USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Boscawen > A chronological register of Boscawen, in the county of Merrimack, and state of New-Hampshire, from the first settlement of the town to 1820. In three parts: descriptive, historical & miscellaneous > Part 1
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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 07954311 6
The 3161
Garden Lester Ford Collection Presented by his Son's Worthington Chauncey Durch und Paul Leicester ford to the New york Public Library.
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IQD ( Boscowon
Price
REV. MR. PRICE'S HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
FROM 1732 TO 1820.
1
CHRONOLOGICAL REGISTER 3161
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OF
BOSCAWEN,
IN THE COUNTY OF MERRIMACK, AND STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE,
FROM THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN TO 1820.
IN THREE PARTS :
Descriptive, Historical & Miscellaneous.
COMPILED BY AN ORDER OF THE TOWN, PASSED MARCH, 1819.
BY EBENEZER PRICE, A. M. PASTOR OF THE SECOND CHURCH IN SAID TOWN.
" One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts ." -David.
" Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the depairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in."-Isaiah,
CONCORD : PRINTED BY JACOB B. MOORE. 1823.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 167359
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS 1900.
DEDICATION.
This compilation, the result of much labor, has been carefully made, and is now presented to the ¿habitants of the town of Boscawen and to their posterity, for a perpetual memorial, of the very interesting events of antiquity, wrested from ob- livion,-
By their sincere friend, and very humble servant, EBENEZER PRICE.
CONTENT
PART I.
Descriptive.
Situation of the town-extent-boundaries-original name -- soil, and its varieties-drain-wells in use-rivers-ponds-water machinery-bridges and their extent-roads-climate-villages -dwelling-houses-public buildings-inns and stores-education, how promoted-societies-professional characters-post office --- civil officers-population-number of militia-minerals-produc- tions of the soil-fruits and fruit-trees-currants cultivated-the breed of cattle-sheep improved-their number-wool manufac- tured-silk wrought-staple commodities-market towns-chur- ches-revivals of religion-concluding observations.
PART II.
Historical.
SECTION 1. Grant-to whom-character of the proprietors.
2. First meeting of the proprietors-survey of plantation -- number of rights-first division laid out and drawn.
3. First settlers-their enterprize-first labor, &c.
4. Meeting at Contoocook-log town-house built-preaching- ferry.
5. 2d division laid out and drawn-log meeting house built .- settlers alarmed by Indians-log fort built-petition to the King --- Mr. Stevens ordained, &c.
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CONTENTS.
6. New-Hampshire becomes a province-Gov. Wentworth- 3d division laid out, &c.
7. Indians molest the inhabitants-Louisburg taken-first inhab- itants killed ør taken captive.
8. Mason's claim described-land proprietors- title of the town obtained-indemnity to Mr. Stevens, &c.
9. Provision for a 2d fort-Indians of St. Francis-Conduct of Bowen and Morrill-some taken captive, &c.
10. Rev. Mr. Stevens dies-Great Earthquake-last proprie- tors' meeting before incorporation-new petition-granted-re- duction of Louisburg-Quebeck taken-Indians at peace, &c.
11. Plantation incorporated-name-1st charter-1st town meeting-1st Justice, &c.
12. Proprietors assist in settling a minister-Mr. Robie Mor- rill ordained-inhabitants leave the fort for their farms.
13. 4th division laid out and drawn-town charter renewed.
14. Stamp act-province road laid out-Rev. Mr. Morrill dis- missed-new meeting house begun-Mr. Merrill ordained.
15. Pews sold-D. College chartered-bridge built-colonies disturbed-Rev. Mr. Merrill removed.
16. 1775, 1st Congress-battles-independence-campaigns- several preachers employed.
17. Mr. Wood settled-Cornwallis capitulated-peace with England.
18. Road to Warner opened-delegate to state convention -5 selectmen-parsonage sold-west meeting house built- neutrality proclaimed.
19. Jay's treaty-last meeting of proprietors-evils in this town-county tax.
20. War with France-meeting house burnt-injuries sus- tained-S. house consumed-Rev. Mr. Wood dissolves his con- tract with the town.
21. Half the parsonage given to west meeting house-small pox in town-counterfeiters detected-2d religious society --- church and minister-total eclipse.
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CONTENTS.
22. War with England-negociation-check list-defence of our seaports-peace restored-improvement in morals attempt- ed, &c.
23. School and parsonage lands-water-street difficulty healed -- 1816, a year of dearth-seasons change-review and close of the Register.
