The Essex River in those days, the Chebacco,
between Bull Island on the left,
and Conomo Point on the right

ESSEX SATELLITE PHOTO
This is the same area shown as the detail of the Essex Clam Beds map, and was part of Ipswich of the 1700s. The numbers designate the same landmarks; Seal Bank as #38, Cross Island as #39, Lowe's Gully as #45, Corbet's Creek as #46, Robin's Island Creek as #47, America's Bank as #48, Lufkin's Creek as #54, and Poor Farm Creek as #55. Corbet's (Cobbit's) Creek is mentioned in the deed of 1706.

After extensive examination, it seems that the outlined area, near #46 is the most probable location of the parcel described in the deed of 1706. This is where we find the salt marsh that Benjamin Edwards sold to John Stone and Philip Lecody. Indeed, the Family toured the area during the 1998 Reunion celebrating 300 years of landowning. We parked the bus near #48 and walked in about a quarter mile. The ground was soggy and uneven, cut everywhere with wet ditches.

Below, the outlined parcel appears along with text from the deed. The deed says the southeast boundary is 32 rods, or 176 yards. The northeast boundary is about the same length because those together with the northwest and southwest boundaries made by the turn of Corbet's Creek, enclose about 29,040 square yards, or the 6 acres specified in the deed. The straight, dark lines are ditches dug along old property lines.

Since there's so much sand showing and the creeks are dry, it's low tide. The long shadows are cast by an afternoon sun, so the squiggly lines are the southwestern banks of creekbeds and highwatermarks. The dark clumps are probably cedar trees.


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