One of the first settlers at Newbury, Massachusetts, was one Henry Sewall, who came over from England in 1634, bringing with him cattle, servants, and provisions. He was allotted six hundred acres of upland and marsh land at Newbury, according to agreement made before he left his native country. This land bordered the river Parker, near what is now known as Byfield proper, a fertile, woodland country with rolling hills and rich land. He married Jane Dummer, settling later on the grant of land that had been apportioned to him for the first stock farm in America.

Near the foot of the hill, at the parting of four roads, was a lot of land that he bequeathed to his wife, with ten pounds yearly. The grant of land later on was divided into several house lots, one of which was the home of William Longfellow, the emigrant ancestor of the Longfellow family in America, who married Anne Sewall. This shows the connection through marriage of the prominent families who settled in this region.

Captain Abraham Adams was born in Newbury, May 2, 1676. He followed the sea in early life, sailing first to the West Indies, and soon rose to the command of a vessel, making fourteen trips to England, besides many coastwise trading voyages. In 1703 he married Anne Longfellow. She was a niece of Judge Samuel Sewall, and lived on the part of the old Sewall grant then known as "Highfield," which name was given to the estate that Abraham Adams' father gave to him at the time of his marriage, although the deed was not passed until two years afterwards. Upon this land Captain Adams built his mansion, an unpretentious house following the lines of that period. It stood in the midst of the tract which at that time was much larger than it is to-day, although even now it is still possible to walk a mile in a straight line from the homestead on ancestral ground covered with heavy timber and showing broad meadows.

Stone walls were not then built to define boundaries, and the highway was a mere bridle-path running by the door and on between the houses of Henry Sewall and William Longfellow to the ford over the brook, at that time a considerable stream. The captain, who took kindly to farming, greatly improved the land, and on the grant are still found small apple-trees that grew from those set out by him in 1706. The seeds for these trees were brought by Captain Adams when he returned from one of his voyages. Tradition relates that while bringing them from the ship his oxen stopped in the ford at Cart Creek, and the captain, in a discouraged mood said: "I would rather dump the seeds in this cart into the creek than to put them in the ground." He changed his mind, however, and became a very successful farmer.

After Captain Adams' marriage to Anne Longfellow, he promised to give up his life on the sea and devote his time to farming. Whether with this he made a mental reservation is not known, but in his shipyard half a mile away he afterwards built several vessels and engaged in a coasting-trade. Unlike the other farmers of the day, the products of his farm were carried to New Orleans and other ports and bartered for rice and molasses. The old shipyard can still be seen, but the vessels have long ago disappeared. The narrow river winding to the sea shows little space for shipping, and even in its most prosperous days it was necessary to launch the rudely built ships sidewise.

The old house is still standing. Some of the original shingles and clapboards, covering a solid wall of home-made bricks, are still in a good state of preservation, especially on the west end. The innovation of a modern porch has added to rather than detracted from the pleasing appearance of the house. The diamond paned windows that were imported from England have been removed. Inside, the smoothly finished beams, the great fireplaces with panelled sides, the heavy doors, the broad, low steps, the fine woodwork in staircase and mantel, all speak of former pride and prosperity.

Many an ancient legend is related concerning this old dwelling. Under the attic eaves is still shown a bunk known as Booth's bin, on account of an Indian slave by that name who for many years slept in it. Many years ago David Adams, while on a visit to Deny, New Hampshire, took with him a slave who became suddenly ill. No regular physician could be secured who was willing to attend him, so a cow doctor was called. He advised a hot bath. As nothing could be found large enough for the bath, an old dug-out was dragged up from the river, pitched, and filled with boiling water, into which the negro was unceremoniously thrust but escaped with his life.

During a fire that occurred in this house sometime during the residence of Abraham Adams, this slave wished to aid in putting it out, he rushed up over the stairs to cut a hole in the roof with a hatchet. The hatchet was dull and the roof was high, so he battered it with his head until a hole was made.

