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Quicktime (requires plugin)The town of Londonderry was built on a promise. The promise came from Massachusetts Governor Samuel Shute, who agreed, on March 26, 1718, to grant a parcel of land to a band of Scotch Presbyterians emigrating from the north of Ireland "whenever they decided upon a location."
The location they decided upon was Nutfield.
That was the colloquial name given to the heavily wooded area that the 118 newcomers - led by John Moor - would rename Londonderry to honor their old home. And, regarding the subject of names, prospective parents who are still agonizing over what to call their baby might be intrigued by the way in which one of Londonderry's most notable citizens came by her name.
In 1720, while making passage across the Atlantic from Londonderry in Ireland, a ship was set upon by pirates. After boarding the vessel, the leader of the marauding buccaneers heard a cry from below.
When he discovered the cry was that of a new-born child, he made the new mother a proposition: "If you name the baby Mary after my sweet wife," the pirate said, "I will not plunder this ship."
Thus, the baby was christened Mary Wilson - "Ocean Born Mary" - and the ship was spared. Twenty-two years later, when Mary was wed to James Wallace, she wore a gown of green silk brocade, the fabric courtesy of the warm-hearted pirate. Scraps of her gown are on display at the Londonderry Historical Museum.