USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > A historical sketch of Bedford, N.H., being a discourse delivered Sabbath afternoon, July 4th, 1841, in the Presbyterian meeting house > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01095 8871
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A
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF BEDFORD, N. H., -
BEING A DISCOURSE DELIVERED
SABBATH AFTERNOON, JULY 4TH,
1841,
IN THE PRESBYTERIAN MEETING HOUSE.
BY THOMAS SAVAGE, Pastor of the Church. .
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Published by Request.
MANCHESTER, N. H. PRINTED BY EMERSON & MURRAY.
1841.
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1.70102
ماطم
A
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF
BEDFORD, N. H.
DELIVERED
BY THOMAS SAVAGE, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church.
July 4, 1841.
MANCHESTER, N. II. PRINTED BY EMERSON & MURRAY. 1841.
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54806 .7 F
Savage, Thomas, 1793-1866.
A historical sketch of Bedford, N. H., being a dis- course delivered Sabbath afternoon, July 4th, 1841, in the Presbyterian meeting house. By Thomas Savage ... Published by request. Manchester, N. II., Printed by Emerson & Murray, 1841.
16 p. 23".
SHELF CARD 1. Bedford, N. H .- Hist.
13-14401
Library of Congress
F44.B3S2
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Some of the matter delivered in the discourse has been thrown into the Appendix, in a smaller type; some small errors have been rectified and some slight additions made at the suggestion of one or two individuals.
To the flock, among whom he has ministered, the whole is affectionately inscribed by their servant, THE AUTHOR. . Bedford, August 16, 1841.
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DISCOURSE.
PSALMS 78, 5. 6.7.
. "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children.
That the generation to come might know them, eren the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children.
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."
IT is useful at certain periods, to recal to remembrance the former times ; to review the early history of States, Towns and Communities and watch the various steps in their progress from infancy to manhood.
Such recollections of the past, have a good moral influence on the generations present and to come.
We learn in some degree, to appreciate the hardships of those who were as the pioneers of society and who first made the sound of the axe to be heard in the forest. We are better prepared to estimate the ad- vantages we enjoy, and the responsibility that attends the possession of / such advantages.
We feel that we are connected, in an important sense with those who have lived in ages past, and with those who are yet to come, that an in- fluence must go down from generation to generation and continue to flow onward to the end of time.
More than a century has now transpired since the first settlement of some towns in our vicinity ; and it is exceedingly important, as time elapses and the aged are passing away, that we should endeavor to seize many things connected with our early history, which would otherwise be consigned to oblivion.
More than 100 years have elapsed since the first settlement of this town, since a commencement was made in the cultivation of this, then unbroken wilderness. The Indian once roamed these woods. The land we cultivate, the forests, the rivers, the mountains around us, once swarmed with a distinct race of the human family.
It would be interesting, if we could gather some information, relating to the aboriginal inhabitants of this part of the country; but on this subject, we
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have little means of information, and much is it to be regretted that there , has been no historical account of the various tribes residing on Merrimac river. The Penacook tribe of Indians inhabited what is now Concord, and the country for many miles above and below on Merrimac river ; and the Indians, the traces of whose settlement is still visible in this town on the banks of the river, no doubt belonged to this tribe, who with other smaller tribes acknowledged subjection to Passaconaway,who was called the great Sachem of Penacook.
'They ranged the banks of the Merrimac in quest of fish and game, which then greatly abounded. The head of an arrow or fraginent of a human skeleton is still occasionally thrown up in the sand or uncovered by the plough, the last traces of the red man, who hunted and fished on our waters.
The first settlers suffered many anxieties and hardships from their un- civilized neighbors.
As Bedford was for some time, one of the frontier towns, it was ex- posed to incursions of the Indians ; but there is no recollection of more than one inhabitant of the town being killed by them.
1745 James McQuade and John Burns went to Penacook, (Concord) . to purchase corn for their families, and had proceeded on their return homeward as far as Suncook, (Pembroke) when they were fired upon by a party of Indians who lay in ambush, awaiting their return. McQuade was shot dead, but Burns made his escape, by running in a zigzag direc- tion, which method baffled the fire of his pursuers, and arrived in safety to his family. A
THE ORIGIN OF THE TOWNSHIP IS AS FOLLOWS.
