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 16
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 16
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 16
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 16
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 16
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 16
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 16
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 16
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In the petition for incorporation, signed by Aquila Underwood in behalf of the town, dated May, 1734, it is said "that they have supported a minister for some time." This was probably Rev. Joshua Tafts, who was settled in 1736, and dismissed in 1744. January 2, 1765, Rev. Sam- uel Cotton, of Newton, was ordained, - dismiss- ed in 1784, and died at Claremont in 1819. A Presbyterian church was formed 1819, and Rev. Nathaniel Kenedy ordained April 12, 1809. He was dismissed April, 1812. Rev. Enoch Pills-
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bury was ordained October 25, 1815, and died February 15, 1818, aged 34. In 1825, Rev. John Shirer was minister. Rev. Mr. Porter was or- dained as pastor in 1845.
In the French war of 1756, Litchfield had two soldiers at least in the army, Timothy Bar- ron and William Barron. During the Revolu- tionary war also, Litchfield furnished its propor- tion of soldiers for the army. It contained 57 males between sixteen and fifty years of age, and its annual proportion of soldiers furnished was seven.
December 4, 1784, died Hon. Wiseman Clag- gett. He was born at Bristol, England, in 1721, and his father was a wealthy barrister at law .- He was educated at the Inns of Court and ad- mitted a barrister of the King's Bench. In 1748, he went to Antigua, in the West Indies, to seek his fortune, where he remained about ten years. In 1758, he emigrated to New England, and es- tablished himself at Portsmouth, N. H. In 1775, he was appointed Attorney General of the Prov- ince by the royal commission, which he held until 1769, having been superseded by Samuel Livermore, on account of his attachment to the cause of the people. In 1772, he purchased a farm at Litchfield, and removed there with his family.
On the adoption of the Constitution of January 5, 1776, Mr. Claggett was appointed solicitor gen- eral of the State, an office which he held until his death. He was chosen a member of the Council for 1776, and appointed soon after a member of the Committee of Safety. He often represented Litchfield in the General Court, and was once chosen for Merrimac and Bedford, the law not requiring the representative to be an in- habitant of the town for which he is elected .-
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He was a classical scholar, a good lawyer, a wit and a poet. A full and most interesting biogra- phy, drawn up by Hon. Charles H. Atherton, is published in the third volume of the Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society.
Dr. Jonathan Parker was also a resident of. Litchfield. He graduated at Harvard College in 1762, and was a physician of considerable emi- nence.
Hon. James Underwood was for several years, about :1793, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for this County.
The following is a list of the representatives to the General Court from Litchfield, from 1775 to 1780, and since 1793:
Wiseman Claggett and Lt. Samuel Chase, April, 1775.
Capt. John Parker, May, 1775.
Wiseman Claggett, December, 1775 and 1776.
James Underwood, for Litchfield and Hudson, 1775.
(See Hudson for 1779.)
Samuel Chase, for Litchfield and Hudson, 1780.
John Webster, 1793.
Robert Parker, 1794, 1806.
Jsaac Huse, 1795, 1807.
Clifton Claggett, 1800, 1802.
Samuel Chase, jr., 1804.
S. P. Kidder, 1805. Simeon Kendall, 1808, 1810.
Joseph Moor, 1809.
Samuel Moor, 1811, 1813, 1815.
Thomas Bixby, 1812, 1814.
Joseph Chase, jr., 1816, 1817, 1818, 1824, 1825.
Simon McQuesten, 1819, 1820.
Jonathan Abbot, 1821, 1822, 1823.
Moses Chase, 1826, 1827, 1832, 1833.
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Joseph Richardson, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831.
Samuel Corning, jr., 1835, 1836.
Abel G. Quigg, 1837, 1838.
Joshua Marsh, 1839, 1840. Parker Bixby, 1841, 1842.
Moses Chase, 1843.
Isaac McQuesten, 1844, 1845.
The proportional amount paid by Litchfield, at various periods, in every thousand dollars of the State tax, has been as follows : 1789, $3.02 ; 1794, $2.43; 1804, $2.04; 1SOS, $2.14; 1812, $1.97; 1816, $1.86; 1820, $1.90 ; 1836, $2.26 ; 1840; $2.27; 1844, $2.28.