PART III.
Miscellaneous Articles.
Names of proprietors-first settlers-table shewing town offi- cers, representatives, other officers, and money raised for the year .- Lists of magistrates, post masters, ministers, deacons, at- torneys, physicians, graduates, births, marriages and deaths .- Commanding officers of the 21st regiment-campaigns-soldiers out in the war with France-stationed at Portsmouth in the late war with England-names of those who were killed in the army -remarkable deaths-singular deliverances-biographical noti- ces-narratives of deaths and captivities by Indians-capture and imprisonment of John Flanders, &c.
NOTE .- The town of Boscawen, at their an- nual meeting, March, 1821, voted acceptance of the following Register, in manuscript ; appointed a committee of five, including the selectmen, to make an equitable compensation to the compiler, and to dispose of the manuscript as should best meet the intention of the town : accordingly, this committee awarded the writer $50, and propos- ed the printing of the manuscript by subscription.
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Distory of Boccawen.
FIRST PART.
Description of the Town of Boscawen.
BOSCAWEN is an inland town in the State of New-Hampshire, and county of Merrimack, plea- santly situated upon the westerly side of Merri- mack river, between Concord and Salisbury ; and its extent of territory, by grant, is seven miles square. It is bounded eastwardly by Merrimack river ; northwardly on Salisbury line; westward- ly on the line of Warner, and southwardly upon Hopkinton and Concord : its southeast corner monument is near the southwardly margin of Contoocook river, at its conjunction with the Merrimack, within a few yards of the isle on which Mrs. Duston, of ancient fame, performed the unparalleled deed of taking the lives of her savage captors, and making her escape from captiv- ity, more particularly to be noticed in another place.
The well known Indian name Contoocook, was given by the proprietors to their location, and was retained until the town was incorporated.
The soil of this town is very various, from the most fertile down to that which is low and poor ; and yet there is but little land in its whole ex- tent which may be deemed waste land, or which may not be advantageously improved. Compar- ed with most of the adjacent towns, it is not
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
hilly, but the face of the town, when viewed from its highest parts, appears uncommonly level .-- There are but few spots where stones greatly abound, and no inconvenience is experienced from morasses or stagnant waters.
The territory may be divided into three general divisions, viz : interval, pine-plain, and high-land, requiring a different cultivation.
The interval upon the Merrimack, nearly the whole length of the town, is, in many places, widely extended, originally covered with a heavy growth of elm, butternut, maple and bass-wood. When cultivated, it proved very productive, and, even at this period, bountifully rewards the labour of the husbandman.
Bordering on the interval westwardly are large plains ; natural growth, hard and white pine trees ; soil thinner, but suited to the ordinary production of rich harvests of grain, when prop- erly cultivated.
The high land, which comprises about five sevenths of the whole town, lies in large swells far extending in a direction from north to south ; natural growth, white oak and other hard wood ; the soil deep and very productive, affording many excellent farms most delightfully situated, and accommodated generally with a suitable propor- tion of pasturing, mowing and orcharding, with a constant supply of water. The convenience of water is aided by drain-wells, which are in very common use ; opened upon a side hill, and the water taken from the bottom, in pipes, for the ac- commodation of houses and barns ; and found to be a very great saving in respect of labor, manure, and in the health and growth of cattle.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
This town is remarkably well watered. Mer- rimack river laves the whole easterly border. On the west, Black-water river, parallel with the Merrimack, five miles distant, runs through the whole extent of the town from north to south, and empties itself into the Contoocook. This river is not large, but is very important, both in respect of its fertile fields of champaigne, and the numerous water-privileges it affords.
Pond brook, or as generally called, Beaver-dam brook, accommodates several mills, and from its meadows are annually cut more than 100 tons of hay ; runs between and parallel with Merrimack and Blackwater, from Salisbury, till it unites with Contoocook, in the north-east corner of Hopkin- ton. This stream is considered as nearly equally dividing the town east and west.
Mill brook, emptying into Merrimack, and Schoodic, running southwardly from Long Pond, and uniting with Warner river, are streams fur- nishing mill-seats. Beside the before-named, there are many other streams of lesser note, glid- ing through most of our valleys, yielding their benefits to almost every farm ; and some of them improved for water machinery.