1675 was the year of the first general Indian war. It was a war with the Narraganset Indians, and was known as Philip's war. It was attend- ed with great distress and cruelties ; many towns in Mass. suffered ex- ceedingly ; but the enemy was at last scattered and Philip slain.
Hutchinson in his history of Massachusetts thus relates the slaughter : "Philip fled from one swamp to another, divers times very narrowly es- · caping-losing one chief counsellor after another, his uncle and sister and at last his wife and son were taken prisoners. Being reduced to this miserable condition, he was killed Aug. 12, 1676, as he was flying from a pursuing party, out of a swamp, near his residence, Mt. Hope, now Bristol, R. I. One of his own men whom he had offended, and who had deserted to the English, shot him through the heart. Instead of the scalp, he cut off his right hand, which had a remarkable scar, well known to the English, and which was exhibited as a curiosity. Many of the Indian chiefs were executed at Boston and Plymouth. The people
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were .greatly exasperated. Every person in the two colonies, having lost a relative or near friend, but," adds the historian, "this does not excuse the cruelty."
And here let it be said, with regard to these original tenants of the soil, that we have been accustomed to speak of their cruelties ; but let us remember also their wrongs, and as they fade away before the march of civilization, let us endeavor to do justice to a much injured race.
1732 the general Court of Massachusetts in consideration of the im- portant services of the officers and soldiers in that war, granted to them or their legal representatives, 7 townships of land as a reward. These were numbered, and it is curious to notice, that No. 1 was in Maine, now called Buxton ; No. 2 in Massachusetts, now called Westminster ; No. 3 was Amherst or Souhegan West ; No. 4 adjoined Hatfield Massa- chusetts : No. 5 was Bedford, Souhegan East ; No. 6 was Templeton, Massachusetts ; No. 7 was Gorham, Maine.
Since the Indian war, a considerable time had elapsed, more than 50 years, and many of the officers and soldiers, who served in that expedi- tion were dead.
Of 120 persons to whom these townships were granted, only 20 vete- rans were living in 1733. All the grantees or their representatives, assembled on Boston common, June 6, 1733; at which time they divided themselves into 7 distinct societies of 120 persons each, and entitled to one of these townships. From each society, 3 persons were chosen a committee who on 17th Oct., 1733, assigned the several townships among their respective societies.
Of the individuals to whom this town was assigned 57 belonged to Boston, 15 to Roxbury, 7 to Dorchester, 2 to Milton, 5 to Braintree, 4 to Weymonth, 13 to Ilingham, 4 to Dedham, 2 to Hull, 1 to Medfield, 5 to Scituate and 1 to Newport. Of the original proprietors whose book of records is preserved with the town books, very few became settlers, but disposed of their claims to those who became occupants of the soil. B.
In the winter of 1737, so far as we can ascertain, the first settlement was commenced by Robert Walker and James Walker, and in the year following by John Goffe, afterwards Col., Matthew Patten, afterward Judge of Probate, and Capt. Samuel Patten and soon after by many others They commenced their first labors near the bank of the Merrimac, on a piece of ground known as "Patten's field."
. With few exceptions the carly inhabitants of this town, were from the north of Ireland or from the then infant settlement of Londonderry, to which they had recently emigrated. About the middle of the 17th cen- tury, their ancestors had emigrated from Argyleshire, in the west of
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Scotland, to the Counties of Londonderry and Antrim in the north of Ireland. They were warmly attached to the Presbyterian doctrine and discipline, in which the church of Scotland was united, and for which they were much indebted to the faithfulness of John Knox, the celebrat- ed Scotch reformer, who had introduced this form of church government, a century before, from Geneva. C.
Adhering as the Scottish emigrants did to the Presbyterian church, they were exposed to the persecutions in which the Protestants of Ire- land were involved, during the reign of Charles Ist and James 2d, until the period known as the British Revolution, when William ascended the throne. They then enjoyed more toleration ; but still as they dissented from the church of England, they were subject to many embarrassments and were obliged to support a minister of the established religion. They accordingly resolved to emigrate. Some arrived at Boston, some at Casco Bay, near Portland, which last were the settlers of Londonderry. This took place early in 1719.