The populaton of the town at various periods has been as follows : 1775, 284; 1790, 357 ; - 1800, 372; 1810, 382 ; 1820, 465 ; 1830, 505; - 1840, 481.
In 1820, Litchfield contained 1 meeting house, 3 school houses, 1 tavern, 4 saw mills, and 2 grain mills.
By the census of 1840, its resources and prod- ucts were as follows : 50 horses, 423 neat cattle, 779 sheep, 265 swine, 14 bushels of wheat, 18 bushels of barley, 5349 bushels of oats, 1342 bushels of rye, 669 bushels of buck-wheat, 4072 bushels of corn, 7315 bushels of potatoes, 1236 pounds of wool, 664 tons of hay. The value of the products of the dairy was $1410.00 .- There were 2 stores with a capital invested of $15,000.00.
The number of polls in Litchfield was in 1839, 114; in 1840, 103.
The valuation of the town in 1839, was $175,- 615 ; in 1840, $178,920.
HISTORICAL, SKETCH OF MERRIMAC.
ALL that part of Merrimac which lies south of the Souhegan river, was included in the Dunsta- ble grant. Its Indian name was Naticook. In
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July, 1729, the lands lying north of the Souhe- gan, three miles in width, were granted to Capt. Joseph Blanchard and others. In 1733, all these grants lying north of Penichuck Brook, and in- cluding a part of Narragansett No. 5, or Amherst, (granted to the soldiers of Philip's war) were in- corporated into a township, at first called Souhe- gan East; then Rumford, and afterwards Merri- mac. April 2, 1746, it was chartered anew by the Legislature of New Hampshire, and contains 19,361 acres.
Merrimac was settled about 1722, and among its earliest inhabitants were the names of Usher, Hassell, and Chamberlain. A daughter of Has- sell is said have been the first person born in the town. About 1670, John Cromwell built a tra- ding house at Cromwell's Falls, but was soon driven away by the Indians. His house was standing in 1679. The account of Cromwell with the Indian history of the town, is incorpo- rated with that of Dunstable.
September 5, 1772, a Congregational Church was formed, and October 14, 1772, Rev. Jacob Burnap, D. D., from Reading, Mass., who grad- uated at Harvard College in 1770, was ordained. He died December 27, 1821, having admitted to the church 194 members. He was eminently distinguished for his superior knowledge of the original languages, in which the scriptures were written, and was much esteemed for his piety, integrity, patience, and all the social virtues .- His son, Rev. George W. Burnap, is now a dis- tinguished clergyman in Baltimore, Md. Since the death of Dr. Burnap, there have been various ministers. At present Rev. Mr. Allen is their pastor.
At the mouth of the Souhegan is a valuable water privilege, upon which a factory was erected
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many years ago, by Isaac Riddle and Sons. It was consumed by fire June 10, 1818, with a loss of $6,000. Another factory, called " the Souhe- gan Cotton, Woollen, and Nail Factory," was afterwards erected, and shared the same fate .- There are other privileges upon the river, and it is a matter of regret that they should remain so long unimproved.
" This town claims the first discovery in this region of the art of making what are called ' Leghorn Bonnets,' and other grass work. They were first made by the Misses Burnap, before 1820, who are deserving of much credit for their skill and enterprise in this species of manufacture. Some of their bonnets have been sold in Boston as high as $50.00.
Hon. Matthew Thornton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, resided in this town for many years previous to his death. He was a native of Ireland, but emigrated to this country at an early age. He first settled in the eastern part of the State, from which he removed to Londonderry, and afterwards to Merrimac in 1780. Before the Revolution he was eminent as a physician. He was also a Colonel in the mili- tia, and in 1775 was President of the Convention which met at Exeter, and assumed the Govern- ment of the Colony in the name of the People. He was chosen a delegate to the Congress which met at Philadelphia in 1776, and as such affixed his name to the Declaration of Independence.
He held the office of Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the County, and afterwards was a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State until 1782. Subsequently he was a member of the House of Representatives, and also of the Senate, and in 1775 was a member of the Coun-
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cil. He died while on a visit to Newburyport, Mass., June 24, 1803, aged 88.
Edward Goldstone Lutwyche, Esq., an English gentleman of education and property, resided in Merrimac before 1776, at Thornton's, then called Lutwyche's Ferry. He was Colonel of the regi- ment in 1775, but on the Declaration of Inde- pendence he joined the English, left the country, to which he never returned, and at the close of the war his estate was confiscated by the State.
