USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 35
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A proposition was made this year, but negatived, to build a school-house in cach parish. From this it would appear probable that the only school- house then in town, was that in the village ; although, as we have seen, the town had long before (1723) voted to build several others. This supposition is strengthened by the fact that the next spring it was voted to " sell the old school house."
From an answer of the "Proprietors of the Common Lands" to the General Court, we learn that at this time (1748) a " Common Right " was worth only three pounds, Old Tenor, and they were ready to sell at that price. They say that when the old grants are all made good, they " dont think one penny will fall to the Proprietors."f
During the French and English War of 1744-48, a number of Haver- hill men were in active service. Several were at the taking of Louisburg, in 1745, but as the muster rolls of that expedition omit the place of resi- dence, or enlistment, of the men engaged in it, we are unable to give their names. On the renewal of hostilities by the Eastern Indians, who, as before, were found siding with the French, the provincial government sent a large number of troops to the eastern country, among whom were several Haverhill men. Of those stationed at Scarborough, in 1748. were nine from this town .; Four of them continued in that service until the peace, in the following year.
At the annual town meeting, for 1749, a proposition was made to hold the town meetings one half of the time in the West Parish, and the other half in the East Parish, - but it was promptly voted down.
Mr. Choate was a member of the General Court, from Ipswich.
t Peter Ayer was an original proprietor, or owner, of two Common Rights, which descended to his five daughters. One of his daughters divided her proportion among her own four daughters ..
# Obadiah Perry, Corp., Thomas Stone, "Daniel Silver,
Thom is Wescomb,
CEbenezer Brown, Hart Williams,
Job Gage,
cOliver Seales, Jonathan Duston, Sentinels.
These served from April 8 to November 30, 1748. Those designated by a º continued in the service until August 8, 1749.
332
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
From the proprietors' records of March 6th, we make the following extract : -
" In answer to ye petition of sundry of ye Inhabitants of ye Town of Harerhill, (' to ye proprietors of Common & undivided lands in ye Town of Haverhill & yt part of Methuen which was formerly a part of sd Town of Haverhill ; together with yt part of Haverhill which falls within ye province of new hampshire, & commonly called Haverhill District ')
" ye sd proprietors agreed & voted yt all their Right proprtee & Inter- est yt they have in the land lying betwixt ye head of ye lotts & merrimack River from Capt John Pecker's wharfe down to ye plaine gate so called (Excepting a road all along by ye head of ye lotts so wide as ye Town shall think proper) be & hereby is given, granted & appropriated to ye use & benefit of said town within ye Massachusetts, To be Disposed off as the said Town shall see Cause; with this proviso; that the said Town do Disalow & Discontinue the said road laid out by the selectmen from Kent's lott down to ye plain gate on Februay 11. 1724-5 :
this above voted in the affirmative
Moses Hazzen Entered his Disent against giveing or selling of any land from Richard Saltonstall's Esqr Down to the plaine gate.
Edward Flint Entered his Disent against Disposeing of any of ye way or land before mentioned."
Pecker's wharf was near the mouth of Mill Brook; and the Plain Gate, as near as we can judge, was near the present house of Rev. Mr. Kcely.
The summer of 1749 was remarkable, on account of a very severe drought. This was attended with swarms of caterpillars, and other de- vouring insects, and caused great distress in New England. The heat and dryness was so severe, that the ground cracked in many places, and where pieces of broken glass lay on the surface, it caught fire. Not more than " a tenth of the usual crop of hay was cut ; and much was imported from Pennsylvania, and even from England. June 9th was observed as a gen- eral Fast on account of the drought; and August 14th as a day of Thanksgiving for a plentiful rain.º
From the time of the settlement of the difficulties between the proprie- tors and the non-proprietors of the common and undivided lands, (in 1724) down to, and including 1751, the former were largely occupied in disposing of their remaining lands. The lands in the extreme northwest part of the town, known as the " fifth division," and the tract north of the village, known as the "Cow Common," were the last large bodies of land
° Rev. Mr. Frenchs's Ms.
333
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
to be disposed of. The remainder were in detached pieces, scattered here and there about the town, many of them quite small. In 1739, forty- seven such parcels were disposed of, many of them being given to parties applying for them, whether they chanced to be proprietors or otherwise.
