USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Canterbury > History of the town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912, v. 1 > Part 1
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Gc 974.202 C1672 v.1 1192416
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01095 9531
GENEALOGY 974.202 C167L v.1
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofc01lyfo_0
James O. Lyford
HISTORY
of the
Town of Canterbury-
NEW HAMPSHIRE
1727 - 1912
BY
JAMES OTIS LYFORD
Editor of History of Concord, N. H. Author of the Life of Edward H. Rollins
V. 1
IN TWO VOLUMES
Volume One NARRATIVE
PRE
RD
MF
THE
.H
ARS
Rumford
CIE
SC
CONCORD, N. H. THE RUMFORD PRESS 1912
-
mis
1192416
TO THE MEMORY OF MY MOTHER.
"St. Leon raised his kindling eye, And lifts the sparkling cup on high: 'I drink to one,' he said, 'Whose image never may depart, Deep graven on this grateful heart, Till memory be dead ;-
"'To one whose love for me shall last When lighter passions long have past- So holy 'tis and true; To one whose love hath longer dwelt, More deeply fixed, more keenly felt, Than any pledged by you.'
"Each guest upstarted at the word, And laid a hand upon his sword, With fury flashing eye; And Stanley said, 'We crave the name, Proud knight, of this most peerless dame Whose love you count so high.'
"St. Leon paused, as if he would Not breathe her name in careless mood, Thus lightly, to another; Then bent his noble head, as though To give the word the reverence due, And gently said, 'My Mother.' "1
The Knight's Toast .- Anonymous.
( Sport)
1. Canner - 15.00
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGES
The charter and the proprietors. Bounding the town. Drawing the lots.
Promoting a settlement. First settlers with places of their locations. Cutting a road from Durham to Canterbury. Provisions for a saw mill, a minister, a meeting house and a fort. The first preacher, Rev. James Scales. The Gospel Lots. Sale of the pew ground in the meet- ing house. Deed of the parsonage lot 1-26
CHAPTER II.
Provision for an Indian trading post. Apprehension of Indian raids. Christo. Garrisons at the fort. Scouting parties. Attack upon Canterbury, 1746. Muster rolls. Stealing negro slaves. Killing of Sabattis and Plausawa. Arrest of the murderers and their rescue. Action of the Provincial Government. Raid of 1757. Capt. Jeremiah Clough, Sr. Attesting the charter. Thomas Clough and Josiah Miles 27-45
CHAPTER III.
Growth of the town. Census returns, 1767 to 1775. Tax payers, 1762 to 1771. Facts about the early settlers. Division of the town. Loudon set off in 1773 and Northfield in 1780. Tax payers, 1774 to 1785 and U. S. Census of 1790. An invoice of 1769. The Mark Book 46-74
CHAPTER IV.
Bounding the home lots. Controversies over the Canterbury Gore. Early highways. The Webster-Blanchard Ferry. Fencing the parsonage lot. Efforts to settle a minister. Rev. Robert Cutler. Rev. Abiel Foster. Dismissal of Mr. Foster and his subsequent public service. Diaries of Rev. Timothy Walker and Judge Timothy Walker. The Pound. Authenticating the proprietors' records. Duties of con- stable and collector. 75-106
CHAPTER V.
The period of the Revolution. Association Test and Signers. Com- mittees of Safety. Promoting enlistments. Accusations of disloyalty. Arrest of Capt. Jeremiah Clough, Jr. His confinement and vindica- tion. Formation of a state constitution. Supplies for the army. Paper currency 107-128
vi
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
CHAPTER VI.
PAGES
Roster of enlistments from Canterbury. Service of men from Bunker Hill to Yorktown. Town and state records. Train Band and Alarm Lists, Alphabetical list of soldiers credited to the town 129-167
CHAPTER VII.
Condition of the meeting house. Efforts to secure a settled minister. The Rev. Frederick Parker. His sudden death. Calling of Rev. William Patrick. Protests against church taxation. The "Shell Church" and its history. Care of the poor. Petitions for a new county. The militia. Public cemeteries . 168-188
CHAPTER VIII.
Early postal facilities. Industries and business. The blacksmith shops, saw and grist mills, taverns and stores. Liquor licenses and legisla- tion. Libraries. Highway districts. War of 1812 . 189-212
CHAPTER IX.
Early legislation for the support of public worship. The Toleration Act. Separation of town and church in Canterbury. Controversy over the location of a town house. Use of the old meeting house as such. The Moral Society. Poor Farm and House of Correction. Controversies over Canterbury Bridge Charles G. Haines 213-238
CHAPTER X.
