USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dunstable > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Tyngsborough > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hudson > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashua > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Litchfield > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashville > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hollis > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Merrimack > History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N. H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass > Part 11
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So much were the inhabitants scattered that no school was kept in Town until 1730. In that year, it seems, the Town having increased to the requisite number of "fifty house-holders," and having neglected to provide a teacher according to Law, had been indicted by the Grand Jury. Nov. 3, 1730, it was accordingly voted, that " it be left with the selectmen to provide and agree with a person to keep a writing school in the town directly"; and, that "the sum of Ten pounds be granted and raised for defraying the charges in the last mentioned concern and other Town charges." How liberal this provision was we may judge from the fact that the same sum, and even more, had been annually raised for Town charges alone, and that Dunstable then included the greater part of Hollis and Hudson within its limits !
How many inhabitants the Town then con- tained we are unable to ascertain. If there were fifty house-holders or families, the number was probably about two hundred and fifty. How slow was the increase and how disastrous must have been the effect of the long Indian Wars, we may conjecture when we remember that as far back as 1680, there were thirty families, or nearly one hundred and fifty inhabitants, most of whom were settled within the present limits of Nashua.
After this indictment, however, had been ar- ranged, it appears that the Town relapsed into its ancient neglect and no further notice was taken of it. No record of any vote to raise money for the support of Schools, or to choose any school committee, or to build any school- house, or any allusion to the subject of schools is found for many years. The Town was too
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much distracted, at this period, perhaps, by ex- citing religious and sectional questions, to attend to or agree upon any general plan of education. The inhabitants of Hollis and Hudson were de- sirous of being erected into separate townships. Then came the question of erecting "a decent meeting house," and similar divisions ensued.
The controversies about the boundary line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts, which finally divided Dunstable nearly in the middle, leaving one half of the territory within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, and transfer- ring the northern portion, with a large majority of the inhabitants, to New Hampshire, gave rise to an excitement still more intense and protracted. 'Then followed a succession of sectarian disputes about the Orthodox and New Lights, Congrega- tionalists and Presbyterians, all of which were discussed and decided in Town meetings .- These, and similar controversies, with their con- sequent victories and defeats, protests and recon- siderations must have occupied their time suffi- ciently to prevent their union upon any subject, where there might be conflicting interests or pre- judices.
After Lovewell's War, so great was the security felt by the settlers, that they plunged boldly into the wilderness in every direction. In July, 1729, the lands lying three miles north and south on Merrimac River, extending three miles east and four miles west of it, and bounded southerly by the Souhegan, [now the northerly part of Merrimac] were granted to Joseph Blanchard and others. Even as early as May, 1726, a set- tlement was commenced at Concord. In Dun- stable the outlands were taken up, and soon the wilderness was alive with population. So nu- merous had they become that "for greater
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convenience of public worship ", they desired on every hand to be erected into townships.
In 1731 the inhabitants on the east side of the Merrimac petitioned the town to be set off, which was granted to take effect " whenever the Gen- eral Court should think it advisable." Leave was obtained accordingly from the Assembly of Massachusetts, and the new township was called Nottingham. On the establishment of the bound- ary line it fell within the State of New Hamp- shire, obtained a new charter in 1746, and changed its name to Nottingham-West, there being already a Nottingham in the eastern section of the State.
In 1732 the inhabitants on the northerly side of Nashua River petitioned to be set off also with Brenton's Farm, but the petition was not granted by the town. In 1733, however, part of the town lying west of Merrimac River was incorporated by the General Assembly into a township by the name of Rumford, but soon after was called Merrimac.
July 3, 1734, Litchfield was incorporated .- In the petition for incorporation, dated May, 1734, and signed by " Aquila Underwood for the Town ", it is stated, as a reason for the grant, that they have "supported a minister for some time."
While the jealousies and divisions, to which reference has been made, were existing in such strength, " the old meeting house," it seems, had grown so old and out of repair, as not to be " decent." Upon a vote taken in 1732 whether the town " would build a decent meeting house or rectify and mend the old one", it was decided not to "rectify ", but to build. After quarrel ..
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ling a year and holding various meetings, it was voted to build it "about 4 rods westward of where the meeting house now stands", upon which 19 persons, chiefly from that part of the town now lying in Massachusetts, entered their dissent of record against the location.