Many towns in this vicinity were settled from this colony. Windham, Chester, Litchfield, Manchester, Bedford, Goffstown, New-Boston, An- trim, Peterborough and Acworth, together with some towns in Massa- chusetts, Maine, N. Scotia and Vermont, derived from Londonderry, a considerable proportion of their first inhabitants.
Many of their descendants, says Rev. Mr. Whiton, in his history of the State, "have risen to high respectability, among whom are numbered four Governors of N. H., one of the signers of the declaration of Inde- pendence, several distinguished officers in the revolutionary war, and in the last war with Great Britain, including Stark, Reid, Miller and Mc- Niel, a President of Bowdoin College, some members of Congress and several distinguished ministers of the gospel."
Gov. Everett in his life of Gen. Stark, thus notices the colony. "These emigrants were descended from the Scotch Presbyterians, who in the reign of James, were established in Ireland, but who professing with national tenacity, a religious belief, neither in accordance with the pop- ular faith in Ireland, nor with that of its English masters, and disliking the institutions of tithe and rent, determined to seek a settlement in America. The first party came over in 1718 and led the way in a set- tlement on Merrimac river. They were shortly succeeded by a large . number of their countrymen, who brought with them the art of weaving linen, and first introduced the culture of the potatoe in this part of America and furnished from their families a large number of the pioneers of civilization in N. Hampshire Vermont and Maine, and some of the most useful and distinguished citizens of all these States."
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This account will not be thought too great a digression, when we con- sider how large a proportion of the early inhabitants of the town were ·_ of Scottish origin. They are represented as being a well principled people, frugal, hardy, industrious, a people that brought with them a sacred attachment to religious institutions. And here it is interesting to notice the similarity between the pilgrims of Plymouth and the emi- grants from the north of Ireland, as respects the motives which led them to emigrate. It was no worldly ambition, it was no unhallowed thirst of gain that in either case, appears to have led these hardy men to leave the comforts and endearments of their native land and come to this western wilderness. It was, we may believe, in both cases, for the en- joyment of the rights of conscience and religious privileges that they came across the Atlantic and settled down in these forests.
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1750 the town which had been called Souhegan East or Narraganset, No. 5, was incorporated under its present name and within its present limits, its territory originally extending south to Souhegan river. I am indebted to that distinguished antiquarian the late John Farmer, Fsq., for a copy of the petition, which follows :-
"To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq., Governor and Com- mander in chief of his majesty's Province of New Hampshire, and to the Honorable his majesty's Council, assembled at Portsmouth, May 10, 1750.
"The humble Petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of Souhegan East, so called, Sheweth,"
"That your Petitioners are major part of said Souhegan, that your petitioners as to one particular persuasion in christianity, are generally of the Presbyterian denomination ; that your petitioners through a variety of causes, having been long destitute of the gospel, are now desirous of taking the proper steps in order to have it settled among us inthat way of discipline which we judge to tend most to our edification ; that your petitioners not being incorporated by civil authority, are in no capacity to raise those sums of money which may be needful in order to our pro- ceeding in the above important affair.
"May it therefore please your Excellency and Honors, to take the case of your petitioners under consideration, and to incorporate us into a town or district, or in case any part of our inhabitants should be taken off by any neighboring district, to grant that those of our persuasion who are desirous of adhering to us may be excused from supporting any other parish charge, than where they conscientiously adhere; we desiring the same liberty to those within our bounds, if any there be, and your peti- tioners shall ever pray &c." D.
'The first meeting under the charter was held 6th June, 1750, at
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Matthew Patten's barn, in which Col. John Goffe presided as moderator.
What led to the choice of Bedford as the name, is not certain. It has been suggested, with probability, it might have been in compli- ment to the Duke of Bedford, who corresponded with Benning Went- worth, Esq. Governor of the Province, and who, as Governor, signed the charter of incorporation.