Hon. James B. Thornton, a grandson of Hon. Matthew Thornton, died at Callao, Peru, Janua- ry 25, 1838. At the time of his death he was Charge des Affaires of the United States, within that Province. For several years he represented Merrimac in the Legislature, and was Speaker of the House in 1829. In 1830, he was appoint- ed Second Comptroller of the Treasury in the United States. In this situation he remained at Washington until 1836, when he was sent abroad to Lima. He died, greatly lamented, at the early age of 38.
The following information relative to the his- tory of the church in Merrimac was furnished by Rev. Mr. Allen : "The first church in Mer- rimac was gathered September 5, 1771, and at that time consisted of ten male and three female members. On the 9th of January following, they voted to call Mr. Jacob Burnap, a native of Reading, Mass., and a graduate of Harvard College, to be their pastor. He accepted the call, and was ordained October 14, of the same year. He continued in this relation to them more than forty-nine years, when he was removed by death in December, 1821. Dr. Burnap was a man of sound mind and mature scholarship. He won the confidence and affection of his people by his amiable and pacific character. The whole town
-
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was united in one religious society up to the time of his death.
The old meeting house, the first and only one ever built by the town, still remains a relic of olden time. It was erected in 1756, and is un- occupied except as a town house for secular pur- poses. The religious society which formerly worshipped in it, built a neat and commodious house of worship in 1837, which is located on the river road, a mile and a half to the northeast of the old house. The corporate name of this society is 'The Merrimac Religious Society.' Their first pastor, after the death of Dr. Burnap, was Rev. Stephen Morse, a graduate of Dart- mouth College, in 1820, and a native of Brad- ford, Mass." Rev. Stephen T. Allen, the present pastor, succeeded Mr. Morse, and was installed May 22, 1839.
There is one other religious society in Merri- mac, which was formed October 21, 1829. It is composed of persons residing in Merrimac, Amherst, Hollis, Nashville and Milford. The name of their church is the "Union Evangelical Church in Merrimac." Their house of worship was built in the summer of 1829. It is situated on the road from Nashville to Amherst, within the limits of Merrimac, about 20 rods from Am- herst line, and not much farther from the line of Hollis. Their pastor is Rev. John W. Shepard.
James U. Parker is the only lawyer in Merri- mac.
The physicians are Harrison Eaton, M. D., and William V. Magoon.
The Representatives to the General Court from Merrimac, from 1775 to 1783, and since 1793, have been as follows :
Capt. John Chamberlain, April, 1775.
Jacob McGaw, May, 1775.
20
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Wiseman Claggett, (of Litchfield) 1777, 1780.
Capt. Samuel Patten, (of Bedford, ) for Merri- mac and Bedford, 1778, 1781.
John Orr, (of Bedford, ) for Merrimac and Bed- ford, 1779.
Jacob McGaw, 1782.
Timothy Taylor, 1793, 1794.
James Thornton, 1796, 1806, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1812.
Simeon Cummings, 1797.
Samuel Foster, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805.
Samuel McConihe, 3d., 1807.
Daniel Ingalls, 1811, 1815, 1816.
Henry Fields, 1813, 1814.
Aaron Gage, jr., 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824.
Henry T. Ingalls, 1825, 1826.
James B. Thornton, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830.
Joseph Litchfield, 1831, 1832.
Samuel McConihe, 1833, 1834.
Samuel Barron, jr., 1835, 1836.
Oliver Spalding, jr., 1837, 1838.
Francis Odell, 1839, 1840.
Robert McGaw, 1841.
Leonard Walker, 1842, 1843.
James U. Parker, 1844, 1845.
The proportion of every thousand dollars of the State tax paid by the town of Merrimac at various periods has been as follows : 1789, $5.62 ; 1794, $5.24; 1804, $4.74; 1808, $4.20; 1812, $3.83; 1816, $4.20; 1820, $4.33; 1836, $4.29; 1840, $4.30; 1844, $4.79.
The population of the town at various periods has been as follows: 1775, 606; 1790, S19; 1800, 926; 1810, 1048 ; 1820, 1162; 1830, 1191; 1840, 1113.
In 1820, Merrimac contained 1 meeting house,
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9 school districts and school houses, 5 taverns, 5 stores, 8 saw mills, 5 grain mills, 2 clothing mills, 2 carding machines, 2 tanneries.