Among the last lands to be disposed of, was the strip lying between what is now called Water Street and the river, and extending from the present bridge to Mill Brook. A few small lots of this had been previously dis- posed of, but most of it yet belonged to the proprietors, until the year 1751, when there seems to have been quite a rush for lots " to build a wharf." Enoch Bartlett led off with a petition for land enough to build a wharf fifty feet long " against the house of Joshua Bayley Esq." (This was the first lot below the present bridge.) Joseph Greelce followed, ask- ing for a lot for the same purpose " between Richard Hazzen's grant and Capt Eastman's wharfe." Then came John Sawyer for a small piece " between Capt Pecker's or White's wharf and ye ferry place." (Pecker's wharf was near the casterly end of the street.) After him, Symond Greenouch made application for a piece " against his dwelling house." Then came Nathaniel Cogswell, for three rods wide " on ye south of his house ; " Abner Kimball, for a lot " between Capt Pecker's and ye ferry place ; " Nathaniel Peaslee, for one " near Capt Eastman's wharf; " Sam- uel Blodgett, for one near the same place; and last, but not the least, Reuben Currier desired one in the same favorite locality. These applica, tions were all for land and liberty " to build a wharf," and they were all granted ; though, from the fact that Thomas Haynes, Ebenezer Carleton, and Nathan Webster "dissented, and forbid the granting or selling of any more land on the river," it appears that some of the proprietors thought these eligible lots were being disposed of altogether too freely.
Besides these grants of land for wharves, some of the lots were also disposed of to John Watts, Deacon James Ayer, and others, for building purposes ; and Richard Hazzen had given him a lot on the river, below Mill Brook, for a " building yard." His bound commeneed " on the road, four rods east of Mill Bridge, and thence four rods east," and extending to the river. Hazzen was at this time a resident of Hampstead, but from the above, it would seem that he was about to engage in ship-building in this town.
Jonathan Buck, at the same time, petitioned for " a ship yard near the burying place," but was refused. Buck was afterward (1759) granted all the rights and privileges the proprietors had in the Mill Brook, " below the Great Road." Buck then owned the land on the west side of the brook, and a Mr. Morley owned that on the east side. The former soon
334
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
after removed to Maine, and was one of the founders of the town of Bucks- port, where he has descendants still living. Mr. Buck lived, while in this town, in the gambrel-roofed house nearly opposite the residence of Deacon Samuel Chase, on Water Street, and which was afterward occupied by his son, who was quite a famous hunter.
The above facts, taken in connection with those already given in rela- tion to the building of vessels, clearly indicate the date when the first considerable attention was given to commerce by the inhabitants of the town. From this time, until the breaking out of the Revolution, this branch of business rapidly increased, until Haverhill became one of the most important and extensive interior commercial towns in the State.
The subject of schools in the parishes was again brought to the attention of the town this year, (1751) and it was finally voted that a grammar school should be kept in cach parish four months in the year. Probably one of the most effective reminders of their duty in this direction, just at this time, was the intimation of a summons to appear at Salem Court and answer to a " presentment " for not being provided with a " grammer school master." The above vote did not, however, save them from the latter, as we find that the next spring Nathaniel Peaslee, Esq., was chosen to appear and answer such a presentment against the town.
In 1752, the inhabitants of the town were greatly alarmed ky the ap- pearance of the small-pox in the neighboring towns, and John Cogswell and Samuel White were appointed to assist the selectmen to use every method to prevent its entrance into the town. A set of constables were also chosen to serve such warrants as should be issued for that purpose. When we consider that, although this loathsome disease is now much bet- ter understood, and far less fatal than formerly, the people of the present day are yet always greatly excited and alarmed at its approach, we need not be surprised that our ancestors took the most vigorous measures to protect themselves from infection. But notwithstanding their precautions, the disease at length found its way into the town, and in 1755-6, several persons died with it.º
Before closing our notice of the year 1752, we ought, perhaps, to refer to the change in computing time which was made this year, and which originated the terms " Old Style " and " New Style."