There are two ponds of note : Great Pond lies near the centre of the town, and is about one mile long, and the same in breadth ; and Long Pond, situated in the west part of the town, is about two miles long, and 1-2 a mile wide : both abound with common freshwater fish, and each furnishes a mill-seat at its outlet. There are in this town seventeen saw-mills ; five corn-mills, three of which have two runs of stones, and all furnished with bolts; four fulling-mills ; five
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~HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
carding machines ; two mills for grinding tanner's bark ; one trip-hammer; one mill for turning cart-wheel hubs and felloes, and one for grinding lead for potter's ware.
The principal bridges are, two across Merrimack river, uniting. Boscawen with Canterbury, built by incorporated companies. Chandler's bridge, so called, over Contoocook river ; 7 across Black- water river ; 1 over Stirrup-iron brook, and 1 over the gulf, on the fourth New-Hampshire turnpike, built at the expense of 1000 dollars, by Lt. Ste- phen Gerrish, in 1815 ; but just before its com- pletion, the contractor, after a short sickness. died, and his death deprived this town of one of its most ingenious, enterprising and valuable citi- zens.
As shewing this town to be well watered, it is estimated by judicious men, that the length of plank-bridges annually maintained within its lim- its is more than two miles, including their abut- ments.
There are six public roads through this town from Concord and Hopkinton to the town of Sal- isbury ; viz : King-street and Fish-street in con- tinuation ; High-street, on the 4th New-Hamp- shire turnpike ; Water-street ; Battle-street, lately opened ; Pleasant-street, continued on West-high- way, and West Newbury-street. And crossing all the before-named streets, at right angles, except Battle-street, from Fish-street to Warner line, is Long-street.
The Province-road, laid out by the authority of Gov. John Wentworth, in a direction from Ports- mouth to No. 4, or Charlestown, and opened in 1770, is not now improved except for a short dis- tance.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
These public streets, at a very great expense, are made easy for carriages of every description.
The inhabitants of this town have been highly distinguished in point of health. From its first settlement, there have been no extensively mortal contagions or epidemics. It is thought by men of observation, that the pure air and uniform temper- ature, arising from the numerous streams of whole- some water, and peculiar direction of the swells of high land, parallel with the streams, have contrib- uted to the enjoyment of this invaluable blessing.
There are two villages to be noted. The prin- cipal of which is situated in the eastwardly sec- tion of the town, made up of about thirty dwell- ing-houses, through which the 4th New-Hamp- shire turnpike passes, affording a spacious street, nearly two miles in length, very straight and lev- el. In passing through this village, the observant traveller is attracted and delighted by the fertile intervals, and the serpentine course of the Merri- mack in full view. Near the centre of this vil- lage, on the river, are a commodious landing place and lumber yard ; and movements are in train for extending the boating navigation of Merri- mack river, as far as this place, if not further up the river.
There is also a village now forming on a pleas- ant eminence in the westwardly part of the town, near the meeting house, promising at no very dis- tant period a centre for business and extensive population.
The number of elegant and richly furnished dwelling houses is as yet small, for it may be ob- served that we are an agricultural people, and therefore more attention is paid to the conveni-
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
ence of the farmer than to well finished and fur- nished houses.
There are in town two houses for public re- ligious worship, six miles distant, commodious and decently well finished ; one of which is furnished with a good bell. There are fourteen school-wards, and thirteen school-houses, most of which have been lately built, and are commodious. The average number of children to each house, both summer and winter, is about thirty-five. Nine public inns ; six retailing stores, and one town-pound built of stone.
Education is very evidently progressing, and many of our youth are good proficients. To this the early aid and unwearied labour of the Rev. SAMUEL WOOD, D. D. have greatly contributed. In the course of his residence in town, he has uniformly had more or less young men under his tuition, either to advance a common, or to prepare them for a public education. He has entered at the different colleges between eighty and ninety young gentlemen, of whom thirty-one have en- gaged in the work of the gospel ministry. And more recently education has been greatly promot- ed by the town inhabitants in their strict observ- ance of the state law of 1808, requiring the an- nual appointment of a visiting committee ; also, by supporting select schools, under the tuition of learned and pious young men, and likewise by fa- voring sabbath schools, which have become gene- ral, and highly promotive of education, as well as good morals.
The Boscawen Social Library Society was founded 1792, and incorporated 1797 ; it contains about 220 volumes.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
There are two religious Societies of the congre- gational order; the first formed in 1802, in con- nection with the first church, and incorporated 1807 ; the second formed 1804, and incorporated 1810.