The resources and products of the town as re- turned by the census of 1840, were as follows : 174 horses, 968 neat cattle, 844 sheep, 551 swine, 213 bushels of wheat, 147 bushels of barley, 7150 bushels of oats, 4772 bushels of rye, 908 bushels of buckwheat, 6463 bushels of corn, 14,- 969 bushels of potatoes, 1532 pounds of wool, 1480 tons of hay. The estimated value of the products of the dairy was $5,784. There were 4 retail stores, with a capital invested of $12,400. There were six grist mills, and 6 saw mills.
The number of polls in 1839 was 255 ; in 1840, 241. The valuation of the town in 1839 was $432,072; in 1840, $430,574.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF HOLLIS.
THE township of Hollis was entirely included within the Dunstable grant, and continued to form a part of Dunstable until December 28, 1739, when it was set off' as the " West Parish of Dunstable," and soon after was incorporated into a separate township by the name of Hollis. Its Indian name was Nisitisset. It was incorpo- rated by the Legislature of New Hampshire, April 3, 1746.
The earliest settlement in Hollis was made in 1730, by Capt. Peter Powers, who was born in Littleton, Mass., in 1707. In 1728, he married Anna Rogers, of Chelmsford, who was born in 1708. He had been a soldier in 1725, under Capt. Lovewell, and on his return settled at Dunstable. Here he brought his wife upon his marriage, and resided about two years. In the fall of 1730, he crossed the Nashua,- built him
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cabin in the forest, and in January, 1731, with his wife and two small children, took up his abode in Hollis. The remains of his dwelling were visible in 1830, " a little southwest of the dwelling house of Thomas Cummings." (I.)
" In the summer of 1732, Eleazer Flagg came into the town, and located himself in the south- west part of it, on or near the place now (1830) owned or improved by his descendant, Capt. Reuben Flagg. The house of Mr. Flagg, was subsequently improved as a guard house, and was fortified against an attack of the Indians. The same season, March 9, 1732, Anna Powers, daughter of Peter Powers, was born, and was the first English child born in Hollis. She mar- ried Benjamin Hopkins, Esq., of Milford, and died at an advanced age. Thomas Dinsmore, who was the third family in the settlement, came in and located himself on the place now (1830) owned or occupied by Amos Eastman, Esq., and in 1736, the little Colony was augmented to the number of nine families."
In 1741, a meeting house was erected upon the spot now occupied by the Congregational meet- ing, which for a century has been improved for sacred purposes. Rev. Daniel Emerson, who was born at Reading, Mass., May 20, 1716, and graduated at Harvard College 1739, was ordained as pastor 20th. April, 1743. At this time there were thirty families in town.
Hollis never sustained any injury from the In- dians, although at one time considerable alarm was excited, since May 20, 1746, they " Voted to Petition the General Court of Massachusetts Bay
(1.) The Centennial Anniversary was celebrated 15th September, 1830, and an address delivered by a descendant, Rev. Grant Powers. I am indebted to his address for many of the above facts.
NASHUA, NASHVILLE, &C. 231
for some soldiers for a Guard for us, being in great danger of the enemy."
In the old French war of 1775, Capt. Peter Powers, of Hollis, commanded a company which was made up from Hollis, Nashua and the vicin- ity. The following is the muster roll : Captain, Peter Powers ; Lieutenant, Benjamin Abbot ; Ensign, William Cummings; Ebenezer Lyon, David Hubbard, Samuel Cummings, Sergeants ; James Colburn, Clerk ; Jonathan Powers, Enoch Noyes, Stephen Hoseltine, James Brown, Corpo- rals ; Samuel Brown, Drummer; James Hill, Peter Wheeler, John Martin, John Martin, Jr., James Wheeler, Daniel Wheeler, John Goodhue, Ebenezer Ball, Nathaniel Blanchard, Timothy Farley, Samuel Barrett, Josiah French, Moses Emerson, John Willoby, Christopher Lovejoy, Isaac Sterns, Jacob Abbot, Timothy Richardson, Levi Powers, Philip Ollereck, Richard Adams, Whitcomb Powers, Samuel Sampson, Micah Per- kins, Luther Richardson, Thomas Williams, Da- vid Hartshorn, John Everden, Jabez Davis, Sam- uel Perham, Jonathan Fowler, John Secomb, Samuel Fisk, Nathaniel Townsend, Stephen Powers, George Leslie, Benjamin Hildreth, Eph- raim Kellogg, David Turner, Robert Gordon, John Flagg, Samuel Skinner. Rev. Daniel Em- erson, was Chaplain of the regiment. Dr. John Hall, Surgeon, and Samuel Hobart, all of Hollis, Adjutant.