When this country was first settled, the usual manner of writing dates was by numbering the months. March was the first month, and the 25th of March, being Lady Day, or Annunciation of the Church, was the first
" The disease again made its appearance in 1757, when we find that the house of Timothy Eaton was used as & "pest house."
335
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
day of the year. Subsequently, the practice of numbering the months was discontinued, but, until 1752, the year still commenced with the 25th of March. In 1751, the British Parliament, by statute, provided that the then next first day of January should be reckoned to be the first day of the year 1752, and that the day following the second of September, 1752, should be called the fourteenth, thus omitting eleven intermediate nominal days. By that act, bissextile, or leap-years, are established every fourth year, excepting each hundredth year, and of each hundredth year every fourth is to be a lean-year, of three hundred and sixty-six days, commenc- ing with the year 2000.
The manner of computing time, (to 1751) commonly called the Julian Calendar, had been in use from the time of the general Council of Nice, A. D. 325. By the Julian Calendar every fourth year was a leap-year of three hundred and sixty-six days, which calendar was discovered to be erroneous, as the spring equinox, which at the time of the Council of Nice, in 325, happened on or about the 21st of March, did happen in 1751, about the 9th or 10th of the same month ; hence the necessity of omitting the eleven nominal days in September, 1752.
The correction of the calendar, made by Pope Gregory XIII, in 1582, was immediately adopted in all Catholic countries, although not established in England until 1752. From the latter cause arose the custom of indica- ting the change by the use of double dates between the first of January and the twenty-fifth of March in each year, thus, -January 1, 1751-2.
A striking omission in the town records of the time of which we write, is found in the fact that, from the year 1729 to 1770, no mention is made of the election of Representatives to the General Court, although it is an indisputable fact that such were regularly chosen. The records frequently refer to them, but never to their election.
In 1753, a tax was laid by the government on coaches, chariots, chaises, calashes, and riding chairs. We presume the following table, giving the number of each in this town, as officially returned, will not prove unin- teresting : -
Coaches,
Chariots,
Chaises,
Calashes,
Riding Chairs,
1753
0
0
1
7
0
1754
0
0
1
9
0
1755
0
0
0
18
0
1756
0
0
0
13
0
1757
0
0
0
15
0
336
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Probably we cannot give a more truthful, as well as vivid idea of the general style, and appearance of the ordinary "calash," which was almost the only light, or pleasure carriage, in the town one hundred years ago, than by comparing it to a very clumsy old fashioned wagon-seat, set upon an equally clumsy pair of low wagon-wheels, with shafts attached. Those impromptu affairs that we now occasionally see, are a decided improve- ment over those of "a hundred years ago," in every respect, - except, perhaps, a platform for the feet to rest upon.
Chaises, of which there was a solitary one in town at this time, were those large and heavy wheeled, square-topped vehicles, of which the " old- est inhabitant " has, perhaps an indistinct recollection. They were in the possession of only a few of the " most respectable " and wealthy people, and were only made use of to ride to meeting on the Sabbath, and on great and important occasions.
Mr. Nathan Webster, now living, remembers (about 1796) when there were but two in all the West Parish. These were owned by the two Dea- cons of the church - Deacon Moses Webster and Deacon Eaton. Soon afterward, the minister, Rev. Mr. Adams, purchased one. At that time, the most common, and indeed the almost universal mode of travel- ling, was on horseback. Thus the farmer rode to mill, or "to town," on a week-day; and, on the Sabbath, with his good wife on the pillion behind him, - and perhaps a child in the arms of each, - he leisurely and sob- erly jogged to meeting on his faithful and steady "Old Dobbin." The women rode on horseback to the village, to do their " trading." Mr. Webster remembers counting "twenty-four in one troop," as they were thus riding by his father's house, on their way to town, - " chattering like a flock of blackbirds !"
Wagons were unknown until about 1800, or later. In that year, Robert Hamilton, of Conway, Mass., built a one-horse wagon, and claimed it to be the first one in America, and himself the inventor. As late as 1810, such carriages were nowise common, and it was not until about 1820 that they came into general use.
The first carriage said to be built in America, was made in Dorchester, Mass., by a man named White, for a private gentleman in Boston. It was copied from an English chariot, though made much lighter. But on account of the difficulty of procuring material, and high wages, they were long afterward ordered from England and France.