One musical, one moral, and one agricultural society, beside the following charitable societies ; one for educating heathen youth ; one auxiliary to the American Education Society, and supports one beneficiary ; two Female Cent Societies ; two Female Gleaning Societies, to aid poor, pious young men in acquiring an education ; and seve- ral Reading Societies among our female youth, who pay an annual tax, in aid of missions .*
Of professional characters, there are in town two Congregational Ministers of the Gospel ; one Counsellor at Law, and two Physicians.
A Post-Office was established Jan. 13, 1806, and the present Deputy Post-Master, is Benjamin H. Oak, Esq.
There are five Justices of the Peace and one Coroner.
The present population of the town, 270 fami- lies ; 313 rateable polls ; 394 legal voters, and 2113 souls, of whom 1014 are males, and 1099 females.
* Mothers and their daughters have united their charities in aid of Domestic Missions, and the success of their efforts has been manifested in a collection of a very valuable box of cloth- ing, recently transmitted to the Elliot station in the Choctaw na- tion of Indians, Also the Pastor of the 1st church has received $40, constituting him a life-member of the American Education Society, and $20 to constitute him a life-member of the New- England Tract Society. And the Pastor of the 2d Church has received $20 to make him a life-member of the last named soci- ety-mostly from female beneficence in their respective congre- gations.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
This town does not abound with mineral sub- stances. That which has excited the most atten- tion is the lead. It seems to be the general im- pression that there are very extensive mines of lead, but notwithstanding the strong solicitude and laborious research of numbers, as yet they have not been found.
The soil is favorable to the growth of Indian corn, rye, wheat, oats, peas, beans and potatoes ; the latter are raised in great abundance, and much used in fattening cattle and swine.
Much pains has been taken by the inhabitants of this town in cultivating fruit-trees ; but with- in a few years, orcharding has greatly decayed, and the seasons have been very unfavorable to almost all kinds of stone fruit. At present, apples, pears and cherries are the principal fruit. There has been, however, a great improvement made upon our or- chards by grafting, which afford a great variety of fruit most delicious : among which are the Pear- 1 main, Green Russet, Woburn and Baldwin apples, English, Brown, Pumpkin, Sweetings and Gill- flowers. Attention has been paid of late to the cultivation of currants, and some have begun to derive from them an excellent beverage, which in flavour will equal the richest wine.
The breed of cattle has been much improved within a few years; while that of horses seems to have claimed but little or no attention. *
* In reverting to the diseases among cattle, beside those which are common, may be noted,
The Black-leg, which particularly prevailed in 1314, among young cattle and sheep, and proved mortal in a short time.
The Hoof-ail, a distemper in the feet of neat cattle, of which they rarely died ; but in many cases the hoof was entirely re-
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
The wool 'of our sheep has been greatly im- proved in quality, by mixing our native with the merino breed. The first merino sheep were brought into town by Deac. Enoch Little, in 1812. The largest number of sheep ever owned in town was in 1816 ; the largest flocks from 50 to 150 : and the quantity of wool carded, and mostly man- ufactured in town the same year, was about 17,500 lbs. ; or eight tons and three quarters.
The Rev. Doctor Wood has, for the fifteen years past, cultivated the silk-worm ; and furnished his own, and some other families, with sewing-silk of a very excellent quality.
Staple Commodities .- Boards, white oak plank, pine and oak timber, white oak staves and head- ing (wrought and unwrought), beef, pork, mutton, poultry, butter and cheese-of which, the great- est quantity is pork and cheese, and of the first quality to be found in any market.
The principal market towns resorted to by the inhabitants, are Newburyport, Salem, Boston and Portsmouth.
There are two congregational churches in town, calvinistic in sentiment. The first embodied in 1740. The present pastor, Rev. Samuel Wood, D. D., was ordained Oct. 17, 1781, and the church
moved, and in some cases the usefulness of oxen was destroyed, in 1816.
The Black-tongue, an inflammatory putrid disorder of the throat and tongue of most neat cattle, and frequently of horses. prevailed very extensively in 1819. The same disease would sometimes seize and spend its force upon the hoofs of horses, extremely painful, and often injure or entirely remove the hoof. For this complaint when in the mouth various applications, guard- ing against putridity, were used ; but when in the hoof, immedi- ate bleeding in the part was found to be a great relief, if not au effectual remedy.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
now consists of about 350 members. The 2d church was embodied in 1804. Rev. Ebenezer Price installed pastor Sept. 26, 1804, and consists of 120 communicants. Between these churches and the societies with which they are connected, there exists very great harmony of feeling and sen- timent.
