Children's Island, formerly known as "Cat Island" is a private island off Marblehead, Massachusetts, and is located within Salem Sound, Salem, Massachusetts. The YMCA of the North Shore has owned and operated a children's day camp on it since 1955. The first written record of the island was in 1655 when it was granted to Governor John Endecott. It was then bought and sold several times until around the Revolutionary War when the Essex hospital was built as a smallpox inoculation site. The hospital was burned down by townspeople of Marblehead. By the end of the 19th century, the Lowell island house was established as a summer resort. This was run for about 30 years before being converted into a sanitarium for sick and crippled children until 1946. The island then lay unused until bought by the YMCA and converted into a day camp.
Name The island has had numerous names including Catta, Cotta, Catt, Cat, Lowell, Pollard, and Children's; for most of history it was Cat Island. The origin of its name is that in the 18th century Catta was a corruption of Cotta and referred to an early Marblehead native named Robert Cotta, who used the land between 1635 and 1655 for the grazing of his sheep. Through subsequent misspellings and shortenings the name evolved into "Cat" Island. The island's name was officially changed from Cat Island to Children's Island by petition of the Marblehead/Swampscott YMCA in 1996.
History Colonial Times Written reference to Children's Island first appeared in 1655 when "...the iland called Catta Iland...lying neere to Marble Head [sic]..."Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Vol III, p.389 was granted to Governor John Endecott at his own request by the General Court of Massachusetts. Prior to 1655, it is likely that this and other local islands served as a source of smooth rocks for ship ballast, as a site for grazing animals, and as a source of timber for ship building. In June 1629, Reverend Francis Higginson notes "we passed the curious and difficult entrance into the large and spacious harbour of Naimkecke, [Salem] and as we passed along it was wonderful to behould so many islands replenished with thicke woods and high trees and many fayre green pastures [sic]."Hutchinson's Collection of Papers, p44 Although not specifically named by Higginson, Children's Island is presumably one of these wooded islands.
Upon the Governor's death in 1665 he gave to his wife "Catta Island, at Salem, which the Generall Court gave mee, during her life, & after her decease to my two sons, John & Zerobabel or to the longest liver of them.[sic]" In 1684, according to Zerubbabel's will "Cotta Island or any other land belonging to me which I have not otherwise bequeathed" was left to his five daughters. With the help of their brother Samuel, they "assign[ed] all that his Island...lying and being in ye Tounship of Marblehead commonly called and knoune by ye name of Catt Iland graunted to ye late worship John Endicott Esq [sic]...." to Richard Reade of Marblehead in March, 1687 for 16 pounds. How or why the name changed from Catta, to Cotta, and then to Catt Island is unexplained. The Reade family had financial difficulties and used the Island as a source of collateral for multiple loans. In February, 1738 the first reference to a house on the island is made when the Reades used it as collateral for a loan: "... Catt Island together with the house and woods thereon,"Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds, vol 78, p.121 though who built it and when is not known. In 1746, Samuel Reade received 75 pounds for "all one half of that island called and known by the name of Catt Island lying in the harbour of Marblehead with one half of the house thereon"Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds, book 78, p.121 from John Oliver. Finally, in 1761 due to an unsatisfied mortgage, Children's Island (Catt Island) was given up to the Wait family of Marblehead in whose possession it remained until 1773.Searle, Richard W. History of Catta Iland Off Marblehead in The Essex Institute Historical Collections. Vol. LXXXIII, Oct. 1947 On September 2, 1773, the Island was sold to four prominent men from MarbleheadSouthern Essex District Registry of Deeds, book 138, p178 with the plan to build a smallpox hospital.
Essex Hospital
In June 1773, Marblehead was stricken by an epidemic of smallpox. Although some in the medical community argued in favor of inoculation of the disease, most people at the time were terrified of and vehemently opposed to the practice. In August 1773, a Marblehead town meeting was held to debate the construction of a public inoculation hospital on one of the nearby islands. The proposal was rejected, but the majority did agree to allow a private funding of a hospital as long as the Marblehead selectmen could regulate it.Smith, Philip Chadwick Foster, ed. The Journals of Ashley Bowen (1728-1813) of Marblehead. 1973. Vol.II The owners of the future Essex Hospital were four popular Marblehead political figures: John Glover, Jonathan Glover (John Glover's brother), Azor Orne, and Elbridge Gerry; they purchased Children's Island (Catt Island) on September 2, 1773, although the idea remained contentious.
By early October, the hospital and a shifting-house were completed, and Dr. Hall Jackson from Portsmouth was hired as hospital superintendent, and Dr. Ananias Randall from Long Island as assistant physician.Hall Jackson and the Purple Foxglove, p. 26 On October 19, the first group of patients arrived at the hospital and were inoculated, and since they were contagious after inoculation, remained on the island until November 9–11. On November 15, the second group of patients, numbering around 100, was inoculated at Essex Hospital, while the third group of patients was inoculated at the hospital in December 1773.
