USA > Maine > Oxford County > Rumford > History of Rumford, Oxford County, Maine, from its first settlement in 1779, to the present time > Part 3
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To choose a Moderator and Clerk.
Also to determine whether they will order a division of any part or the whole of said Township into severalty, and if so,
To choose and instruct a committee chosen for that service how, and how far to proceed.
Also to conclude what shall be done with respect to clearing roads, either in said township or from it to any other place they shall judge proper.
Also to see if the proprietors will build a mill or mills in their township, and if so,
To choose a committee to agree with some suitable person to un- dertake the same, and for encouragement, to give them such a sum of money or grant of land as they shall think reasonable ; also,
To direct the manner of warning and place of holding future meet- ings of said Proprietors ; also,
To raise such a sum of money as they shall think necessary ; also, To choose a collector to gather in the same ; and finally,
To choose a committee to adjust all accounts of said Proprietary, with orders to receive from the collector sufficient money to enable them to pay the just debts of the Proprietary ; and also,
To carry into execution whatever may be resolved upon, with respect to the above mentioned articles.
BOSTON, April 14, 1779.
TIMOTHY WALKER.
TIIE FIRST MEETING.
Essex ss. State of Massachusetts Bay.
At a legal meeting of the Proprietors of a New Township on Ammoscoggin River, granted to Timothy Walker, Jr., and Associ- ates, by the Great and General Court of the State of Massachusetts
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
Bay, held at the house of Capt. Daniel Bradley, innholder in Haver- hill in said County, May 26, 1779, voted,
That Lieut. Timothy Bradley be Moderator.
That Timothy Walker, Jr., be Clerk.
That there be laid out to each right, one hundred acres of land.
That there be a road cleared through said township.
That forty-five pounds lawful money be raised upon each right to defray the expenses of said Proprietary.
That Mr. David Hall, Colonel Thomas Stickney and Capt. Reuben Kimball be assessors to assess the above tax of forty-five pounds upon each right.
That Timothy Walker, Jr., Esq., be collector to collect the above tax.
That this meeting be adjourned to the first Wednesday in August next, then to meet at the dwelling house of Capt. Aaron Kinsman, in Concord in the State of New Hampshire, at one o'clock in the afternoon.
A true copy of the proceedings of the above meeting.
Attest :
TIMOTHY WALKER, JR., Proprietors' Clerk.
OTHER MEETINGS.
August 4, 1779. Met according to adjournment, and the Moder- ator being present declared the meeting to be open. Voted,
That a committee be appointed to repair to the township lately granted to Timothy Walker, Jr. and associates, and make a division of one hundred acres of land to each full right, and that Colonel Thomas Stickney, Ensign Jonathan Eastman and Ebenezer Harn- den Goss, Esq., Ephraim Colby and Amos Abbot, Jr., be said com- mittee.
That each of the above committee have for their service, six shillings per day, making the money as good as it was in April, 1775, during the time they shall be employed in the service of the Proprietary.
That the clerk be desired to purchase a book for the use of said Proprietary.
That fifteen pounds lawful money be assessed upon each right, in addition to the forty-five pounds raised in May last, and that Col. Thomas Stickney, Mr. David Hall, and Capt. Reuben Kimball be assessors to assess the above sum, and that Timothy Walker, Jr., Esq., be a collector to collect said sum of fifteen pounds ; and that the tax for both the said sums of forty-five pounds and fifteen pounds, be made by the assessors in one list.
That the committee appointed to make the above division of land, be directed to employ suitable persons, if they think proper, to cut and clear a road passable for horses through the above town, and down Amoscoggin River to a place called Bog Brook.
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
That Captain Reuben Kimball, Lient. John Chandler and Mr. David Hall be a committee chosen, appointed and fully empowered to examine all charges that have arisen and that shall hereafter arise in bringing forward the settlement of said Township, and to allow as in their judgment shall be just and equal, and also to draw money out of the Treasury for defraying said charges.