We have no account of any general outpouring of the spirit of God, for the revival of religion in town, till after the settlement of Rev. Mr. Wood ; but since that time revivals have been numerous : the most powerful and extensive of which were experienced in the years 1815 and 1819. These were general through the two societies, particu- larly the last, whose origin, progress, character, the extent and fruit of the work, evidently showed it- self to be the peculiar work of God ;and such as has been rarely,if ever, experienced in any place of the same population. There were admitted into the first church.at one time 76 ; at another 54; and into the second church, 30, besides smaller addi- tions.
It should be observed that there is a large pro- portion of the inhabitants of this town, who do not attach themselves to the existing congregational so- cieties,but are professedly of other denominations, viz. Calvinistic Baptists, Freewill Baptists, Meth- odists, &c. Though as yet no church has been em- bodied, or society organized, or stated religious teacher settled among them.
In placing before you and your posterity the foregoing description of the town of Boscawen, it is not merely to gratify your feelings by a com- prehensive view of the present advanced state of society, but to induce the inquiry, by what routine
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
of events-in the employment of what means and instruments, hath the all-wise God produced such a state of things in the course of 80 or 90 years ? This laudable inquiry we hope to answer in the second part, by presenting a history of events and facts founded on the records of the proprie- tors and town, as well as on undoubted verbal tes- timony.
SECOND PART.
The Chronological Register ; exhibiting the Pro- ceedings of the Proprietors and Town of Bos- cawen, from its first settlement to 1820-a pe- riod of 88 years ; interspersed with those events and facts interesting to inquirers, and divided into sections.
SECTION 1.
In 1732, the memorable year which gave birth to GEORGE WASHINGTON, a number of enterpriz- ing men, mostly natives of Newbury, in the Pro- vince of Massachusetts Bay, New-England, asso- ciated together with a view to settle some part of the extensive wilderness, should they meet with proper encouragement. Accordingly, they peti-
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
tioned the General Court of Massachusetts Bay for a township situated upon the westerly side of Merrimack river, in New-Hampshire, then under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts ; and were suc- eessful. A grant of seven miles square was made out in due form, Dec. 8, 1732, in the words fol- lowing, viz.
" Province of Massachusetts-Bay.
A petition of John Coffin, of Newbury, and eighty others, praying the grant of a tract of land seven miles square lying on the west side of Mer- rimack river, adjoining to Penacook, to settle themselves or their children upon, on such con- ditions as this Court shall judge fit.
In the House of Representatives read, and in answer to this petition,
Ordered, that there be, and hereby is granted to the petitioners a tract of land, seven miles square, at the place petitioned for, on the west side of Merrimack river, to be laid out by a surveyor, and chain-men on oath. a plan thereof to be pre- sented to this Court, at their next May session, for confirmation. The lands to be by them settled on the conditions following, viz .- That within the space of four years from the confirmation of the plan, they settle, and have on the spot eighty- one families ; each settler to build a good conveni- ent dwelling-house, one story high, eighteen feet square at least, and fence, clear and bring to, four acres fit for improvement, and three acres more well stocked with English grass ; and also lay out three shares throughout the town, each share to be one eighty-fourth part of the said tract of land, one of said shares to be for the first settled minis-
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
ter, one for the ministry, and one for the school ; and also to build a convenient meeting-house, and settle a learned orthodox minister within the term aforesaid.
In Council, read and concurred."
A true copy of record, as among the proceedings of the General Court, on the Sth Decr. 1732, p. 336. Attest, ALDEN BRADFORD, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
" Province of Massachusetts Bay.
A plat of a township of land granted at the Court to John Coffin and others, lying on Merri- mack river, above Penacook, surveyed by Rich- ard Hazzen and two chainmen on oath, being bounded as follows, viz. ; beginning at the mid- dle of Contoocook river, where it empties into Merrimack, where it joins on Penacook Planta- tion ; thence running west 15° south adjoining Pennicook line, four miles, to a white-pine tree, marked for Penacook corner bounds ; thence further on the same line three miles and eight poles, to a Norway-pine, marked for the corner" bounds ; thence turned at right angles, and run- ning north 15 deg. west, seven miles and eight poles, to a crotched white-birch, lettered, stand- ing on the south-east side of a hill, which is the north-west corner ; thence turned at right-angles and run east, 15 deg. north, near seven miles and an half, to a white-oak and two white-pines, mark- ed by Merrimack river, and by said river as it runs to Contoocook river to the place where it first began. In the House of Representatives read, and voted that this plat be accepted ; and that the lands within delineated and described. be
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