Slightly Odd America

On a cool, moonlit night in 1658, residents of the Puritan-led, developing town of Lynn, Massachusetts Bay Colony gathered by lapping coastal waters and watched a ship anchor off the beach. Four men and one woman disembarked and slowly rowed their way up the Saugus River, disappearing from sight. No word of their arrival had been sent in advance, and their ultimate destination would remain a mystery to the residents. The woods were vast and untouched by man, making it the perfect place for people with a reason to disappear, and that’s exactly what they wanted. One of these shadowy men, Thomas Veale, would reach across centuries to change the lives of two men in the 1800s. He would also change the landscape of the woods in ways that can still be seen and explored today, 368 years after that night. This is the story of: Thomas Veale: The Cordwainer Pirate of Lynn Woods Veale is said to have been born near Salem, but details are scarce. In fact, there’s no way to tell if we’re talking abo...