That the clerk be directed and fully empowered, upon the request of one-sixteenth of the owners of said township, to call future meet- ings of said proprietors, by advertising the same in one of the Bos- ton newspapers.
That this meeting be adjourned to the first Wednesday in Decem- ber next, then to meet at the house of Capt. Aaron Kinsman, inn- holder in Concord, at one o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to receive the report of the Committee appointed to make a division of land in said township, and if said committee shall have completed said division, for the proprietors to draw their respective lots.
Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1779. The meeting met and adjourned to Dec. 3d.
Dec. 3, 1779. The moderator being present, declared the meet- ing to be open. Voted,
That Mr. Jonathan Kies be allowed to pitch four interval lots and the four upland lots which are joined with them.
That the committee on claims be directed to allow thirty for one, in order to make the money good.
That Ebenezer Harnden Goss, Esq., be allowed to pitch one in- terval lot and the upland lot which is joined with it.
That fifteen pounds be raised upon each full right.
That the same assessors be appointed to assess and the same collector to collect that were appointed to assess and collect the last rate.
That the return and plan of the committee appointed to lay out a division of one hundred acres of land to each right be accepted, and that a highway be reserved four rods broad through each of the up- land lots, and that a highway two rods broad be reserved through the interval lots, as shall best accommodate the public."
The report of the committee stated first, that they had laid out twenty-seven interval lots on the westerly side of Ellis River, lot number one beginning at a maple tree on the bank of the river, where the town line crossed it, and farther described by metes and bounds. Upon this lot other lots were run out and numbered accordingly. They then run out and numbered eleven interval lots on the easterly side of Ellis River. Forty lots were then run out and described on the south side of the Great River, the first begin- ning at a maple tree on the bank of the river where the town line crosses it, and next twenty-seven interval lots were run out, on the north side of the Great River.
2
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
Eighteen upland or house lots were then laid out on the westerly side of Ellis River, twenty-seven on the east side, thirty-five on the north side of the Great River, and thirty-one on the south side. The report was signed by Thomas Stickney, Jonathan Eastman, Ephraim Colby and Ebenezer H. Goss.
DRAWING OF THE LOTS.
The drawing of the lots in accordance with the survey and plan just accepted, was next in order, and resulted as follows :
George Abbot, interval lot No. 17 and house lot No. 10, South of Great River.
George Abbott, interval lot No. IS and house lot No. 24. North of Great River.
Amos Abbot, interval lot No. 27, West side Ellis River; house lot No. 18, East side Ellis River.
Amos Abbot, interval lot No. 16, West side Ellis River; house lot No. 15, East side Ellis River.
Edward Abbot, interval lot No. 6 and house lot No. 5, North of Great River.
Edward Abbot, interval lot No. 1 and house lot No. 1, East side Ellis River.
Benj. Abbot, interval lot No. 4 and house lot No. 4, North side Great River.
Joshua Abbot, interval lot No. 9 and house lot No. 9, North side Great River.
Nathaniel Abbot, interval lot No. 19 and house lot No. 26, North side Great River.
Timothy Bradley, interval lot No. 7 and house lot No. 8, East side Ellis River.
Jeremiah Bradley, interval lot No. 27 and honse lot No. 22, South side Great River.
John Bradley, interval lot No. 11 and house lot No. 20, East side Ellis River.
William Coffin, interval lot No. 7 and house lot No. 7, West of Ellis River.
Lt. John Chandler, interval lot No. 21 and house lot No. 23, North of Great River.
Lt. John Chandler, interval lot No. 19 and house lot No. 11, South of Great River.
Capt. John Chandler, interval lot No. 4 and house lot No. 4, West of Ellis River.
Capt. Abiel Chandler, interval lot No. 34 and house lot No. 32, South of Great River.
Capt. Abiel Chandler, interval lot No. 27 and house lot No. 31, North of Great River.
Capt. Abial Chandler, interval lot No. 11 and house lot No. 11, North of Great River.
