The Fayerweather estate was purchased by the first of that family who appeared in Salem, of a person of the name of Boynton. The estate was situated in that part of Essex street since called “Old Paved street,” from its having been the first, and for many years the only one, in the town which afforded its passengers the convenience of a substantial stone pavement. The man Boynton, of whom Mr. Fayerweather purchased the land, was not much respected in the town; he had but little reputation for honesty; but Mr. Fayerweather having secured the title deeds, when he paid down the purchase money, saw but little reason to fear his title being called in question; therefore immediately on coming into possession, he built on it a fine mansion. It was a large and respectable looking edifice, built in the best style of the day; its date was the same with that of the noted one in which the witches were tried, and which can yet be seen standing in a green old age, at the corner of North and Essex streets, having survived the decay and downfall of all its cotemporaries. The solid beams and rafters of the Fayerweather mansion might have held together equally as long, but not many years ago they were ruthlessly torn down to make room for a more showy house of bright red brick, built in the modern style. Mr. Fayerweather lived in quiet possession of his land long enough to see it nearly doubled in value, by his improvements and the increase of dwellings in that part of the town. At his decease his only son took possession of the homestead. Boynton’s death took place shortly after. And now an unexpected claim was set up by his son and daughter, Jemmy and Nanny, to an undivided moiety of the land, in right of their mother; and a deed was produced by them, proving their title to this moiety by purchase in her maiden name, with a date prior to her marriage. The second Mr. Fayerweather perceived at once the knavery which had been practiced upon his father, by the old sinner Boynton; but he not being able to bring himself to contest the point by a recourse to law—of which he entertained a horror—Jemmy and Nanny proceeded to establish their claim by taking possession. They removed the little ill-conditioned building which served for their dwelling, so near the line which separated the garden and grounds immediately about the mansion, from the rest of the land, that the hedge of shrubbery marking the division might conveniently serve them equally well as an inclosure.