In 1736 Hollis was set off from Dunstable by the name of "the west parish of Dunstable"; but after the establishment of the boundary line, it received a new act of incorporation from the State of New Hampshire, by the name of Hollis. Its Indian name was Nissitisset. In the mean time settlements were extending rapidly all around, and the forest was bowing before the onward tread of civilization. In 1734, Amherst was settled, and in 1736 a bridge was built across Souhegan River, then the northerly boundary of Dunstable, and a road laid out and built " from the bridge to Dunstable meeting house."
In 1732 Townsend was incorporated, taking in the southerly part of the town, including Pepperell. Thus township after township had become parcelled out from the original body of " old Dunstable", until in 1740 the broad and goodly plantation was reduced to that portion only which is now embraced within the limits of Nashua and Nashville, Tyngsborough and Dunstable. At length, after a long and violent controversy, and against the wishes of the inhab- itants, the boundary line between New Hamp- shire and Massachusetts was established in 1741, severing Dunstable very nearly in the middle, and leaving the present towns of Nashua and Nashville within the limits of New Hampshire. With the exception of a small section set off to Hollis, this portion retains the territory which it
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had in 1741, and contains by computation, about 18,878 acres.
After the death of Rev. Mr. Prentice, Rev. Josiah Swan received a call to settle over the church and town. He accepted the call, and was ordained Dec. 27, 1738. Mr. Swan is said to have been a native of Dunstable, and grad- uated at Harvard in 1733, In 1739 he married Jane [Mr. Sperry says erroneously Rachael,] Blanchard, daughter of Joseph Blanchard, Esq., of this town. In 1741, however, on the division of the town by the new boundary, it became more difficult to support a minister. Not long afterwards the sect then called " New Lights", but since known as Methodists, appeared, and a division in his society ensued. The churches were "infected with lay exhorters, and some ministers who have left their parishes and charges and undertaken to play the bishop in another man's diocese", as the regular clergy complained, and "distracted by such persons exhorting and preaching in private houses with- out the consent of the stated pastor." (1.)
We have seen that the question of building a new meeting house was discussed as far back as 1732, and a vote taken fixing its location. In November, 17341, John Kendall and others re- monstrated to the General Assembly against its location, and asked for a committee. (2.) The records of the town from 1733 to 1746 are lost, but it is known that the vote was inoperative and the house not built until 1738, when Mr. Swan was settled. It stood near the old burying ground not far from the State line, having been built for the accommodation of the original town-
(1.) Allen's Chelmsford, 116.
(2.) Ecclesiastical Records, 1734, page 70.
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ship. Immediately after the division of the town, it became necessary to erect a new meeting house in a more central situation. But so diverse were the interests and the feelings of our then widely scattered population, that no location was satisfactory. June 20, 1746, the town voted " that the place of preaching the gospel this summer be at Ephraim Lund's barn." After sundry votes, protests and reconsiderations, com- mittees, reports and compromises, the town voted to accept the proposal of Jona. Lovewell and others to build the meeting house on their own account, and to have the liberty of selling all the wall pews for their own benefit.
'The House was built accordingly in the au- tumn of 1747, "on a spot of rising ground about six rods west of the main road", which is a few rods northerly of the present South meet- ing house. It was abont twenty-eight feet by forty ; had a small gallery, and was divided like the old one. into the "men's side" and the " women's side."
CHAPTER X.
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE, N. H., TO THE OLD FRENCH WAR.
APRIL 4, 1746, the town was first incorporated by the State of New Hampshire, having previ- ously acted under their charter, obtained from the General Court of Massachusetts, in 1673 .- It retained the ancient name of DUNSTABLE.
In 1746 the great road to Tyngsboroughi was stated anew and recorded. There would seem to have been but few houses upon this road at that time. The following are all that are men- tioned : - Capt. Joseph French's house was S rods north of the State line; Col. Joseph Blanch- ard's house, 300 rods north of the State line, and 29 rods south of "Cummings's Brook "; Cyrus Bald- win's near Col. Blanchard's; John Scarles' house 66 rods north of Cummings's Brook ; Hen- ry Adams's 80 rods north of Searles' house; the old ditch which led to the Fort was 90 rods north of Adams's house; Thomas Harwood's house was 90 rods north of the old ditch; no other house mentioned between Harwood's and Nashua River, excepting Jonathan Lovewell's, which was 283 rods south of the River, or at the Harbor, south of Salmon Brook.