C'apt. Abial Chandler, interval lot No. 26 and house lot No. 18, West of Ellis River.
Capt. Abial Chandler, interval lot No. 20 and house lot No. 14, West of Ellis River.
Ephraim Carter, interval lot No. 15 and house lot No. 11, West of Ellis River.
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
John Chase, interval lot No. 14, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 11, East of Ellis River.
Dr. Chas. Chauncey, interval lot No. 24 and house lot No. 28, North of Great River.
Jeremiah Dresser's Heirs, interval lot No. 1 and house lot No. 18, South of Great River.
Elijah Durgin, interval lot No. 22 and house lot No. 13, South of Great River.
Joseph Eastman, interval lot No. 5 and house lot No. 5, East of Ellis River.
Ebenezer Eastman. interval lot No. 7 and house lot No. 7, North of Great River.
Philip Eastman, interval lot No. 2, South of Great River, and house lot No. 20, East of Ellis River.
Philip Eastman, interval lot No. 25 and house lot No. 15, South of Great River.
Moses Eastman, interval lot No. 30 and house lot No. 25, South of Great River.
Nathaniel Eastman, interval lot No. 15 and house lot No. 19, North of Great River.
Nathaniel Eastman, interval lot No. 33 and house lot No. 31, South of Great River.
Amos Eastman, interval lot No. 23, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 12, East of Ellis River.
Jeremiah Eastman, interval lot No. 15, South of Great River, and house lot No. 16, North of Great River.
Ephraim Farnum, interval lot No. 18 and house lot No. 13, West of Ellis River.
Benj. Farnum, interval lot No. 10 and house lot No. 5, South of Great River.
Benj. Farnum, interval lot No. 39 and house lot No. 29, South of Great River.
Joseph Farnum, interval lot No. 12 and house lot No. 12, North of Great River.
Stephen Farrington, interval lot No. 6 and house lot No. 2, South of Great River.
Abner Fowler Heirs, interval lot No. 9, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 3, East of Ellis River.
Peter Green, interval lot No. 5 and house lot No. 6, North of Great River.
Ebenezer H. Goss, interval lot No. 25 and house lot No. 30, North of Great River.
Ebenezer H. Goss, interval lot No. 14 and house lot No. 9, South of Great River.
Ebenezer H. Goss, interval lot No. 5 and house lot No. 5, West of Ellis River.
Gustavus A. Goss, interval lot No. 7 and house lot No. 3, South of Great River.
Benj. Gale, interval lot No. 3 and house lot No. 4, East of Ellis River.
Ebenezer Hall, interval lot No. 38 and house lot No. 30, South of Great River.
Moses Hall, interval lot No. 20 and house lot No. 12, South of Great River.
David Hall, interval lot No. 16 and house lot No. 20, North of Great River.
Richard Hazletine, interval lot No. 23 and house lot No. 17, South of Great River.
Ebenezer Hall, Jr., interval lot No. 21 and house lot No. 21, South of Great River.
Philip Kimball, interval lot No. 24 and house lot No. 17, West of Ellis River.
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
Reuben Kimball, interval lot No. 9 and house lot No. 13, East of Ellis River.
Asa Kimball, interval lot No. 11 and house lot No. 6, South of Great River.
Abraham Kimball, interval lot No. 35 and house lot No. 34, South of Great River.
Jonathan Merrill, interval lot No. 36 and house lot No. 35, South of Great River.
Hannah Osgood, interval lot No. 19, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 18, North of Great River.
Hannah Osgood, interval lot No. 20 and house lot No. 22, North of Great River.
Rev. Sam'l Phillips' Heirs, interval lot No. 23 and house lot No. 27, North of Great. River.
Nathaniel Rolfe, interval lot No. 2 and house lot No. 2, North of Great River.
Paul Rolfe, interval lot No. 22 and house lot No. 25, North of Great River.
Paul Rolfe, interval lot No. 37 and house lot No. 33, South of Great River.
