Ipswich has had for nearly three hundred years a story of its own, a continuous self-conscious life, a record of public service and individual excellence that deserves recognition. We believe all will like to know more concerning our ancient New England town, and therefore this little handbook has been put out for the benefit of residents as well as visitors and travellers.<br><br>Each summer, thousands of thoughtful, interested people come to this historic region, and they are entitled to accurate information about the original seventeenth century settlement.<br><br>We as residents have a pardonable pride in our "Ipswich Towne" and are constantly meeting people whose early family associations cluster about this charming locality and who will appreciate attempts like the following to give local color to he events and the personalities that go to make up the important material of its general history. We feel that Boston, Salem, Newburyport and Portsmouth can by no means monopolize the attention of reflective students of old colonial New England.<br><br>Founding of Ipswich, March, 1633<br><br>As early as 1608 Capt. John Smith, while on a voyage in the interest of an English Company, touched at Ipswich harbor, then known by the Indian name of Agawam. In his records he states that the natives used them kindly.<br><br>In 1633, when it became known that the French were about to make a settlement near Cape Sable, the Massachusetts Bay Colony took alarm and passed an ordinance for the founding of a plantation at Agawam, "least" as they said, "an enemy finding it void should possess it and take it from us."<br><br>The leader chosen to establish the new colony was no less a personage than John Winthrop, Jr., son of the Governor. He was ordered "to take no more out of the Bay than twelve men; the rest to be supplied by the coming of the next ships."