In 1754, the town for the first time voted to raise a specific amount of money for the repair of the highways. The sum fixed upon was one hundred pounds. Two shillings a day were allowed for a man, and the
337
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
same for oxen "with a good cart or plow," or eighteen penee for oxen alone. The apparent difference between these prices and those previously voted to be paid, is explained by the fact of a change in the kind of cur- rency most in use at these several periods.
At the same time, a similar proposition was made in regard to school money, but it was rejected. The next year, however, the proposition was renewed, and this time it was carried. Fifty pounds were appropriated for the support of the schools the current year ; and it was voted to allow the parishes their proportion of the school money.
From and after this time, except the years 1761 to 1764, inclusive, the school in the First Parish was kept all the year round. Previous to 1761, it was termed a "Grammer School." In 1765, it was called an " English School," and " only Reading, Writing, & Cyphering," were taught in it ..
The summer of 1755, was one of "excessive heat and drought;" in consequence of which there was a great scarcity of hay and provisions, and prices were very high. So serious was the condition of things, that a Fast was ordered by the General Court. Happily, refreshing rains soon followed, and the autumn harvest was unexpectedly productive.
On the 18th of November, of the same year, occurred the most violent earthquake ever known in North America. " It continued about four and a half minutes. In Boston, about one hundred chimnies were levelled with the roofs of the houses, and about fifteen hundred shattered, and thrown down in part. There was a shock every day till the twenty-second." The same year and month, is also memorable for the terrible earthquake which destroyed Lisbon.
The proprietors of the common and undivided lands in the town, having disposed of nearly every foot of land belonging to them, were now about dissolving their organization. Their work was nearly finished. No meet- ing was held from September 5, 1755, to November 20, 1758, and from the latter date, to 1763, there were but few meetings, and but little business transacted. In April of the latter year, Joshua Sawyer petitioned them " for liberty to flow and draw ye water off ye Great Pond," and Barra- chias Farnam requested leave to build a mill on the brook, on his own land, and an equal privilege to flow and draw the Pond with Sawyer. The record does not show that either petition was granted. In July a meeting was called, at which some business was done and an adjournment made to October 10th. This proved to be the last meeting of the proprie- tors, and as a fitting close to our history of their doings through the long 43
338
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
period of their active organization, we copy the entire record of the last named date: -
" Essex Ss Haverhill October 10. A D 1763. This being the time to which ye Props meeting was adjourned. The moderator did not come, and so this meeting ended of course.
Att Nathl Peaslee Sargeant Props Clerk."
In the year 1759, Samuel Blodgett erected " pot and pearl ash " works on Mill Brook. They were among the first in the country, and continued in successful operation for some years.
In 1760, the town granted John Swett a lease of the ferry at Holt's Rocks for ten years. This ferry had for forty years previous to that time been kept by his father.
About this time, settlements began to extend rapidly toward the north and east - particularly the latter. Early in the year last named, several Haverhill men were granted six townships in the Province of Maine, between the Penobscot and St. Croix Rivers.º
In 1761, the crops of grain in Eastern Massachusetts were mostly de- stroyed by a severe drought, so that many families were out of corn and rye before the winter was half gone. In this emergency, Joseph Haynes, of the West Parish, made a journey to Connecticut, on horseback, to make arrangements to obtain a supply for the needy in the town. Having agreed with the store-keepers at Hartford, Wethersfield, and vicinity, to collect a quantity for him, he returned home. In a few weeks he again went on, loaded a vessel with corn, and sailed for Haverhill, where he arrived safely with his precious cargo. Several persons offered him his price per bushel, and take the whole cargo, but he declared he did not buy it to speculate on himself, and that nobody else should have it for that purpose. He sold the cargo in parcels, not exceeding fire bushels each, and only to those who actually needed it for food, or for seed. Such an act well deserves honorable mention in a history of the town.
Sometime in the summer of 1763, the bridge over Little River near the present flannel factory, was rebuilt. The following materials were required for the job : Two gallons and three quarts of rum, two and a half pounds of " Shugar," one hundred and twenty-one feet of two-inch plank, one hundred and thirty feet of two and a half inch plank, and twenty feet of white oak timber. The first article was doubtless used for bracing.
