Esther Harding

The youngest son of John Daggett, the pioneer of the family on the Vineyard, was the only representative of that distinguished family in Tisbury. He was born about 1647 [*Deposition. Aged about 51 years in March, 1698-9.] and is particularly noted as having married a native whom we can designate as the Pocahontas of Nantucket. It is believed that she can be identified as the daughter of Thomas Sissetom, a Sagamore of Sanchacantacket, named Alice by the English, and that the marriage occurred some time prior to 1685, as at that date two children of this union were old enough to receive property. Presuming they were eighteen and sixteen respectively that would carry the date of assumed marriage back to 1667, when Joseph was about twenty years of age. It is doubtful if a lawful marriage was consummated. This strange fact is established by a deed on record in which "Puttuspaquin of Sanchacantacket gives to his cousins [nieces] Ellis [Alice] Hester Daggett" a tract of land which is now known to be in the present limits of Eastville adjoining the ponds on the east bank of the Lagoon. [*Dukes Deeds, I, 251.] This territory is identical with a tract of land granted sixteen years before in 1669 by the sachem Wampamag to "Ales Sessetom and Keziah Sessetom.... the daughters of Thomas Se[sse]tum" and probably was a gift in confirmation to the children of Alice of the property originally given to the Indian sisters. [*Ibid, VI, 412.] It remained as an inheritance of the two half- breed Daggett girls, Alice and Esther, and was divided between them in 1698, after the latter had married Edward Cottle. [*Ibid, I, 24.] Joseph Daggett was one of the first proprietors in the new settlement and his holdings are thus described: The Lands Accomadations of Joseph Doggatt which Leieth in the Township of Takymmy or tisbury on the vineyard as foloeth One halfe house Lot which containeth twenty-five Acres Leying on the east side of the brook where his dwelling house is this present year 1673 bounded the brook on the west ( the halfe lot which James Redfield bath taken on the south) ( the halfe lot which Charls Crossthwat hath taken on the north) laid out twenty five rods in breath by James Allen Thomas Mayhew Runing eight score rods Easterly from the brook being twenty five Acres mor or lesse And halfe the sixth part of the neck by John Eddys of which; halfe the fifth lot is Joseph Doggats leying next to henery lewis his lot leying Acrosse the neck as the neck is devided to every mans lot Contained in the neck As before spoken in the order of devision of the three necks baring date february the first 1671 And the two And thirtyth part of all undevided lands whether purchesed or that may be purchesed this is the lands And Acomadations of Joseph doggatt [*Tisbury Records.] This property had its north boundary at the Scotchman's Bridge road on the east side of Old Mill brook, and extended half way down to the Post Office corner. Here his house stood and there played in the front yard the two half-breed children born of the romantic union, Alice (Ellis) and Esther. He maintained his residence until sometime between 1711 and 1715, when in a deed on latter date to his grand-daughter Esther Cottle, he describes himself "of Edgartown, wheelwright." There is nothing to indicate that he ended his days on his home lot in Takemmy, where he had lived so long. His public services were of the average kind and quantity. He was surveyor of highways, 1687; committee to divide common lands, etc., 1689, 1690, 1703, 1708; selectman, 1689, 1693, 1695; pound keeper, 1690; constable, 1697; and had other small duties at various times till 1716. When he died is not known, nor the place of his burial. Equal uncertainty exists as to his Indian wife. It is probable that he was living on March 5, 1720, when as one of the proprietors of the town he executed a deed with fourteen others to a purchase of some common lands. Of his children, Joseph, the only known son, married and had issue, descendants of which are represented to-day in the lines shown under his family in the genealogical portion of this work in the Daggett, Huxford and Enoch Norton lines. Through these claim can be made of descent from the Vineyard Pocahontas, Alice Sessetom, the Indian bride of Joseph Daggett. Esther , the second daughter, married Edward Cottle sometime between 1690 and 1698, and she had deceased before June 10, 1708 (Deeds, II, 184). Issue of this marriage was but one daughter named Esther, who probably married (1) a Harding (and had a son Shubael) and (2) Manasseh Kempton. It is not possible to say whether issue is now represented on the Vineyard. The oldest daughter of Joseph Ellis 3 (Alice) left quite a record for a girl of her age and antecedents. She had three children born out of wedlock named for their presumptive fathers, Henry Luce, Samuel Look and Patience Allen. This unfortunate half-breed was made of better stuff than would be inferred from contemplating this promiscuous progeny. She was evidently honest, honorable and thrifty, and true to her offspring. She did not live beyond middle life, as her will dated March 19, 1711, when she must have been not much over forty, was probated two months later. It is a legal condition that illegitimate children cannot inherit property, but her will devises real and personal estate to each of her children by name, and as the will was allowed and the real estate passed to the one called Henry Luce, who later disposed of it, this would seem to act as a legitimation of this anomalous family. Henry Luce so-called received his share of the property originally given by the Sachem Wampa mag to Alice Sessetom; Samuel Luce was given £7, and Patience Allen the movable estate. Her father, Joseph Daggett, was named as executor, and fulfilled the trust (Probate, I, 31). Altogether it was a very creditable transaction on her part. It is not known what became of these children, but the presumption is that they became united with their Indian associates, and finally lost identity among them, if they survived to adult life. Joseph Daggett, the head of this branch, was b. in 1647SHY;8 (not 1634 as stated in the Daggett Genealogy) as appears from a statement of his age in a deposition. [*Superior Judicial Court Msg. No. 3834. He was aged 51 years in Mch. 1698-9. This makes him the youngest known child of his parents.] In it we learn that he had for "many years scrupled the usual way of swearing" and declared his statement "to be the truth spoken in the presence of God". From this we may perhaps infer he had embraced the Quaker beliefs, at least in part. Beyond the facts which appear in the sketch of his life (Vol. II, Annals of W.T., pp. 44SHY;46), little is known of him. His marriage to Alice Sessetom, dau. of the Sachem of Sanchacantacket, as already detailed, is one of the romances of our history and serves to mark him as one who ignored the conventionalities of society in choosing an Indian princess for his bride. [*This marriage with an Indian gave rise to the name of "The Bow and Arrow Daggetts" which was given to this branch.] It certainly placed him in an anomalous social position and although his father gave him an equal share by will, evidence is not wanting to indicate that there was little affiliation between the descendants of the two island branches for many years. The date of his death or that of his wife are unknown. His estate was adm. Aug. 1718, which is the proximate date, as far as now known. He was a wheelwright by trade.