In early January 1774, a boatload of this third class attempted to land at Nick’s Cove, an unsanctioned landing area in Marblehead.Essex Gazette, January 11–18, 1774. Many townspeople were upset and a period of disorder and riots ensued. A few weeks later, four townsmen were caught stealing contaminated clothing from the island while attempting to smuggle them into Marblehead. Presumably, they were hoping to earn condemnation for the hospital by starting an outbreak of smallpox. The following morning, the four were tarred and feathered and paraded through Marblehead into Salem, a source of much entertainment to those witnessing the spectacle.Essex Gazette, January 18–25, 1774 Due to ongoing opposition, the hospital proprietors called for a town meeting on January 24 to ask the town to purchase the hospital and supplies, and to decide if the hospital should be kept open. Alternatively, they requested that if the hospital be closed that "a committee to cleanse the furniture, etc. in the so just and most satisfactory manner to the Town" be formed. The town refused to buy the hospital and supplies but did form a committee to oversee disinfection. On the following day, the three committee members and eight members of their family spent the next two days on the island cleaning and disinfecting, when on the second night they were suddenly awakened by fire. During the night, approximately 20 townspeople had sneaked onto the island and set the hospital on fire. Everyone escaped alive but all buildings and property were burned or destroyed.Essex Gazette, January 25 – February 1, 1774 The owners sued for damages, but those events were quickly forgotten as thoughts turned toward revolution.
The Revolutionary War and War of 1812 As one of the Intolerable Acts issued by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party, The Boston Port Act closed Boston Harbor on June 1, 1774. Subsequently, much of the ship traffic designated for Boston was diverted to Marblehead and Salem Harbors. Starting in late December, 1774 and for the next seven months British war ships, mostly HMS Fowey, HMS Lively, and HMS Merlin blockaded Marblehead and Salem Harbors. Children’s Island (at that time still known as Cat Island) served as a common anchorage site for these big ships, whose crews must have embarked on the island at times for ballast stones, wood, and water: "Captain [George] Montagu of the Fowey ... had moved from Cat Island to Bakers Island for water, which fell short at the former place ..." in January, 1776.Narrative of Vice Admiral Samuel Graves in Naval Documents of the American Revolution, vol 3 1775-1776, p1006 In December 1775, three British ships paraded around Children's Island in war formation threatening to bombard Marblehead. After spending half a day in threatening display, they left without attacking. Most likely hemmed in by the rocky shores of Children's Island and the fort at Gale’s Head (later known as Fort Sewall), the British surmised they were easy targets.
On Monday, January 8, 1776, Ashley Bowen notes: "I find the Fowey's people have cut down all the trees from Cat Island." However, the Marblehead Register, a local newspaper of the time, has an entry of Dr. Story on January 7, 1776, "Trees on Cat Island cut down last night, suppose by the Merlin." Another reference notes: "1776, January 8 – The Merlin cut down the trees on Cat Island – so we hear no more of the Merlin. There was a clump of trees on the middle of the Island – the most conspicuous landmark on the coast."
However, Ashley Bowen who documents on the happenings of Marblehead daily notes on August 16, 1775 "sailed the Merlin ... for Boston. As the Merlin passed Point of [the] Neck she fired a shot over the neck," and he does not indicate that the Merlin returns to the Marblehead area any time near January 1776. In addition, after the tree-cutting episode Bowen continues to record the actions of the Fowey and makes no mention of the Merlin; therefore, most likely it was the men of the Fowey and not the Merlin who cut down the trees. The amount of trees cut and the purpose of cutting them is not mentioned, though perhaps it allowed a better view of Marblehead Harbor to prevent the rebels (soon to be Americans) from escaping. Alternatively the lumber could have been used as fuel, though no mention of cutting wood on nearby more heavily wooded islands is mentioned.
The owners of the former Essex Hospital held the Island throughout the war. Sometime before 1787 both Glovers sold their quarter ownerships to Deacon William Williams of Marblehead. The Deacon then acquired another 16th part to gain majority ownership. After his death in 1787, his wife sold the property to Edward Fettyplace for $43.33 on June 25, 1795.
Some observations and events concerning the island occurred around this time. On August 18, 1791 Reverend William Bentley recorded the following in his diary:
The Reverend documented another trip to the Island in his diary on June 24, 1803: "... fished between grey rock & Cat Island, & as the wind was rising landed on Cat Island. Here we spent the day. The wind was so high that no tent could stand, & we were exposed to the sun without any shelter, & the heat was excessive. We could find no spring & the well was dry. We found three horses & good grass. In the evening we returned."