Paul Rolfe. interval lot No. 2 and house lot No. 2, East of Ellis River.
Paul Rolfe, interval lot No. 10 and house lot No. 9, West of Ellis River.
Paul Rolfe, interval lot No. 12 and house lot No. 7, South of Great River.
Thomas Stickney, interval lot No. 40 and house lot No. 28, South of Great River.
Thomas Stickney, interval lot No. 6 and house lot No. 6, East of Ellis River.
Thomas Stickney, interval lot No. 17 and house lot No. 22, North of Great River.
Aaron Stevens, interval lot No. 32 and house lot No. 27, South of Great River.
Aaron Stevens, interval lot No. 3 and house lot No. 3, North of Great River.
Jonathan Stickney, interval lot No. 2 and house lot No. 2, West of Ellis River.
Caleb Smart, interval lot No. 31 and house lot No. 26, South of Great River.
Jonathan Straw, interval lot No. 6 and house lot No. 6, West of Ellis River.
Benj. Thompson, Esq., interval lot No. 10 and house lot No. 14, East of Ellis River.
Benj. Thompson, Esq., interval lot No. 18 and house lot No. 20, South of Great River.
Benj Thompson, Esq., interval lot No. 26 and house lot No. 29, North of Great River.
Benj. Thompson. Esq., interval lot No. 26 and house lot No. 14, South of Great River.
Benj. Thompson, Esq., interval lot No. 22 and house lot No. 16, West of Ellis River.
Benjamin Thompson, Esq., interval lot No. 4, South of Great River, and house lot No. 13. North of Great River.
Ebenezer Virgin Heirs, interval lot No. 21 and house lot No. 18. South of Great River.
Ebenezer Virgin Heirs, interval lot No. 3. South side Great River. and house lot No. 16, East of Ellis River.
Rev. Timothy Walker. interval lot No. I and house lot No. 1, North of Great River.
Rev. Timothy Walker, interval lot No. S and honse lot No. 8, West of Ellis River.
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
Capt. Timothy Walker, interval lot No, S and house lot No. 9, East of Ellis River.
Timothy Walker, Jr., interval lot No. 5 and house lot No. 1, South side of Great River.
Timothy Walker, Jr., interval lot No. 11, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 7, East of Ellis River.
Timothy Walker, Jr., interval lot No. 28, and house lot No. 23, South of Great River.
James Walker, interval lot No. 12, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 10, East side of Ellis River.
Charles Walker, interval lot No. 21 and house lot No. 15, West of Ellis River.
Paul Walker, interval lot No. 9 and house lot No. 19, South of Great River.
Timothy Walker, 3d, interval lot No. 17 and house lot No. 12, West of Ellis River.
Capt. Timothy Walker, et als., interval lot No. 1 and house lot No. 1, West of Ellis River. Three-fourths of the above right to Walker, and one- fourth to Rev. Samuel Phillips' Heirs.
Abraham Kimball, et als., interval lot No. 13 and house lot No. 10, West of Ellis River. Three-fourths to Kimball, one-fourth to Phillips' Heirs.
James McHurd, et als., interval lot No. S and house lot No. 4, South of Great River. MeHurd one-half, Nathaniel Nash one-fourth and Cutting Marsh one-fourth.
Robt. Davis, et als., interval lot No. 16, South of Great River, and house lot No. 17, North of Great River. Davis three-fourths, and Anna Stevens one-fourth.
Henry Lovejoy, et als., interval lot No. 29 and house lot No. 24, South of Great River. Lovejoy one-fourth, Phineas Kimball one-fourth, Samuel Runnels one-half.
Sam'l and Wm. Dana and Dudley Colman, interval lot No. 3 and house lot No. 3, West of Ellis River. Danas one-half, and Coleman one-half.
Minister, interval lot No. 13 and house lot No. 14, North of Great River. Parsonage, interval lot No. 14 and house lot No. 15, North of Great River.
College, interval lot No. 25, West of Ellis River, and house lot No. 16, East of Ellis River.
