History Overview :

Rev. Ezekiel Rogers, 24th Pastor of St. Peter's Church, Rowley, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, organized a company of twenty families from Rowley and nearby towns and sailed on "John of London". They arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in the fall f 1638. The first printing press to be used in the colonies was carried over on the "John" and set up in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The town was settled in the spring of 1639 during the session of the General Court in Boston. It was named "Mr. Ezechi Roger's Plantation Shalbee Called Rowley, Mass."

Rowley was laid out so that nearly all of the early houses bordered on the "Town Brook" or one of its tributaries. Originally the Town of Rowley extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Merrimac River and embraced the towns of Boxford ( Rowley Village), Bradford (Merrimac Lands), Georgetown (New Rowley), Groveland, and a part of Middleton, and the present area of Rowley.

Rowley has played an important part in this countries growth. In 1642, 40 armed men were sent out from Rowley, Ipswich and Newbury to disarm Passaconaway, "the great Sachem of all the tribes that dwelt in the Valley of Merrimac". Rowley has supplied the area with finished wool through the first fulling mill, lumber from it mills, small vessel during the 1700's, famous Ipswich clams and seafood, as well as scholars who founded new universities and an accused witch hung during the height of the witch trials.

Rowley residents have been proud of its heritage. There have been founding celebrations over the years, the last being in 1989 featuring Rowley River activities, a grand 350th Ball on the Common, a huge parade, fairs on the common, old time movies, firemen's muster and of course the traditional ham and bean supper.