In 1760, Hollis contained sixty taxable persons. In 1767, it had SI unmarried males from sixteen to sixty years of age, and 117 married males from sixteen to sixty. August 25, 1775, it had 306 males under sixteen years of age ; 174 males from sixteen to fifty ; 71 over fifty. There were 60 men in the army, of whom 10 died. The whole number of males capable of bearing arms was 223.
*20
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HISTORY OF
A company of 70 men from Hollis, was in the battle of Bunker Hill, under Capt. Reuben Dow. John Cross was Lieutenant, and John Cummings, Ensign. This company, as well as the other soldiers from this vicinity, were under the com- mand of Col. Stark and Col. Prescott, and were in the thickest of the fight. Seven were killed, viz : Nathan Blood, Jacob Boynton, Isaac Ho- bart, Phineas Nevers, Peter Poor, Thomas Whee- ler, and Ebenezer Youngman. Six more were wounded, among whom was Capt. Dow. "Ca- leb Eastman lost his life the second day after by the accidental discharge of a gun while on par- ade." "In December, 1775, Capt. Noah Wor- cester marched at the head of a company, about thirty of whom were Hollis men." "July, 1776, Capt. Daniel Emerson marched at the head of a company to Ticonderoga ; about half of his com- pany were Hollis men. In August, 1776, Capt. William Reed (of Litchfield) marched with a .company to New York, about 20 of whom be- longed to this town. In 1777, Capt. John Goss marched to Bennington with a company, of which about thirty were from Hollis." This was the quota of this town during the war. The town had in the army at various times during the war about two hundred and fifty men, of whom thirty died in the service.
Of the Royalist refugees three resided in Hol- lis, viz: Samuel Cummings, Esq., Benjamin Whiting, Esq., and Thomas Cummings. They were included in the Outlawry Act, and the es- tates of the two first were confiscated.
November 27, 1793, Rev. Eli Smith, (born at Belcherton, Mass., 1759; graduated Brown Uni- versity, 1792,) was ordained as a colleague of Rev. Mr. Emerson. Mr. Emerson died 30th September, 1801, aged 85. His wife, Hannah,
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daughter of Rev. Joseph Emerson, of Malden, died 25 th. February, 1812, aged 90. Rev. David Perry succeeded Rev. Mr. Smith in the ministry of Hollis. There are now (1846) two religious societies in town, an Orthodox Congregationalist, and a Baptist society. Rev. James Aikin is settled over the former, and Rev. Phineas Rich- ardson over the latter. The meeting house now occupied by the Congregational society, was erected in 1804, and the Baptist house in 1837.
The physicians now residing in Hollis, are Wm. Hale, Oliver Scripture, Noah Hardy, John L. Colby, and O. M. Cooper.
Benjamin M. Farley is the only lawyer in town.
A large number of natives of this town have enjoyed a collegiate education. Up to 1S23 they were as follows :
At Harvard College .- Rev. Peter Powers, 1754; Rev. Josiah Goodhue, 1755 ; Rev. Henry Cum- mings, D. D., 1760; Joseph Emerson, 1774; Dr. Samuel Emerson, 1785; Josiah Burge, 1787; Rev. Daniel Emerson, 1794; Rev. Jo- seph Emerson, 1798; Benjamin M. Farley, 1804; Dr. Benjamin Burge, 1805 ; John Proc- tor, 1813; Rev. William P. Kendrick, 1815 ; George F. Farley, 1816; Taylor G. Worces- ter, 1823.
Dartmouth College .- Rev. Samuel Worcester, D. D., 1795 ; Rev. Abel Farley, 1798; Rev. Mighill Blood, 1800; Rev. David Jewett, 1801 ; Rev. Caleb J. Tenney, 1801 ; Jonathan East- man, 1803; Dr. Noah Hardy, 1803; Rev. Ste- phen Farley, 1804; Rev. Eli Smith, 1809; Rev. Grant Powers, 1810; Rev. Leonard Jew- ett, 1810 ; Dr. Noah Hardy, 1812; Luke East- man, 1812.