David Marsh, Enoch Bartlet, Isaac Osgood, Jonathan Buck, James Duncan, James McHard, "and others." Buck was the only one of the petitioners named, who actually settled on the lands. In June, 1775, he, with other inhabitants of Belfast, Majabigwaduce, and Benjamin's River, applied to the Pro- vincial Congress for a supply of corn and ammunition, of which they were in great want. The Congress voted them a supply of arms and ammunition, and two hundred bushels of Indian corn.
339
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
At the annual meeting in 1764, the proposition to divide the parsonage lands among the four parishes was again negatived.
Previous to 1765, there had been but one church, one meeting-house, and one mode or form of religious worship in each of the parishes; and but one form or standard of religious faith. The "established church ", in the town, and indeed in the colony, was the " orthodox congregational " church. This was emphatically " the religion of the State," and it was not until more than a century after the establishment of the Massachusetts and Plymouth colonies that any other system was cven tolerated. But the attempt to oblige men to any particular form, or doctrine, produced in time the very state of things which was so much fcared by the founders of these colonies. New doctrines were proposed, believed, and taught, and new sects arose, despite of the most stringent laws against them, and in the face of even persecution itself.
Among the earliest of the sects which sprang up in Massachusetts and claimed recognition as such, were the Baptists. From an obscure begin- ning they gradually worked their way until the disciples of the new doctrine were numbered by thousands, among whom were some of the ablest minds of that time. One of these was Rev. Hezekiah Smith, a man of rare powers as a preacher, and who became an acknowledged leader in the "New Light " movement. He visited Haverhill in the fall of 1764, and labored with such success that a church of " Separatists," or as they soon came to be called, " Baptists," was organized the following spring, and immediately proceeded to build themselves a meeting-house. So rapid was the growth of the new church, that in less than three years it num- bered over one hundred members. As we give a particular account of this church in another place, we pass over it for the present without further notice.
340
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE FRENCHI WAR .- 1756 TO 1763.
AFTER a very short period of actual peace between the French and English in North America, the New England colonists were again thrown into a state of anxiety and distress by another war against France. The war actually commenced in 1754, though not formally declared till May, 1756. Early in the spring of 1755, preparations were made by the colo- nies for vigorous and extensive operations against the enemy. Four expeditions were planned : - one against the French in Nova Scotia; a second against the French on the Ohio; a third against Crown Point; and a fourth against Niagara.
In the expedition to Nova Scotia were a number of Haverhill men, but, for the reasons given in another place, we are unable to give their names. This expedition resulted in the surrender of several of the French forts in that province, and in the dispersion of the "neutral French." This last act deserved, and has received, the severest condemnation. Four hundred and eighteen inoffensive people were kidnapped, and over seven thousand were transported, and their property confiscated. And, as if this was not enough, families were separated, and transported in different ships to widely separated parts of the country ! Devils incarnate could not have devised a more cruel scheme.
About one thousand of these poor Acadians were landed in Boston, at the opening of winter. These gradually became dispersed among the towns in Massachusetts. Many of them fell upon the towns for support. This town, in 1759, paid twelve pounds, ten shillings, toward supporting eight of them, who had been assigned the town as its proportion to support. These eight persons were all women and children.
In the expedition to Crown Point were the following from this town: -
At Lake George, November 22, 1755, were Nathan Merrill, John Pres- ley, Filbrick Colbey, and Nathan Page.
In a Muster Roll, (dated February 24, 1756,) of " men who went to Albany," we find nearly an ent're company from this town. The follow- ing are the names, with the time of entering and leaving the service : - Edmund Mooers, Capt, entered Apl 4, 1755, Discharged Jan 5 1756 66 Dec 12 1755
Jonathan Duston, Ensign
.. .. 66
Daniel Mooers, Serjt
66 12 66
66 Oct 18 «
Michael Amy, Corp - 8 66
+ 15 **
341
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Daniel Griffin, Corp.
entered May 6, 1755, discharged Oct. 22 1775
Bartho Pecker,
Private
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