ; New Haven Town Records, p. 46 ; Narragansett
Hist. Reg. IX. p. 63. 1
3JMass. Col. Records, vol. 2, pp. 252 and 253.
32New Haven Town Records, p. 291.
^^Mr. Gilbert, Jer Osborne, Edwa Parker, John Cooper, William
Bradley, Will Tompson, Fran. Newman, Phill Leeke, Mr. Gibbard,
Edwa Perkins, John Vincom.
^^Mass. Hist. Soc. Col., series 5, vol. 1, p. 414; Narragansett Club
Publications, vol. 6, p. 332.
3i>Mass. Col. Rec, vol. ], p. 197. 8

Indian stone pipe, unearthed at Burr's Hill, Warren, and now preserved at
the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, New York. Repro
duced through the courtesy of the Museum.

At the Sign of the Greyhound, near
the church, in Williams Street, Provi
dence, 1772.

Signature mark of the Indian
Tomanick, 1644.

Richard Waterman's Seal.
1729.

to me. I feare he is run wild into the woods, though tis
possible that English or Indians have him. Oh, Sir, what is
that word that sparrows and hairs are provided for & num
bered by God ? then certainly your dog & all dogs & beasts."
In 1644 a Medford dog rescued Mrs. Dalkin from drown
ing.'" Governor Winthrop wrote in regard to this :
"One Dalkin and his wife dwelling near Medford coming
from Cambridge, where they had spent their Sabbath, and
being to pass over the river at a ford, the tide not being fallen
enough, the husband adventured over, and finding it too deep,
persuaded his wife to stay a while, but it was raining very
sore, she would needs adventure over, and was carried away
with the stream past her depth. Her husband not daring to
go help her, cried out, and thereupon his dog, being at his
house nearby, came forth, and seeing something in the water,
swam to her, and she caught hold on the dog's tail, so he drew
her to the shore and saved her life."
The abuse and maltreatment of dogs by human beings was
of course common in early New England. Two cases due to
religious fanaticism are worthy of notice. In 1644 at Salem,''
John and Stephen Talbie were admonished for "unbecoming
speeches" about a dog in the water, but "the baptizing of him"
was "not proved," although apparently charged by the authori
ties. On Tuesday, April 23, 1706, somebody fastened a cross on
the head of a dog, and for such a flagrant display of papist
sympathies, the poor dog was beaten and killed by Captain
Dudley's boatswain."
On the other hand we have instances of persons being tried
for abusing and killing dogs.'°
The first case of rabies*" in New England was observed in
1763, according to Ezra Stiles.
^"Winthrop's Journal under date of 1, 21, 1643-4 ; vol. 2, p. 162.
2'Essex County Court Records, vol. 1, p. 65.
"Samuel Sewell's Diary in M. H. S. C. 5, VI, 159.
'^Essex County Court Records, vol. 2, p. 6 ; vol. 7, p. 424 ; Mass. Col.
Rec, vol. 1, p. 197.
^''Stiles' Itineries, p. 487.

In the realm of art we find that the earliest extant work of
Gilbert Stuart is the picture*^ of two of Dr. Hunter's dogs.
In 1729 a seal engraved with the design*^ of a running dog
and the word "Canis," was in use in Providence.
Hannah Robinson's spaniel "Marcus"*' figures in the sad
romance of that ill-fated South County beauty.
In this connection, one is reminded of Shepherd Tom's**
remarkable account*^ of the barking of South County dogs
which could be heard for four miles. He wrote :
"What seemed stranger to the old man than all was the
barking of a big watch-dog some two miles away, across the
river, at the old brick house then owned and occupied by Amos
Gardiner, and which is yet standing. Nichols said that the
watch-dog to the east of the hill, apparently, never barked
but in response to the baying of a foxhound that was roam
ing in a big wood lying not less than two miles to the west
ward and northward of where he stood, making a distance
between the two animals some four miles, with the McSparran
elevated hill intervening. Of this fact he felt tolerably sure,
as there were occasionally lengthy intervals when both dogs
were quiet, which were never broken until the hound uttered
his howl, which was on the instant replied to by the hoarse
bark of the distant watch-dog."
The Providence Gazette for November 7, 1772, informs us
that Nathaniel Wheaton on Williams street, in Providence,
used a greyhound as his shop sign, and gives us a picture of
it. Ten years later the same newspaper contains a curious
advertisement which reads:
"A DOG LOST
Strayed away, or more likely to have been seduced to fol
low some persons, or stolen, a Spaniel DOG, of about a
middling Size, pyed with a white and brownish Colour, with
^'Mason's "Stuart," pp. 5 and 6.
¦•^Manuscript deeds in Library of Col. George L. Shepley at Provi
dence. "Hazard's "Recollections of Olden Times," Chapter VI.
¦"¦¦Thomas R. Hazard.
¦¦"Hazard's "Recollections of Olden Times," Chap. XVI.
10

shaggy Hair, hanging Ears, and docked Tail; particularly he
had a white Strip in his Face, a white Ring around his Neck,
and about an Inch of the Stump of his Tail white ; he answers
to the Name of SPRING, is very good-natured, and easy to
be seduced by those who use him kindly to follow them or
their Horses. — Whoever will bring or send back the Dog to
me, his Master, in Providence, shall be very handsomely re
warded. TERENCE REILY
Providence, February 22, 1782."

In the following decade, too, the same newspaper has a
similar advertisement which is as follows :
"STRAYED
in Providence,
A Red and white spotted POINTER DOG, with a toler
able long Tail, had on a Brass Collar, with the Owner's Name,
JOHN FRANCIS, engraved thereon, and the word "London,
1 791;" he answers to the name of PONTO. Whoever will
leave Information with the Printer, so that the Owner may
recover the Dog, shall receive FOUR DOLLARS Reward.
N.B. Said Dog has been seen at Exeter, in this State.
Providence, Sept. 23, 1791."
The late Samuel Adams Drake in his "Old Boston Taverns"
mentions two signs bearing pictures of dogs. The Greyhound,
he tells us, was a tavern in Roxbury, and the Dog and Pot in
Boston at the head of Bartlett's Wharf in Fish (otherwise
known as Ann or North) Street. The illustration of the
later sign is taken from Drake.
These few references from the fragmentary and meagre
records of early New England serve to show that dogs played
no small part in the lives and thoughts of our Colonial ances
tors.

II

VffrfZ-.f^ryyf.n-yj'M^y^.fy^yyjwyjy.

DOS Ain> POT.
(From Drake)

YALE

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