School, interval lot No. 10 and house lot No. 10, North of Great River.
At an adjourned meeting Feb. 2, 1780, it was voted that one hundred dollars be raised upon each full right to defray the charges of the Proprietary.
A committee was chosen, consisting of Timothy Walker, Jr., Thomas Stickney and David Hall, to make sale of delinquent pro- prietors who had not paid their assessments.
At an adjourned meeting April 3, 1780, John Chandler, Thomas Stickney and Timothy Walker were made a committee to confer with person or persons with regard to building a saw and grist mill in the New Township, and report at the next meeting.
At an adjourned meeting July 3, 1780, Mr. John Stevens was added to the committee on mills.
At an adjourned meeting August 28, 1780, John Stevens was
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
chosen chairman, in place of Thomas Stickney, who asked to be excused from serving. It was voted "that five Spanish milled dol- lars be raised upon each full right, to defray the expense of laying out and clearing roads in said Township now called New Penny- cook .* Jonathan Eastman, Ebenezer H. Goss and Ephraim Colby were made a committee to lay out and clear the roads, and that each be paid one Spanish milled dollar per day."
At an adjourned meeting Sept. 8, 1780, it was voted to give Lieut. John Chandler four hundred hard dollars and one hundred acres of land, provided he, within fifteen months, build and keep in good repair forever, one good saw mill and one good grist mill upon Concord River (so called), in said township of New Pennacook, and that four hard dollars be raised upon each full right to defray the expense of building mills above mentioned. Timothy Walker, Jr., Ebenezer H. Goss and John Stevens were made a committee to look after the building of the mills.
At an adjourned meeting Dec. 4, 1780, Capt. Joel Dodge was given leave to "pitch" one hundred acres in the common land in New Pennacook, provided he settle upon the premises within one year.
At an adjourned meeting Aug. 6, 1781, it was voted that a cart road be cleared up Ellis River on the west side "as far as David Sessions' house lot." Ebenezer H. Goss, John Chandler, Phineas Kimball and David Sessions were made a committee for clearing out the road. At this meeting, Jonathan Keyes, Phineas Kimball and David Sessions; were chosen a committee, in behalf of the Proprietary, to prosecute any person or persons who should trespass upon the common lands in said township.
After this meeting, the proprietors met several times and ad- journed without transacting any business, probably due to the fact that the handful of settlers in New Pennacook had been frightened away by the Indian raid into Bethel, and did not return until the war of the Revolution was practically closed and all danger from hostile Indians had passed.
At an adjourned meeting holden Jannary 6, 1783, measures were taken to collect taxes of delinquents, by advertising the same, and selling all lots upon which taxes should not be paid within a speci- fied time.
* This is the first appearance of this name for the "New Town."
t These men were presumably residents of the township, but three days before this vote was passed, the hostle Indians had raided Bethel, and the New Pennacook settlers had fled to New Gloucester.
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
At a meeting May 19, 1783, Timothy Walker, John Stevens and Jonathan Eastman were made a committee to try and induce per- sons to settle in New Pennacook. At a meeting July 28 following, Mr. John Stevens was requested to petition the General Court for an extension of time for the settlement of thirty families within their township. It was also voted that John Stevens, Jonathan Eastman and Phineas Kimball be a committee to proceed to New Pennacook and lay out one hundred and thirty-four lots of one hundred acres each, "as soon as may be," and five shillings per day were voted as the compensation of each. It was "voted that provided thirty per- sons shall appear to make actual settlement upon said township of New Pennacook in one year, each of them shall be allowed to pitch one lot out of the division now ordered to be laid out."
At a meeting December 1, 1783, it was voted that sixteen shill- ings be raised upon each right. Jonathan Keyes was allowed three pounds and four shillings for extra services.