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Yale College .- Joseph E. Worcester, 1811; Rev. Ralph Emerson, 1811.
Brown University .- Rev. Daniel Kendrick, 1809; Luther Smith.
Middlebury College .- William Tenney, 1808 ;- Rev. Fifield Holt, and Solomon Hardy.
Tennessee College .- Eli Sawtell.
Since 1823, a large number have been edu- cated at various Colleges, among whom are Jon- athan Sanderson, Benjamin F. Emerson, Joseph Emerson, Henry Sanderson. John G. Worcester, Benjamin F. Farley. In 1830, Hollis had raised and educated 30 ministers, 8 lawyers, and 11 physicians.
Rev. Noah Worcester, D. D., was also a native of Hollis.
The number of deaths for 25 years, ending 1818, was 567. One in nine of this number, lived to the age of 80 years or upwards. Mrs. Elizabeth French, died in 1749, aged 103. Mrs. Ulrich, a native of Ireland, died here in 1789, at the age of 104, and was active until she was more than a hundred years old. She lived for many years in Nashua, where the family is call- ed Ollerick upon the records of the town. Capt. Caleb Farley died in 1830, aged 100. In 1830, there were 70 persons in town over 70 years of age, of whom 27 were over 80; and one, Mrs. Elizabeth Hale, was 98 !
The Representatives of Hollis in the General Court, from 1775 to 1782, and since 1793, have been as follows :
Samuel Hobart, April, 1775.
Capt. John Hale, May, 1775.
Stephen Ames, December, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778.
Reuben Dow, 1779.
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John Hale, 1780.
Capt. Daniel Emerson, 1781.
Jeremiah Ames, 1793, 1794, 1796, 1798, 1800.
Daniel Emerson, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1809, 1810, 1811.
Benjamin Poole, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808. Nathan Thayer, 1812, 1819, 1820, 1821.
Daniel Bailey, 1813.
Benjamin M. Farley, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829.
Ralph W. Jewett, 1822, 1823.
Jonathan T. Wright, 1830, 1831.
Ralph E. Tenney, 1832, 1833, 1834.
Moses Proctor, 1835, 1836, 1837.
Joseph E. Smith, 1838, 1839.
Leonard Farley, 1840, 1841, 1842.
William Merrill, 1843, 1844.
Ralph E. Tenney, 1845.
The proportion of every thousand dollars of the State tax paid by the town of Hollis, at va- rious periods, has been as follows : 1794, $7.77 ; 1804, $6.57 : 1808, $5.62; 1812, $5.32; 1816, $5.13; 1820, $5.52; 1836, $5.50; 1840, $5.79; 1844, $5.69.
The population of the town at various periods, has been as follows : 1775, 1255; 1790, 1441; 1800, 1557; 1810, 1529; 1820, 1543; 1830, 1501; 1840, 1333.
In 1820, Hollis contained 1 meeting house, 12 school houses, 2 taverns, 4 stores, 6 saw mills, 5 grain mills, 1 clothing mill, 1 carding machine, 1 tannery.
The resources and products of Hollis, in 1840, as returned by the United States census, were as follows: 190 horses, 1530 neat cattle, 1055 sheep, 358 swine, 1815 bushels of wheat, 447 bushels of barley, 39SS bushels of oats, 3983 bushels of rye, 578 bushels of buckwheat, 7648 bushels of
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HISTORY OF
corn, 17,935 bushels of potatoes, 2625 pounds of wool, 1806 tons of hay. The value of the products of the dairy was $3,575. There were 2 stores with a capital of $8,000 invested; 3 grain mills, and 3 saw mills.
APPENDIX NO. 1.
GENEALOGY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS OF DUNSTABLE.
THERE is a natural desire in every man to know some- thing of his ancestry, and to the descendants of the early settlers of Dunstable it must be interesting to trace back their families to their origin. The materials for this pur- pose exist, to a great extent, in the ancient records of Mar- riages, Births and Deaths among the town papers, a large part of which were collected, compared, and arranged by John Farmer, Esq. His deserved reputation as an anti- quarian is a guarantee of its accuracy. The list is not gen- erally brought down to a period later than 1750; to have extended it would have required too much time and space.
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