Darby Field
Encyclopedia
Darby Field was the first European to climb Mount Washington
in New Hampshire
. Of Irish ancestry, if not born in Ireland
, he was in Boston, Massachusetts, by 1636 and settled in Durham, New Hampshire
, by 1638, where he ran a ferry from what is now called Durham Point to the town of Newington, across Little Bay
. He was known as an Indian translator.
Field's ascent of Mount Washington, in 1642, when he was about 32 years of age, was recorded by Gov. John Winthrop
of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
in his journal:
Darby Field was remarkably accurate in the estimated distances, though the distant bodies of water were like cloud-banks, and his description of the top of Mount Washington was likewise accurate. Field's feat would be repeated only a handful of times over the next 150 years. The account of a party of hikers in 1816 shows that they followed Darby Field's notes as a guide and simply saw him as overenthusiastic at the summit; "The relation of Darby field, may be considered as in the main correct, after making reasonable deductions for the distance, the length of the Muscovy glass, and the quantity of water in view, which it may be suspected has not been seen by any visitor since his time." At that time, mica (Muscovy glass) was used in the manufacturing of stoves and was quite an expensive commodity.
Darby Field and his wife Agnes would have five children before his death in 1649 at Dover, New Hampshire
. Mount Field
in the Willey Range of the White Mountains
is named in his honor.
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Of Irish ancestry, if not born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, he was in Boston, Massachusetts, by 1636 and settled in Durham, New Hampshire
Durham, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,664 people, 2,882 households, and 1,582 families residing in the town. The population density was 565.5 people per square mile . There were 2,923 housing units at an average density of 130.5 per square mile...
, by 1638, where he ran a ferry from what is now called Durham Point to the town of Newington, across Little Bay
Great Bay (New Hampshire)
Great Bay is a tidal estuary located in Strafford and Rockingham counties in eastern New Hampshire, United States. The bay occupies over , not including its several tidal river tributaries. Its outlet is at Hilton Point in Dover, New Hampshire, where waters from the bay flow into the Piscataqua...
. He was known as an Indian translator.
Field's ascent of Mount Washington, in 1642, when he was about 32 years of age, was recorded by Gov. John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
in his journal:
- "One Darby Field, an Irishman, living about PiscataquackPiscataqua RiverThe Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
, being accompanied with two IndiansWestern AbenakiThe Abenaki are a tribe of Native American and First Nations people, one of the Algonquian-speaking peoples of northeastern North America. The Abenaki live in the New England region of the United States and Quebec and the Maritimes of Canada, a region called Wabanaki in the Eastern Algonquian...
, went to the top of the white hillMount Washington (New Hampshire)Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
. He made his journey in 18 days. His relation at his return was, that it was about one hundred miles from SacoSaco, MaineSaco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
, that after 40 miles travel, he did, for the most part, ascend; and within 12 miles of the top was neither tree nor grass, but low savins [shrubs], which they went upon the top of sometimes, but a continual ascent upon rocks, on a ridge between two valleys filled with snow, out of which came two branches of Saco riverSaco RiverThe Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
, which met at the foot of the hill where was an Indian townConway, New HampshireConway is a town, the largest in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,115 at the 2010 census. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west and north. Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake State Park are in the west...
of some 200 people. Some of them accompanied him within 8 miles of the top, but durst go no further, telling him that no Indian ever dared to go higher, and that he would die if he went. So they staid there till his return, and his two Indians took courage by his example and went with him. They went divers times through the thick clouds for a good space, and within 4 miles of the top, they had no clouds but very cold. By the way among the rocks, there were two ponds, one a blackish water, and the other reddish [the Lakes of the CloudsLakes of the CloudsThe Lakes of the Clouds are a set of small ponds located at the col between Mount Monroe and Mount Washington in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire...
]. The top of all was plain about 60 feet square. On the north side was such a precipice [the Great GulfGreat GulfThe Great Gulf is a glacial cirque, or amphitheater-like valley head formed from a glacier by erosion, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire...
], as they could scarcely discern to the bottom. They had neither cloud nor wind on the top, and moderate heat. All the country about him seemed a level, except here and there a hill rising above the rest, and far beneath them. He saw to the north, a great water which he judged to be 100 miles broad, but could see no land beyond it."
Darby Field was remarkably accurate in the estimated distances, though the distant bodies of water were like cloud-banks, and his description of the top of Mount Washington was likewise accurate. Field's feat would be repeated only a handful of times over the next 150 years. The account of a party of hikers in 1816 shows that they followed Darby Field's notes as a guide and simply saw him as overenthusiastic at the summit; "The relation of Darby field, may be considered as in the main correct, after making reasonable deductions for the distance, the length of the Muscovy glass, and the quantity of water in view, which it may be suspected has not been seen by any visitor since his time." At that time, mica (Muscovy glass) was used in the manufacturing of stoves and was quite an expensive commodity.
Darby Field and his wife Agnes would have five children before his death in 1649 at Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
. Mount Field
Mount Field (New Hampshire)
Mount Field is a mountain located in Grafton County, New Hampshire. The mountain is named after Darby Field , who in 1642 made the first known ascent of Mount Washington. Mount Field is the highest peak of the Willey Range of the White Mountains. Mt. Field is flanked to the northwest by Mount Tom,...
in the Willey Range of the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
is named in his honor.
Sources
- Passaconaway's Realm by Russell M. Lawson, University Press of New England, Hanover NH 2002.