The parsonage fund and lot. Action on surplus revenue of the United States. Calling town officers to account. The annual town meeting of a former generation. Litigation over new highways. Attitude of Canterbury on the liquor traffic. Vote on abolishing capital pun- ishment. Town hearse. Heating the town house. Soapstone industry
239-261
CHAPTER XI.
Anti-slavery agitation. Partisan politics. Exciting election in 1860. Call to arms for the Civil War. Filling the quotas of the town. Boun- ties to secure enlistments. Debt at the close of the war. Roster of the enlistments from Canterbury. First printed town report. Move- ment for a county almshouse 262-289
CHAPTER XII.
Conditions at the close of the Civil War. Causes of the subsequent decline in population and wealth. Farmers and Mechanics' Associ- ation. Town fairs. Grange. Divorce of town and state politics. Educational Society. The war debt paid. The Choral Union. Village Improvement Society. Town clock. Telephone. History of the town 290-303
vii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIII.
PAGES
The Center Congregational Church. Early records lost. Covenant. Building a meeting house. Owners of pews. Pastorate of Rev. William Patrick. Condemning the use of intoxicating liquors. Anti- slavery controversy. Recognition of women. Formation of the Congregational Society. First Sunday School. Pastorate of Rev. Howard Moody. Settlement of Rev. James Doldt. His successors. Deacons
304-315
CHAPTER XIV.
The early Freewill Baptists. Trial and persecutions. Experiences of visiting elders. Organization of the first Freewill Baptist Church of Canterbury. Pastorate of Elder Winthrop Young. First meeting- house. Early members of the church. Dr. Joseph M. Harper. Trouble with the Osgoodites. The denominational name. Elders John Harriman, Joseph and Jeremiah Clough and Jonathan Ayers. Advance ground on temperance and slavery. Opposition to a trained ministry. Building a new meeting house. Elder Alpheus D. Smith and later pastors . 316-337
CHAPTER XV.
A second Freewill Baptist Society. Members. A "Free Meeting House." Its destruction by fire. No settled pastor. Efforts to unite with the Congregational Society in support of public worship. Later cooper- ation 338-343
CHAPTER XVI.
The Worsted Church at Hill's Corner. Established for joint use of Con- gregationalists and Baptists. The coming of Mrs. Monmouth. Her decoration of the interior of the building and her work in the com- munity. Loss of her property and her last days. 344-349
CHAPTER XVII.
The Shakers. Mother Ann Lee. Coming to America. Settlement in New York. Proselyting in New England. Forming communities. The Canterbury society. Its early members. Obligations and cove- nant of the Shakers. Principles of their faith. Early form of worship. Dress. Industries. Education. Progress. Relations with the town.
350-369
CHAPTER XVIII.
Osgoodites. Their founder and his experiences. Obtrusive proselyting and plain speaking. Objection to the "hireling priest," the doctor and the lawyer. Character of Osgood's followers. Their Sunday services. Protests voiced in prayer, exhortation and song. Simplicity of their burial service. Quaint hymns and epitaphs. 370-375
viii
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
CHAPTER XIX.
PAGES
Schools. Early legislation in New Hampshire. First votes in Canterbury and first school master. Meager provisions until after Revolution. Livision of town into classes and later into districts. First school houses. Inspectors. The "school dame" and women's schools. Ex- amination of teachers. Prudential Committees. Reports of Super- intending School Committees. Decline in number of scholars. Reduction in number of districts. Present conditions. Kezer Seminary . 376-410
CHAPTER XX.
Blanchard School District No. 1. An old part of the town. A Moore settlement. Here was the first tavern in Canterbury. Location of homesteads. 402-410
CHAPTER XXI.
West Road School District, No. 2, originally including No. 10, the Depot District, No. 11, the Upper Intervale District, and No. 12, the Carter District. Here was located the fort. Probable sites of early settlers' homes. Location of later homesteads. 411-417
CHAPTER XXII.
Borough School District, No. 3, sometimes called Pallet Borough. Set- tled mostly after the Revolutionary War by families prominent in the history of the town. Location of homesteads. 418-421
CHAPTER XXIII.
Baptist School District, No. 4. Settlements here followed the close of the Revolution. Early settlers. A farming community. Location of homesteads. 422-426
CHAPTER XXIV.
Hackleborough School District, No. 5. The pioneers. A Foster settle- ment. Later arrivals. Industries. Character of schools. Location of homesteads. 427-439
CHAPTER XXV.
Hill's Corner School District, No. 6. The old trail. Early settlers. Loca- tion of homesteads. School houses. Distinguished natives and resi- dents. Industries. Taverns and stores. East Canterbury Band. 440-461
CHAPTER XXVI.