About this time the difficulties with Mr. Swan having increased, he was dismissed. He did not leave town, however, immediately, for we find
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his name recorded the next year as having voted against a successor. He settled in full with the town, March 2, 1747. He did not remain here long, but returned to Lancaster, Mass., his former place of residence. Here he was engaged in the tuition of a school, which had been his occupa- tion previous to his entrance upon the ministry, and became " a famous teacher." He remained at Lancaster until about 1760, when he removed to Walpole, N. H., where he died. (1.)
Of his character little is known, and a single anecdote has reached us. From this, however, from his dealings with the town in regard to his salary, and from the amount of his taxes, for he owned a farm, we may infer that he amassed some property, and was a prudent, stirring, thrifty, but not over spiritual man. One Sabbath morning, it is said, during the latter part of his ministry, while old Mr. Lovewell was alive, he forgot the day and ordered his hired men to their work. They objected, telling him it was Sunday. He would not believe it, but finally, says he, "if it is Sunday, we shall soon see old father Lovewell coming up the hill " ; and sure enough, punctual as the clock to the hour, the old man, then more than a hundred years of age, but who never missed a Sunday, was seen making his way to church, and Mr. Swan was convinced of his mistake.
At this time there was neither school nor schoolhouse in town. Sept. 29, 1746, it was voted that "Jona. Lovewell be desired to hire a school master until the next March for this town, upon the cost and charge of the town."- Two dwelling houses, one in the northern and one in the southern portions of the town, were
(1.) Willard's History of Lancaster, citing 2 Mass. Hist. Coll., 55.
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designated, in which the school should be kept, "if they could be obtained." But one teacher was employed, and he was to keep school half of the time at each place. The number of in- habitants was probably about 400.
During this year the Indians committed much havoc in the frontier towns, around and above us. Many settlements above us were nearly or quite deserted. "The defenceless state they were in obliged them all, namely, Peterborough, Salem Canada, [Lyndeborough, ] New Boston and Hills- borough, [so called, ] entirely to draw off, as well as the forts on the Connecticut river. (1.) In the winter of 1745 and 1746 scouts were fur- nished by this State and Massachusetts for the protection of those towns.
In May, 1747, the inhabitants of Souhegan West, [Amherst, ] and Monson, [a town formerly lying between Amherst and Hollis, afterwards divided and annexed to those towns,] petitioned Gov. Wentworth for a guard, being " in imminent danger." The petition was granted, and his " Excellency was desired to give orders for en- listing or impressing fifteen good and efficient men, to scout and guard, under proper officers, said Souhegan West and Monson, till the twen- tieth day of October next, if need be, and that said men be shifted once a month."
It was about this time, probably, that Jonathan Farwell and 'Taylor were taken captive by the Indians, while hunting in the south part of this town. They were carried to Canada, and sold to the French, where they remained in captivity three years ; but finally succeded in obtaining their release, and returned to their friends. A daughter of Farwell, Mrs. Rachael Harris, a
(1.) Province Records, 1747. 5 N. H. Hist. Coll., 253.
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grand daughter also of Noah Johnson, one of Lovewell's men, is still living [1840] in this town.
After the dismission of Mr. Swan, in May, 1747, Rev. Samuel Bird preached here. Aug. 31, 1747, he received a call to settle, and was soon after ordained. By the terms of his contract he was to have "100 ounces of coined silver, Troy weight, sterling alloy, or the full value thereof in bills of public credit," or about $100,00 yearly, for his salary, provided " that he preach a lecture once in three months at least in this town," and "visit and catechise the people." At this choice there was much dissat- isfaction, and the town was nearly equally di- vided.
Mr. Bird was a " New Light," and his ordi- nation was a triumph. His friends, however, at the head of whom was Jonathan Lovewell, stood by him, and by them the new meeting house, before mentioned, was erected. His opponents, at the head of whom was Col. Blanchard, com- plained of the injustice of being compelled to pay Mr. Bird, and all who were dissatisfied were freely excused. But the quarrel was sec- tarian, and could not be appeased. A division in the church ensued, and a new church was organized, which worshipped in the old meeting house, in conjunction with members from Tyngs- borough and Dunstable. Lovewell and Blanch- ard were both distinguished men, and had been much in public life. The question soon assumed a party shape and laid the foundation of political differences, which after the lapse of a century are not entirely forgotten or obliterated.
