have been added later). This allowed space for several rooms above and even in the attic, which was fully finished and plastered as well. A stone wall separated the front yard from the road to the Neck.
Over a century later the house still had the largest rooms in all of Salem. By then some of the facade gables had been removed, and the place was a bit worn, though still sound. Descendants would recall that there had been some sort of balcony with seats built outside the southern chamber over the shop, a sundial below this over the shop door, and tall roof ornaments at the peaks.
In September 1684, while Philip was at odds with the selectmen, Mary gave birth to Philip Jr. Meanwhile debt collectors plagued her brother William, who was back in Salem after sojourns as far away as Spain. For instance, Thomas Mudget, a co-owner of a ship William had hired, claimed the latter was responsible for part of the crew’s pay and provisions. William disagreed and had evaded those creditors in both Virginia and Bilbao, Spain.
Then Deputy Marshal Philip Fowler appeared at the Blue Anchor, ostensibly to sell malt to Eleanor but in fact bearing an arrest warrant for William. Witnesses saw Fowler chase William across the yard toward the brew house, but the pursued got over the fence first and grabbed an ax to ward off his pursuer. Eleanor followed, shouting at Fowler that she would “stave out his brains,” as she clouted him four blows and then seized him from behind, keeping him from following William, who bolted into the house to hide. Fowler entered a complaint before Magistrate John Hathorne but had to admit he had not yet taken his oath as deputy. (Philip English and others present testified to this.) The March 1685 Quarterly Court believed Eleanor’s claim that she had not known Fowler was a constable, but she still had to pay costs of £1:7:4.
Perhaps Eleanor feared that her son’s creditors would try to attach her hard-earned property, on the grounds that William was the only Hollingworth son and, therefore, heir. She had already taken the precaution in February of conveying “for divers good causes and considerations” and “my natural love and affection unto my daughter Mary English” the ownership of her house, outer housing and land, with the wharf and landing place. Eleanor apparently continued running the tavern.
Family tradition recalled that Mary had a good business head and was left in charge of Philip’s business during his absences at sea. Given the example of her mother, this was very likely true.
Descendants also recalled the marriage of Philip and Mary in glowing terms—he certainly trusted her business acumen—but other descendants told a darker tale. In 1851 Philip’s great-great grandson Ebenezer Hathorne told his cousin, the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (who had added a “w” to his surname to distinguish and distance himself from his ancestor, the witch-trial judge, John Hathorne), that “This Philip left some bastards; but only legitimate daughters, one of whom married, I believe, the son of the persecuting John [Hathorne]; and thus all the legitimate blood of English is in our family.”
But family lore can be more often dubious than undeniable. Although it is certainly possible that Mary’s husband sired illegitimate offspring, court records credit all of the known children to Mary, with the dates of their births consistent with her being the mother of them all. Philip Jr. inherited the Blue Anchor, implying Hollingsworth blood. The births of the two Williams correspond to the deaths of Mary’s own father and brother (also named William). Granted, however, some men had sired children with servant women. For example, Samuel Braybrook in Ipswich was ordered to bring up his child by the maidservant, and this must have been a strain, one imagines, on his childless wife. The English household had many servants, mostly indentured women from Jersey, but no mention of irregularities with them
Over a century later the house still had the largest rooms in all of Salem. By then some of the facade gables had been removed, and the place was a bit worn, though still sound. Descendants would recall that there had been some sort of balcony with seats built outside the southern chamber over the shop, a sundial below this over the shop door, and tall roof ornaments at the peaks.
In September 1684, while Philip was at odds with the selectmen, Mary gave birth to Philip Jr. Meanwhile debt collectors plagued her brother William, who was back in Salem after sojourns as far away as Spain. For instance, Thomas Mudget, a co-owner of a ship William had hired, claimed the latter was responsible for part of the crew’s pay and provisions. William disagreed and had evaded those creditors in both Virginia and Bilbao, Spain.
Then Deputy Marshal Philip Fowler appeared at the Blue Anchor, ostensibly to sell malt to Eleanor but in fact bearing an arrest warrant for William. Witnesses saw Fowler chase William across the yard toward the brew house, but the pursued got over the fence first and grabbed an ax to ward off his pursuer. Eleanor followed, shouting at Fowler that she would “stave out his brains,” as she clouted him four blows and then seized him from behind, keeping him from following William, who bolted into the house to hide. Fowler entered a complaint before Magistrate John Hathorne but had to admit he had not yet taken his oath as deputy. (Philip English and others present testified to this.) The March 1685 Quarterly Court believed Eleanor’s claim that she had not known Fowler was a constable, but she still had to pay costs of £1:7:4.
Perhaps Eleanor feared that her son’s creditors would try to attach her hard-earned property, on the grounds that William was the only Hollingworth son and, therefore, heir. She had already taken the precaution in February of conveying “for divers good causes and considerations” and “my natural love and affection unto my daughter Mary English” the ownership of her house, outer housing and land, with the wharf and landing place. Eleanor apparently continued running the tavern.
Family tradition recalled that Mary had a good business head and was left in charge of Philip’s business during his absences at sea. Given the example of her mother, this was very likely true.
Descendants also recalled the marriage of Philip and Mary in glowing terms—he certainly trusted her business acumen—but other descendants told a darker tale. In 1851 Philip’s great-great grandson Ebenezer Hathorne told his cousin, the writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (who had added a “w” to his surname to distinguish and distance himself from his ancestor, the witch-trial judge, John Hathorne), that “This Philip left some bastards; but only legitimate daughters, one of whom married, I believe, the son of the persecuting John [Hathorne]; and thus all the legitimate blood of English is in our family.”
But family lore can be more often dubious than undeniable. Although it is certainly possible that Mary’s husband sired illegitimate offspring, court records credit all of the known children to Mary, with the dates of their births consistent with her being the mother of them all. Philip Jr. inherited the Blue Anchor, implying Hollingsworth blood. The births of the two Williams correspond to the deaths of Mary’s own father and brother (also named William). Granted, however, some men had sired children with servant women. For example, Samuel Braybrook in Ipswich was ordered to bring up his child by the maidservant, and this must have been a strain, one imagines, on his childless wife. The English household had many servants, mostly indentured women from Jersey, but no mention of irregularities with them
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