Essex Shipbuilding Museum, Town History.

THE SETTLEMENT OF ESSEX, THEN A PARISH OF IPSWICH CALLED CHEBACCO

Settlement of the town commenced in 1634, one year after Ipswich was settled and fourteen years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. In 1638, John Winthrop, the son of the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, formally purchased the land from Chief Masconomet for 20 pounds Sterling.

Of the nine founding families, several remain prominent today. They are Story, Perkins, Low, Choate, Andrews and Burnham.

Chebacco remained a parish of Ipswich until 1819 when it was incorporated as the town of Essex.

The Industries of Essex
Trades listed by individuals in the 1850 Census

Anchor makers
Blacksmiths
Carriage makers
Caulkers
Coopers
Farmers
Fishermen
Gunsmiths
Harness makers
Malters
Millers
Pump makers
Riggers
Rope makers
Saddle makers
Sailmakers
Sawyers
Shipbuilders
Shoemakers
Soapmakers
Spar makers
Tanners
Tool makers
Wheelwrights
Windlass makers

"Essex March 29, 1846
The young shoemakers have all turned carpenters..."

From a journal kept by Luther Burnham, 1846-1851

By far, Essex's largest industry was shipbuilding. It became so great that it held a monopoly on the development and construction of vessels for America’s fishing fleet. For 300 years, that industry so dominated Essex that it touched the lives of every one of its citizens and transformed the whole town into one large "shipbuilding factory".

By 1850, fully one quarter of the town's work force was engaged in some facet of the shipbuilding industry. Some worked as shipyard crews. Others, such as caulkers or plankers, contracted out their skills wherever needed. Still others specialized in such trades as the manufacture of cordage, pumps, anchors, chain cables, windlasses, spars, tools, sails, rigging and fittings.

Percentage of 1850 work force engaged in the three largest industries.

Shipbuilding 23.5%
Farming 21.8%
Shoemaking 18.8%

Basis: 1850 Census
Population: 1585