The Balch property has a long history that predates colonial New England. Under Historic Beverly’s care, an archaeological excavation was conducted by Prof. Emerson Baker in 1998. This dig was essential to discover more about the Balch family history and help plan the future preservation of the property. This online exhibit provides the opportunity to dive deeper into specific artifacts dated to many of the original Balch residents. From colonial forks to clay pipes to beads used for trade, this exhibition investigates the history of the artifacts in relation to the Balch family’s genealogy.
The exhibit pages are as follows:
Balch Family History through Time and Trash, this current page, details the Balch family’s history, and the process of the archaeological excavation.
What were the Foodways of the Balch Family? explores the different ceramics and tools colonial New Englanders used for preparing and storing food.
What were the Personal Artifacts of the Balchs? describes the multitude of personal items such as clay pipes and musket balls to illustrate the layers of Balch family life.
What Currency was found on the Balch Property? explains different forms of currency and their usage spanning from the 17th century to the 20th century.
How Would Archaeologists Interpret Your Life? concludes the exhibit and debriefs the archaeological importance of the excavation.
Glossary includes definitions of important terms.
Land Acknowledgment
Historic Beverly would like to acknowledge the Naumkeag (Nah- um-kee-ahg) people who inhabited the land where the Balch home exists. Northern Massachusetts is the Naumkeag’s ancestral land, but they have been forcefully removed from their homeland due to colonization, disease, war, slavery, and genocide. Colonizers stole this land we live on today. The Naumkeag people fished, farmed, raised families, flourished, and honored the land in northern Massachusetts for centuries. We acknowledge that this is Naumkeag and Indigenous land and recognize the Indigenous people who honor and originate from this land. We have the obligation to serve this land and educate ourselves and others about the thriving Naumkeag people and their history.
Who are the Balchs?
In 1623, the Dorchester Company landed in Weymouth, but a year later, after moving to Gloucester, the settlement was still unsuccessful. The Dorchester Co. was called back to England in 1626, but some settlers decided to stay in Massachusetts, including John balch and his wife. The settlers who remained in Massachusetts, moving to the Bass River side of Salem (now Beverly), were the “Old Planters.”
John Balch was born in Somerset, England, in 1579. In the spring of 1624, he arrived in America at Cape Ann. After traveling back to England to marry his first wife, Margary Lovett, in 1625, he came back to America to establish the Naumkeag area, which is now known as Salem. Through the “Thousand Acre Grant,” John Balch and four other settlers each received 200 acres of land. John Balch and Maragary settled near the Bass River; today, that address is 448 Cabot Street in Beverly. Originally it was believed that the existing structure was built around 1635, but dendrochronology established that it was likely constructed by John’s son, Benjamin Balch, around 1680. During the dig, archaeologists discovered that the original home, built by John Balch, most likely burnt down. As the farm was passed through the family, the home was renovated and changed many times. Today, the house stands as a two-story home with multiple additions and influences of seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth-century architecture. In 1916, the Balch Family Association acquired the Balch House. With aid from Norman Isham and William Sumner Appleton, the home was restored to show the three architectural construction periods.
In 1759, with the death of Benjamin Balch III, the house was passed his grandson Cornelius Dodge. After Cornelius Dodge, his son Azor Dodge owned the property. He was a carpenter and even had a shop on the property around 1852. After Azor’s passing, the property was inherited by his widowed daughter-in-law, Mary A. Dodge, and her daughter Addie F. Dodge. Mary A. Dodge was twice widowed after a series of unfortunate deaths and hard times, she began to rent out the home to tenants. Addie F. Dodge inherited the property, but she transferred the home to the Balch House Trust in 1916, formed by the Balch Family Association.
Pictured here is the Balch Family Coat of Arms
Timeline
1579, John Balch was born in Somerset, England.
1623, the Dorchester Company landed in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
1625, John Balch took a brief trip to England to marry his first wife, Margary (Lovett).
1626, the Dorchester Company was called back to England, and some settlers known as “Old Planters” decided to stay in Massachusetts; John Balch settled in Salem.
1635 on the 25th of November, the “Thousand Acre Grant” bestowed 200 acres to John Balch.
Circa 1680, John Balch’s son Benjamin Balch built the Balch House, a one-and-a-half-story home with a one-room addition.
1759, with the death of Benjamin Balch III, the house was passed out of the male line.
1916, the Balch Family Association acquired the Balch House property.
1998, the Balch excavation was conducted by Prof. Emerson Baker.
Why Dig?
The Balch property contains a rich genealogical and archaeological history. There is a high correlation between early colonial settlements and prehistoric sites due to favorable conditions of the land and area. The area was an important thoroughfare in prehistoric times. The Balch House site is predicted to have first been occupied by Indigenous peoples 3,000 years ago.
Beverly Historical Society (now Historic Beverly) requested a survey and excavation of the front lawn of the Balch House to answer this question: are there intact archaeological resources that would be endangered by developing a garden in this area? The answer to this question was yes! The dig, directed by Prof. Baker, found an abundance of critical archaeological artifacts from both colonial and Native American origin.
The director of the excavation, Emerson Baker, is a historian, archaeologist, and professor at Salem State University. As a published author, facilitator, and consultant for museums, preservation organizations, and media, Baker provided great expertise to the Balch Archaeology Project during the excavation of more than 3,000 artifacts. In addition, the work of Edward Bell of the Massachusetts Historical Commission contributed extensive research and field notes. Bell’s work creates an extremely thorough historical background of the preliminary archaeological work done for the Balch property.
Where?
Essex County has a vibrant prehistoric history. Indigenous peoples date back over ten thousand years in some areas, such as Ipswich. Many other sites have been found in the Salem-Beverly area, such as burial mounds and tool-making sites that date to the Woodland Period (roughly 1000 BCE - 1000 CE). The Balch site, on the Bass River side of Salem (today, 448 Cabot Street in Beverly), also has a prehistoric legacy. During excavation, there was archaeological evidence to support that the Balch property was first occupied 3,000 years ago.
The archaeological excavation took place on the front lawn of the Balch property. The excavation began with ten 2.5' x 2.5' quadrants within the approximately 40' x 50' excavation area of the front lawn. From this initial sample, test pits were selected based on the results from the initial pits. A total of 27 and a half 2.5' x 2.5' pits were excavated. While numerous artifacts were collected from the front lawn, this was only a small portion of the entire site. It is believed that there are more archaeological resources around the property, and the land should be handled with care.
What Happens with the Artifacts?
Once the excavation was completed, the artifacts are cleaned and organized. Most artifacts are washed and cleaned with toothbrushes except for bones, iron, and prehistoric artifacts. Bones and iron are dry-brushed, while prehistoric artifacts are not cleaned, leaving them as intact as possible. From there, artifacts are given catalog numbers to be organized into a spreadsheet; their description, coordinates, and stratum are all recorded.
Archaeology requires precision and delicacy with both recording and storage of artifacts. Once the artifacts are cataloged, they are placed into zip-lock bags and are given acid-free laser printer labels to identify the object. The artifacts are stored in a climate-controlled room to preserve the condition of the pieces. Along with climate control, the artifacts are under surveillance to protect their history.
To learn about the artifacts related to foodways, click below