As might be expected from a people of such an origin, they made early provision for the institution of the gospel ; as early as August, 1750, the town voted to give a call to Rev. Alexander Boyd to the work of the ministry and soon after, to Rev. Messrs. Alexander McDowell and Sam- uel McClintock ; but in each case, it appears, without success.
As the privileges of religion cannot well be enjoyed without a con- venient place of worship, the first settlers early turned their attention to building a house for this purpose. In this undertaking there appears to have been some delay, as is apt to be the case, for want of agreement with regard to location ; and it was not until after several unsuccessful trials, that they agreed on the spot where the town-house now stands, the frame of which was raised Oct. 1755; but the house was not fully completed, additions being made from time to time, until a number of years after.
1757 Sept. 28th Rev. John Houston was ordained pastor of the church which was organized in the Presbyterian order. It may be interesting at this distance of time, to mention the ministers that took part in his ordination, found recorded in an old private Journal.
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Rev. Mr. True of Hampstead offered the prayer. Rev. Mr. Parsons * of Newbury, preached from 1 Tim. 1. 11. "According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust." Rev. D. McGregor of Londonderry, gave the charge, Rev. Mr. True gave the right hand of fellowship, and Rev. Mr. White of Gloucester, concluded by prayer.
From the same source of information, it appears that Mr. Ilouston's text, the first Sabbath after ordination, was, "Fear not little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom;" a very appropri- ate one, when we consider, it must have been then a small church and congregation, in the midst of a wilderness.
James Little, James Gilmoor, Benjamin Smith and William Moor constituted the first board of elders.
About this time, it appears from the town records, that sundry inhab- itants of Merrimac, probably from preference for the presbyterian form,
* Father of late chief Justice Parsons of Massachusetts.
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united for a number of years, with the inhabitants of this town in reli- gious privileges.
Mr. Houston continued to fill the office of minister in the place, till 1775. This, as is well known, was a time of great excitement and en- thusiasm throughout the whole country. This town partook largely of the patriotic feeling that prevailed, as appears from the large number of citizens, who from this place went to engage in the dangers and liard- ships of the revolutionary war. E.
. Their minister differed from the great body of the people in the view he took of public affairs, and on this account he ceased preaching this year, and 1778 the pastoral connexion was dissolved by act of presbytry.
It is painful to remark, that on account of his adherence to unpopular opinions, he was subjected to some unworthy treatment. Mr. Houston was educated at Princeton College N. J., where according to the cata- logue, he took his degree 1753, and studied divinity with Rev. David McGregor, the second minister of Londonderry.
He was considered a sound orthodox divine, and a man of considera- ble native and acquired talent, but somewhat deficient as a public speaker.
He was no doubt a conscientious good man.
He was born it is said in Londonderry and died in this town 1798 aged 75. Ilis grave-stone is seen in the old burying yard. F.
For many years after this, it does not appear that there was much that was encouraging in the state of religion.
There was a long period, during which, the town was destitute of a settled ministry. The people were supplied with preaching part of the year, but with a single exception, * not by any one individual for any length of time.
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As might be expected in such a state of things, the ordinances were neglected, divisions came in and the interests of piety suffered a decline .. It is a maxim, universally true, that if a people would enjoy the blessing of God and promote the best interests of themselves, and their children, it behoves them to sustain the regular institutions of religion.
"During the long period of nearly 30 years," says a native of the town an aged and respectable minister, ; in a letter to me, "the people hired a great many candidates and preachers, from time to time ; but I do not remember that they ever gave one a call, to settle with them. In the mean time, the cause of religion ran very low, the church was dimin- ished and scattered, professors lived like other men, and it was scarcely known who they were, only when they came from time to time, to the communion table. As to spirituality in religion, it was scarcely to be
* Rev. Mr. Pickles from Wales, England.
# Rev. Joseph Goffe, Millbury, Massachusetts.
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found; and here I would say with deep emotion, that I never knew a revival of religion in town, until of late years ; and though I hope , some souls were born of God, yet they were few and far between."
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But the watchful providence of God surrounded the church through seasons of peril, and preserved it from the fate by which other churches in similar circumstances, have been overtaken.