Center School District, No. 7. Within its limits the first school house was built. Here also was the log church and first frame meeting house. Some of the early settlers. Location of homesteads. 462-468
CHAPTER XXVII.
Ingalls School District, No. 9. A family neighborhood. United to Loudon for school purposes in 1880. Location of homesteads 469-472
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
ANCESTRAL HOMES OF THE MORRILL FAMILY
26
DANIEL FOSTER HOUSE 57
MORRILL LOT IN CEMETERY AT CANTERBURY CENTER .
186
MOORE-MCCRILLIS-BLANCHARD TAVERN
196
HOME OF COL. DAVID M. CLOUGH
·
236
HOME OF ELDER JEREMIAH CLOUGH, "MASTER " PARKINSON HOUSE,
STEVENS-BRADLEY HOUSE, RESIDENCE OF HERBERT L. BROWN .
254
HOME OF COL. ASA FOSTER, BIRTHPLACE OF STEPHEN S. FOSTER 262
TOWN FAIR .
294
RESIDENCE OF LEROY A. GLINES. PROBABLE SITE OF CAPT. JEREMIAH CLOUGH, JR.'S, SETTLEMENT . · 294
HOME OF THOMAS CLOUGH, OLD CANTERBURY BRIDGE, BRICK SCHOOL
HOUSE, CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AT CENTER
·
306
HOME OF EDWARD OSGOOD, ORIGINAL AND PRESENT, BAPTIST CHURCHES, KEZER SEMINARY .
. 322
VIEWS OF SHAKER VILLAGE AND SHAKER BARNS .
·
354
VIEWS OF SHAKER TURNING MILL AND POND AND SHAKER CEMETERY 366
FIRST AND SECOND TYPES OF SCHOOL HOUSES
· 384
CLOUGH POND
422
JOHN FOSTER HOME
· 435
HILL'S TAVERN, WORSTED CHURCH, INTERIOR OF WORSTED CHURCH, · 460
SHAKER CHURCH
ix
PREFACE
FEW traditions have survived in Canterbury prompting in- quiry to verify the facts upon which the stories were based. The generations are gone, who heard from ancestors the story of the struggles of the early pioneers of the town and of the part taken by the immediate descendants of these ancestors in the Revolution. With them have disappeared all diaries of indi- viduals and all memoranda throwing light upon this period. In fact, there is little information to be gleaned from the inhab- itants now living of occurrences antedating the second half of the nineteenth century. This history, therefore, for the hundred and twenty-five years following the granting of the charter of the town, has necessarily been drawn from its records and such data as the state has compiled of this community.
At first thought this situation might be regarded as a handi- cap upon the writer, for, while tradition is frequently unreliable, it is nevertheless helpful in pointing the way to research, which, if it does not confirm the fireside story, discloses facts that would otherwise remain undiscovered. But in the absence of the old settler's account of what his forefathers did, the quest became all the keener to understand the meaning of the meager records made by the town clerk of what the voters did in their collective capacity. Hasty conclusions, often prompted by the survival of oral testimony, were thus avoided. Colonial and state action upon questions of interest to the people frequently explain arti- cles in the warrant calling a town meeting upon which no vote was taken and also obscure passages in the record of transactions. Apparently unrelated paragraphs in these records were found upon investigation to be the complements of one another. If the narrative lacks the spice of the personal equation, as it was handed down from generation to generation in the household and at public gatherings, the account of what occurred in Canter- bury from 1727 to 1850, as here set forth, is at least the history of what was done, rather than a compilation of what is remem- bered to have happened.
xi
xii
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
Except when the clerk of the Proprietors resided at Oyster River Parish in Durham, from which locality a number of the early settlers came, the records of the town have been well kept. A plan of the lots into which the present Canterbury was orig- inally divided is in existence. The Province Registry of Deeds with its excellent card index contains many of the conveyances made in town prior to the division of New Hampshire into coun- ties, which took effect in 1771 under the act of 1769. It is the most authentic evidence of who were the first settlers, aside from a few tax lists which survived destruction. The State Papers have often supplemented the information of the town books or supplied it when local records were deficient. The historical sermon of the Rev. William Patrick, written in 1833, thirty years after his settlement as pastor of the town church, preserved some facts not elsewhere recorded which came within his knowledge, but he accepted as reliable only part of the ac- counts of the Indian raids given to him by the immediate descend- ants of the participants.
These are the sources from which the story of Canterbury has been taken for the greater part of its existence.