Somewhere on the bridle-path that led to the house in the early days of its occupancy there lived for a time a little band of twenty-five Indians, many of whom died there. One beautiful day in the early spring Mother Anne sauntered down the lane and strolled across the fields, as was her custom, to sit down outside the wigwam and chat with the old squaw. She was all alone, as Quanto, the brave, was absent attending to work around the place. Soon the old squaw stirred up the blaze of the camp-fire and set the kettle on to boil, making ready for the return of her husband for the midday meal. She put in beef and turnips, for it was before the days of potatoes. The smell of the savory stew was most appetizing, and Mother Anne, who had been often urged to partake of the Indian hospitality, decided this time to accept. Suddenly a slight rustle in the branches caused her to turn her head, and there by her side stood the brave, Quanto, who had come out silently from the shadows. His blankets were cast aside, and twined around his arm and shoulder was a big black snake which he held by its head. With the characteristic grunt of the Indian he saluted his guest, then stepping quickly forward, he removed the cover of the kettle with his left hand and with his right threw the writhing snake into the stew. Needless to say, Mother Anne's important household duties called her home before the meal was ready.

When the house was first built, the land was covered with forests which were afterwards felled. Since then many generations have ploughed and sowed the fields which, with incredible toil, were wrested from the wilderness. Six ponderous oxen and a pair of steers were attached to a massive wooden plough, on which rode a man and boy; the stronger of the two held the plough upright. Thus were the sods turned and the fields prepared.

The labor of Mother Anne in those days was as arduous as was that of Captain Abraham. At the east side of the house, close by the old well, stood the leach-tub holding one hundred gallons. Here lye was made to be used in working the flax. Soap-making followed the cattle-killing in the early spring, for butcher and baker did not come near the house at that period.

From the apple trees cider was made, forty barrels being put in for a yearly allowance, for it was drunk much as tea and coffee are to-day. The Indians naturally craved some of this drink. One of them, after being repeatedly refused, came with a basket filled with gifts from the woods and asked slyly if "Him Captain" would fill it with cider in return. So persistent was he that the captain told him yes. The Indian answered: "Him, Captain, wait a little!"

Quick as a flash, attaching the basket to the rope, he swung it down the well. After several dippings it froze, making an excellent receptacle in which to carry the cider home.

Captain Adams was a very prominent man. He had two sons, twins, who both were sent through Harvard. There was a daughter, Anne. All three of these were very religious, for we read that the twins established the Lynnfield church and also the Old South in Newburyport, while the daughter Anne, with her husband, established the First Baptist Church in New Hampshire. Jacob, another son, started the first seminary for girls in America, called the Adams Female Seminary, one of its teachers being Mary Lyon, the founder of Mount Holyoke College.

Samuel Adams was the same type of man as his father and succeeded to the homestead. He had five sons, the eldest of whom was blind, and with four of these sons he fought through the long war of the Revolution. From this old doorway loving wives looked anxiously for the return of their husbands and sons from the wars.

Singularly enough, although five generations of Adams' went to war, and the heads of the families wore side-arms, no trace of them is found in the household, with the exception of one sword that did duty at Bunker Hill. What they did with their arms was never known, but if they were melted into ploughshares, the work must have been done quickly.

After the death of Abraham, the house was left to Samuel, his son, in consideration of one pound and the love and affection borne him; after his death it went to Samuel's son, Captain Stevens, born in 1760. Captain Stevens, so the legend runs, was a very tall man, standing six feet four inches in his stockings at the time of his enlistment in the Continental army when sixteen years of age. Still kept in the house are his spectacles which were made to order from silver dollars which he had saved. His desk still stands in the living-room and was bought with money paid him as a soldier. It cost forty dollars even at that period.

Entrance to the house is through a colonial porch that gives into a small hallway. At the left is a large, square room that is used as a living room. In one corner is the old desk in which is the original deed of the house, signed by Samuel Sewall and Hannah Sewall. The dwelling is a treasure-house of old colonial furniture, many of the pieces having been originally in the old Longfellow house. One of the most interesting of these is a fine example of banister chair, the one that was brought by Anne Longfellow across the fields to the Adams house when she came there a bride.

On the opposite side of the house is a second large, square room, also filled with heirlooms, among which is a fine example of an 1800 mirror of the picturesque type showing "Dawn." This was also brought by the Longfellow bride. The fireplace in this house is the original one around which the Adams father and son gathered the night before the battle of Bunker Hill, to mold bullets that would be used on that occasion.

Back of this room, which is used for a parlor, is a dining-room with an old desk secretary, of 1800, showing the ball and eagle ornamentation. Here also is another large old fireplace, for the interior of the house has been unchanged since it was built by Abraham Adams, in 1676.

The house has descended in a direct, unbroken line, and has been handed down from sire to son for the consideration of one dollar. It is one of the most charming of country-seats, enriched by history, and retaining still all the atmosphere of the old colonial homestead.