Sept. 5, 1804, Rev. David McGregor was ordained to the pastcral charge of the church and congregation in Bedford. The religious as- pect of things now began to change, sensibly for the better. The church as a body became more regular and consistent, affairs were conducted with a greater regard to system, additions were yearly made to their number, and the cause of piety and benevolence advanced with a steady progress.
In April, 1825, the pastoral relation, subsisting between Mr. McGregor and the church, was by mutual consent dissolved by act of Presbytery Mr. McGregor received his education at Dartmouth College where he took his degree 1799. He studied divinity with Rev. Dr. Morrison.
His ministry it is believed was greatly blessed. He has since resid- ed in Falmouth Maine, where he is engaged in the business of instruction.
The present pastor was installed over the church and people July 5th, 1826; Rev. J. M. Whiton, preached on the occasion.
The old meeting-house having been occupied for the worship of God, from generation to generation, for nearly 80 years, and having become unfit for use, the house in which we now worship, was erected, and Dec. 25, 1832 was solemnly dedicated to the service of God.
The church has shared with other churches in spiritual blessings ; and since the settlement of the present pastor, 272 have been added by profession. G.
Comparing the present with former times, we observe those changes that in any place, will generally result from the lapse of time, and the progress of improvement. In regard to conveniences and advantages in many respects, the change is wonderfully great.
Formerly it was often necessary to go a great distance to attend meeting on the sabbath. It was not uncommon for females to ride on horseback or sometimes go on foot, and that with a young child or two, to London- derry, to attend preaching on the Sabbath, and return the same evening.
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On communion occasions, they would go from New-Boston, and even as far as Antrim to Londonderry. These seasons were very interesting, occurring only twice a year, and occupying several days. Those from out of town would arrive on Saturday, and remain till Monday ; and thus an opportunity was afforded at once of renewing their social feelings, and strengthening their religious faith. II.
In regard to common school education, the change is as striking as in
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almost any thing that can be mentioned. As far back as 1754, we fin › in our town records, the following vote in relation to schools, adopted in ' town meeting. "Voted to have the school kept this year, in the follow- ing manner ; beginning at the south westerly corner of the town, and to continue there one month, and then to be kept at the north easterly corner one month, and so alternately one month in each of the afore- mentioned places, in rotation as before mentioned, until the whole 8 months be completed." At the present time, there are 13 school houses, in each of which, on an average, school is kept, 4 or 5 months in the year ; thus offering the advantages of elementary instruction to all chil- dren, who are disposed to improve them.
There is still however much room for improvement, and it is hoped a great impulse to the cause of common school education will soon be given. One more change may be mentioned, which is far from being a change for the better, in the observance of the Sabbath.
This subject evidently engaged more attention formerly, than now ; as would appear from the following article in the town-meeting war- rant for 1779.
"As for some time past, the Sabbath has been greatly profaned, by persons travelling with burthens upon the same, when there is no neces- sity for it ; to see whether the town will not try to provide some remedy for the same, for the future."
Among those who have been inhabitants of the town, there have been some men of considerable note.
Col. John Goffe, one of the first settlers, and the first representative of the town, commanded a regiment in the second French war. He re- sided some time in Manchester. He died 1786, aged 86 ; he was buried in the old grave-yard. Col. Goffe was a serious religious man. He was in the habit, when there was no preaching, of conducting religious exercises at his house on the Sabbath. He sang and prayed, and read a discourse selected, to the edification of the audience. Some, who are now living, attended these meetings. I. p. 15
Hon. Matthew Patten was born in Ireland, May 19th, 1719. In 1738, came to this place, was second Judge of Probate in Hillsborough Coun- ty and the first, after the revolution. IIe represented this town and Amherst in 1776 and '77, was appointed Justice of the peace 1750, and was continued in that office, till his death, which occurred suddenly Aug. 27, 1795. He was father of David Patten Esq. a distinguished surveyor.
In the possession of his daughters now living, there is a very curious manuscript journal of his, continued regularly through 40 or 50 years in a very legible hand. It is a very ininute diary of whatever happened,
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private or public, common domestic occurrences, state of the weather, · preaching on the Sabbath &c. K.
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