Last year for their annual gathering, the Stetson Kindred of America asked me to compile a presentation about the North River’s history, with a focus on their ancestor, Cornet Robert Stetson. For me, this was a dream assignment – an opportunity to dig deeper into a subject I know and love. While I’d already learned that, in the Colonial era, Robert Stetson and his wife, Honour Tucker, were Norwell’s first European settlers, I had no idea that the John B. Stetson Company – renowned more than 200 years later for its cowboy hats – was founded by one of their descendants!
Cornet is a military rank – the lowest grade of commissioned officer. The Robert Stetson who arrived in Scituate in 1634 and established a homestead on the North River by 1640 is often referred to as Cornet Robert, or just “The Cornet.” In the early 1600s, towns as we know them today did not have distinct boundaries. Land grants were made to individuals, but the colony waited until a settlement became large enough to require its own identity before designating it a town. The property where the Stetsons settled and reared nine children first became part of Scituate, and then South Scituate, and eventually Norwell. Much of it is now town-owned conservation land – Stetson Meadows -- which you can visit daily from dawn to dusk.
Discussion of the original Stetson settlement almost always mentions its “unfailing and valuable” freshwater spring – a natural spring that continues to flow today. A source of fresh water is essential for a successful homestead. It’s something we could easily take for granted these days here on the South Shore, where water seems abundant and flows through taps on command, despite increasing demands on local aquifers.
Like many of his era, Stetson established his homestead on a waterway. While today we hold riverfront properties in high regard for the natural beauty that surrounds them, in the 17th century, they were valued for different reasons. Since public pathways were scarce and slow-going, the rivers served as highways, and thus living close to them was convenient and practical. In addition, the adjacent lands were often well-suited for farming, enabling a family to sustain itself.
Just as important was the availability of salt marsh hay, which didn’t require management and produced a fresh crop every year. Salt hay was used as roof thatch and wall insulation, but more importantly, it was good forage for livestock. Without the naturally-occurring salt marsh hay, early Colonial settlers might not have survived, as they wouldn’t have been able to produce enough food for themselves and their livestock. Salt hay was so valuable that by the late 1600’s, rights had been granted to all of the area’s salt marshes.
In part because of ecological changes resulting from the 1898 Portland Gale, salt marsh hay is no longer abundant here. Instead, our marshes hold a different value. They are essential for flood control, especially during storms. They provide wildlife habitat, which supports the food chain in general. And they help to keep the rivers and water supply clean.
Robert Stetson was an influential member of the community, a key figure in the establishment of colonial boundaries, roadways, and common lands. He served as a constable in Scituate in 1643, and was chosen to be the town’s first selectman, a position he held for many years. He was a Representative to the General Court of Plymouth Colony, and also on the Plymouth Colony Council of War.
In addition, Stetson was a businessman, establishing two sawmills: one on Third Herring Brook in 1656 (with Timothy Hatherly and Joseph Tilden), and one on the Drinkwater River, between 1656 and 1674. Both were essential in the development of local communities, which perhaps is why both were destroyed in the raids that occurred during King Philip’s War ... although the disruption of longstanding herring fisheries could also have been a factor. Industrial dams often outlast the mills and factories that accompany them. In the early 2000’s, NSRWA removed three obsolete mill dams on Third Herring Brook, one of which was a short distance downstream from the site of the Stetson sawmill.
While I could go on for days, sharing anecdotes from the North River’s rich history, for now, King Philip’s War is a good place to stop. Wampanoag and Massachusett tribes had inhabited the area for centuries when European colonists arrived in the 1620’s. While there are treaties and bills of sale between Native Americans and colonists, they had decidedly different views on the nuances of land and water rights -- views that were probably difficult to communicate effectively. Cornet Stetson was part of the delegation from Plymouth Colony that traveled to Mount Hope to meet with Chief Metacomet, aka King Philip, as he began to push back against colonial encroachments. Stetson continued to serve the community for many years to follow, and passed away in 1702, at age 90.
If you enjoy North River history, be on the lookout for presentations given by NSRWA’s Ambassador team. Led by longtime volunteer Charlie Naff, and hosted by local libraries and senior centers, these provide a 1-hour overview, touching upon such subjects as storms, mills, and shipbuilding. The next few are happening September 25th in Hingham, October 9th in Cohasset, and October 14th in Pembroke.
If you enjoy the outdoors, be sure to check out our Explore South Shore program for 2025. Every morning, we highlight one of the region’s best nature places on Facebook and Instagram, many of which also have a fascinating history. Not on social media? We’ve listed all the locations on our website as well!
by Kezia Bacon
September 2025
Photos: Stetson Meadows Conservation Area, Norwell.
Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to protecting our waters. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. You will also find 27+ years of Kezia’s Nature columns there. For more information about the “Where in the Watershed?”/Postcards from the ‘Shed Contest, visit https://www.nsrwa.org/2025-nsrwa-explore-south-shore-contest-rules/