It was soon discovered by Blanchard that neither by the new charter of the town, nor by
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any existing law of the State was there any provision for calling the first meeting of the town, after its recent incorporation by New Hampshire. Massachusetts having no legal jurisdiction over the town, any organization under its old charter was illegal and void. He, therefore, petitioned the legislature of New Hampshire that an inves- tigation might be had into the authority and proceedings of the town meeting, which gave Mr. Bird a call, and that all its transactions should be set aside as contrary to law.
An investigation was held accordingly. Much evidence was introduced, and long and learned arguments made on both sides. The petitioners contended that they paid two thirds of the taxes, and Mr. Bird's friends rejoined that they had a majority of the voters. Finally, it was decided that the meeting was illegal - all its proceedings were set aside, and a special act was passed providing for the call of a new meeting, and the legal organization of the township under its new charter. This was in 1748. (1.)
After this decision, and the triumph of Blanch- ard, Mr. Bird left town, and settled in New Haven, Conn., but afterwards became Chaplain in the Army, in the French War of 1755. At what period he left Dunstable is uncertain. Mr. Farmer says it was in 1751, (2.) but it was probably earlier. His name is not mentioned in the town records after 1748, nor was any money raised for the support of preaching by the town. In January, 1751, Jonathan Lovewell was at length chosen a committee to hire preaching, and in March, 1751, it was voted that the preaching
(1.) Original papers in the office of Secretary of State, at Concord. Province Papers, Dunstable.
(2.) 1 N. H. Hist. Coll., 150.
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should then again be held at the new meeting house, formerly occupied by Mr. Bird.
How strong was the feeling about the settle- ment of Mr. Bird, and how bitter the hostility between his friends and his opponents, we may judge from sundry remarks contained in a peti- tion of the inhabitants of Pine Hill to be set off to Hollis. The petition was dated June, 1763. "Soon after Dunstable was incorporated," says the petition, "they got into parties about the settlement of Mr. Bird. Each courted Pine Hill's assistance, promising to vote them off to Hollis as soon as the matter was settled. And so Pine Hill was fed with Sugar Plums for a number of years, till at length Dunstable cast off the mask and now appears in their true col- ours." After alluding to the objections raised by Dunstable, they add : - " Their apprehension must arise from some other quarter. They wish to keep us as a whip for one party or the other to drive out every minister that comes there, for they are always divided with respect to these things." (1.)
In 1749, the town " roled to hire a school for eight months." One teacher only was to be employed, and the school was to be kept in four places in different parts of the town, alternately. Soon after this the French War commenced, which was very burdensome to the Province, and exposed the frontiers to Indian attacks, and no other record of any school is found until 1761, when the town raised a small sum, "to hire schooling and houses for that end." This was at the commencement of the difficulties with the mother country, and the importance of education began to be more sensibly felt. After this time money was raised for this purpose almost every
(1.) Dunstable Papers, in office of Secretary of State, Concord.
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year, but it was not until the Revolution that the people were fully awakened. In 1772, Jo- seph Dix was " the Schoolmaster," and he con- tinued to teach in town for many years. In 1775 the town was divided into five School Districts, and school houses were first erected. In 1777 each district received its proportion of money from the town, and hired its own teachers, which had been formerly done by the town .- Females now began occasionally to be employed. From this period until 1790, about £30, or $100 was raised annually for the support of schools, or twenty dollars to each district. From this fact we may imagine the advantages of education enjoyed by our fathers at that period, and com- pare them with the privileges of children at the present day.
The bridges over the Nashua have always been a source of much trouble and expense to the town. At what period, and where the first bridge was erected, cannot be ascertained with certainty, but there was a bridge over the Nashua not far from the present one at Main street, pre- vious to 1746, when the road was surveyed and recorded anew by the Selectmen in very near its present location. In the spring of 1753 it was carried away by a freshet, and rebuilt the same summer at an expense of £150. Before 1759 it was in a ruinous condition, and the town pe- titioned to the General Court for "liberty to raise a Lottery for repairing the Bridge, or build- ing a new one." The lottery was not granted, but a new bridge was built, partly by subscrip- tion, and partly by the town in 1746. It stood " a little above " the old bridge, but below the present. In the spring of 1775 it was again carried away by a freshet, but was rebuilt the same season in the same place.