The next meeting at which any business was performed was holden May 17, 1784. It was then voted that the following persons be allowed to pitch each a one hundred acre lot gratis, and a one hundred acre lot for a second division upon their respective rights, they and each of them clearing and sowing to grain five acres of land this year, in said township, and making actual settlement upon the premises within one year from the date last mentioned, viz :
That Jacob Eastman have for settlement the one hundred acre lot number eighty-two, north of Great River, and also that he be allowed to pitch the hundred acre lot number one hundred and four on the west side of Ellis River, for a second division, on the right of Nathaniel Eastman.
That Ebenezer H. Goss, Esq., have for settlement the hundred acre lot number two on the north side of the Great River, and to pitch the hundred acre lot number three on the north side of Great River, for a second division on the original right of Charles Chaun- cey.
That Philip Abbot have for settlement the one hundred acre lot number seven, north of Great River, and be allowed to pitch the one hundred acre lot number eight, on the north side of Great River, for a second division, on the right of Ebenezer Hall, Senior.
That Lient. John Chandler have for settlement the hundred acre lot number eighty-three on the north side of the Great River, and be allowed to pitch number sixty-four on the same side of said river, for a second division, to the right of Capt. John Chandler.
That Daniel Stickney have for settlement number seventeen north
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
of Great River, and be allowed to pitch number eighteen on the same side of said river, for a second division of the right of Jona- than Stickney.
At a meeting Angust 2, 1784, it was voted that James Scales, James Scales, Jr., and Oliver Scales, be allowed to pitch respect- ively, lots ninety-two, ninety-three and ninety-eight, on the north side of the Great River, provided they make actual settlement in New Pennacook within one year. Jonathan Eastman and Phineas Kimball were made a committee to make necessary roads to accom- modate the settlers in New Pennacook. It was also voted that land of delinquents be advertised for sale, as soon as possible, in some one of the Boston papers.
A meeting was held at the inn of Benj. Hannaford in Concord, January 1, 1785, at which the committee on roads in New Penna- cook presented their accounts, amounting to fifty-eight pounds and nine shillings, which were allowed.
At an adjourned meeting May 16, Mr. John Stevens was ap- pointed a committee to petition the General Court for another ex- tension of time.
At an adjourned meeting August 6, 1785, a tax of six shillings per right, was levied. At the same meeting, Benjamin Farnum and Philip Abbot were appointed a committee on roads in New Penna- cook. At a meeting August 22, Mr. Stevens reported that the pro- prietors had been granted an extension of two years in which to comply with the terms of their grant.
A meeting was held January 2, 1786, at which a committee on new settlers was appointed, and authorized to pay six pounds to each actual settler in New Pennacook, in one year. Eight dollars were assessed upon each right.
At a meeting in April, the Clerk was directed to procure a plan of New Pennacook, as soon as possible.
No further business was transacted by the Proprietary until Jan- uary 1, 1787, when the committee appointed in 1783, to lay out one hundred and thirty-four lots of one hundred acres each in New Pennacook, made a return of their survey, which was accepted, and the clerk directed to record the same. The return showed a survey of one hundred and four lots, with a reservation of a four rod road through each lot.
At a meeting May 15, 1787, a committee was chosen to inspect
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HISTORY OF RUMFORD.
the mills in New Pennacook, consisting of Eleazer Twitchell,* Francis Keyes and Philip Abbot. Jonathan Keyes, the first settler in the township, died Nov. 9, 1786, and at this meeting his widow, Sarah Keyes, was permitted to pitch a one hundred acre lot as a settler.
At a meeting July 30, 1787, Stephen Farnum and Philip Abbot were chosen a committee to clear a horse road from the lower end of New Pennacook to Butterfieldt (so called).
At a meeting Dec. 26, 1787, John York į and Jesse Duston į were added to the committee to inspect the mills.
No further business was transacted until a meeting held February 23, 1789, when Stephen Farnum, Philip Abbot and Francis Keyes were instructed to clear out a road from the month of Ellis River to New Andover (so called). The committee to inspect the mills submitted the following report :
"NEW PENNACOOK, Oct. 4, 1788.
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