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Between 1752 and 1756, (1.) died JOHN LOVE- WELL, at the great age of one hundred and twenty years, the oldest person who ever deceased in New Hampshire. He was one of the earliest settlers of Dunstable, after Philip's War, but of his history little is known. He came, it is said, originally from England, about 1660, and settled some years before 1690. It is not im- probable that he came to this town from Wey- mouth, as a person of the same name, from that town, was in the great Narragansett Swamp Fight, Dec. 19, 1675, and throughout Philip's War, under the famous Capt. Church ; and the hand-writing of this person corresponds very closely with that of John Lovewell of Dunsta- ble. (2.) He is said, according to the tradition in the family, to have been an Ensign in the army of Cromwell, and to have left England on account of the Restoration of Charles II. in 1660. This army of 30,000 men was raised in 1653, and Cromwell died in 1658. During the Indian difficulties, about 1700, it is said that he was often spared by the Indians in their incur- sions, because he had been kind to them in time of peace. (3.) He is represented as being even then old and white haired, and for such scalps the French Governor paid no bounty. The cellar of his house may still be seen on the north side of Salmon Brook, just above the bridge, by the road side, and there for a long time, when very much advanced in years, he kept a small store. There, too, he had a mill, and his farm reached far to the south of Salmon Brook. He must have been extremely vigorous, for as late as 1745, when more than one hundred years old, he was
(1.) Farmer's Manuscripts.
(2.) Original papers in Mass. Records, 1676, 1725.
(3.) N. H. Hist. Coll., 136. Farmer's Historical Catechism, 88.
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very constant in his attendance upon church, and after 1752 used to chase the boys out of his orchard with his cane. The children were, 1. John, the hero of Pequawkett; 2. Zaccheus, a Colonel in the army ; 3. Jonathan. (1.)
In 1753 the town contained 109 polls, and one female slave. There were four mills in town, and the valuation was £3795.
In the fall of 1753, Rev. Benjamin Adams, (a graduate of Harvard College in 1738,) preach- ed here for three months, and the greater portion of the time during the next two years.
December 21, 1753, the town voted to build a new meeting house, "at the crotch of the roads as near as can be with convenience near the house where Jonathan Lovewell now dwells."- This was the tavern stand now owned by Jesse Gibson, about two miles below Nashua Village, and the meeting house was built upon the little triangular green in front of it. It was finished in 1754, and a part of the materials of the old meeting house in the south part of the town, were used in its construction.
(1.) From a note in Mr. Fox's manuscript, afterwards crossed out by him, he appears to have entertained doubts as to the extreme age of John Lovewell, but to have subsequently dismissed them .- The following is the note referred to :
" I am inclined to think that his age is somewhat overstated, and that the father and grandfather of Capt. John are confounded. In 1691 we find in the records of the town the names of John Lovewell and John Lovewell, Jr. The former probably came from England- the latter was in Philip's War, and the person above described.
This note was crossed out, and the following written, in connection with the reference to Farmer's manuscripts.
" He was certainly alive in 1732, as appears by a deed in which he styles himself " the original proprietor." He must have been aged, however, since he did not write his name as usual, and his mark is faint."
It has been thought best to insert both the above notes.
CHAPTER XI.
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE FROM THE FRENCH WAR TO THE REVOLUTION,
HOWEVER distracted and divided our predeces- sors may have been in relation to religious affairs, we may justly be proud of them for their una- nimity in patriotism. Exposed for so many years to the dangers of a border warfare, every citizen was a soldier. The story of Indian atrocities, and French instigation had been hand- ed down from father to son, and not a few had shared personally in the conflicts. To hold a commission was then a high honor, and an object worthy of any man's ambition, for it was only bestowed upon those who had given proofs of courage and capacity. Every officer might be called at any moment into actual service. The military spirit was fostered as a duty, and New England freedom, which placed in the hand of every child a gun as well as a spelling-book, made necessarily of every child not less a marks- man than a scholar.
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