The original grant of the town was an extensive area, for it embraced not only Canterbury as it now is found upon the map, but Loudon and Northfield as well. The former was set off in 1773 and the latter in 1780. Prior to 1760 the settlements were almost wholly within the limits of the present township of Canter- bury, and confined to that section within a mile or two of the intervale lands on the Merrimack River. After the close of the French and Indian War had removed all apprehension of the savages, the colonists and newcomers spread out, going south into Loudon and north into Northfield. The town church at. the Center became inconvenient for those inhabitants who had settled in these remote sections, and they asked to be incorpo- rated into separate parishes. No opposition to this separation was made by the original settlers, and the petitions to the pro- vincial and state legislatures, to create two new townships out. of the grant of 1727, were immediately approved. The history of Canterbury begins with the charter for its settlement, and is: the story of the whole town up to the time of these divisions. After that it concerns only the inhabitants of the parent com- munity shorn of its children.
xiii
PREFACE.
Among the archives of the town were found some old tax lists covering the period from 1762 to 1785. These have been compiled in tables and published for the reason that they show who were the inhabitants for almost a quarter of a century after the close of the French and Indian War, when freedom from Indian attacks permitted the development of the community beyond the limits of the first settlements. To these is added the first United States Census of Canterbury, Loudon and North- field. This was taken in 1790, only seventeen years after Loudon was made a separate township and only ten years after North- field was given town privileges. A comparison of these tax lists with the Census of the United States will show the migration of the inhabitants from the parent settlement to Loudon and Northfield.
Plans of the highways of each school district have been made and the locations of existing and abandoned homesteads are indicated thereon by figures. The succession of inhabitants at each homestead is given in the subsequent text. This work is comparatively complete for those sections of the town, like Hill's Corner and Hackleborough, where the settlements did not take place until about the time of the Revolution or later. In describing the location of an abandoned homestead, it is suffi- ciently clear to the present generation to say that it is next to that of a living inhabitant, but, in years to come, the latter location may also be destroyed, and then all trace of both is lost. So long, however, as the highways are maintained, or, if closed, their outlines are apparent, it will be possible to trace the sites of former residents.
In dealing with the town church, the settlement of the early ministers, the opposition to taxation for the support of preaching, the Shaker community, the schools, the poor farm, the local house of correction and some other topics, the occasion for action by the people of Canterbury is explained by brief references to colonial and state legislation and to current history, while through- out it has been the purpose to show in the narrative the reason for the attitude of the inhabitants when the records do not make this clear. Some of this information is obtainable only from statutes and miscellaneous publications. Much material had to be rejected as beyond the purpose of this work, but its examination shows the necessity for the writing of a history of
xiv
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
New Hampshire, that the part the people of this one of the orig- inal thirteen colonies had in the founding and development of a nation may be accessible to the student as well as to the genera- tions that are to form the future population of the state. If this book shall have more than local value as a history, it will be due to the suggestions made and the help given by Albert S. Batchellor of Littleton, editor of the N. H. State Papers, whose inspiration led me to give it a somewhat wider scope than a mere narrative of the happenings of a township.
The most difficult task has been the gathering of material for genealogy. Some of the early families are either extinct or the residences of their descendants are unknown. The offspring of others have widely scattered, and, when they have been lo- cated, too often they have been indifferent to this work. Looking back upon the labors of the History Committee and the early discouragements that confronted them, the marvel is that they secured so much material for this interesting part of a town his- tory. To a large extent, the preparation of the genealogies has been made to conform to the method of compilation adopted by the New England Historic and Genealogical Society. In a few instances of lengthy genealogies prepared by the family, the genealogy has been published as received to avoid mistakes liable to occur in copying. It has been impossible to send proofs after printing to the different families for their examination, but the effort of both the committee and the publishers has been to avoid errors.
Some one has said that the writing of a town history is a life work, so numerous are its details and so infinitely does inquiry lead to subsequent research. This is in a large measure true. The time, however, that can be devoted to such work is for a variety of reasons limited. While something of value could be added to the history of Canterbury by delaying the publication for a year or two, the fact remains that at no time would its narrative be entirely free from omissions. Longer delay to secure details of minor importance would have a tendency to lessen the interest of those engaged in the enterprise and of subscribers who await its publication.
To Mrs. Henry L. Clough belongs the credit for starting the movement that has resulted in this history. Her appeal to me to undertake the writing of the narrative, lest it be not done at
XV
PREFACE.
all, was a reminder of my early obligations to the people of Can- terbury. When I started in life, they honored me with their confidence. The least I could do in discharge of that debt was to contribute my share towards preserving in permanent form the records of the town and the achievements of its citizens. The narrative is my gift to the town. Any public-spirited action is a stimulus to others. In this instance it has secured the hearty cooperation of the people of this community in carrying the history to a successful conclusion.
The unanimous vote of the town to loan its credit for the publication of the book was the first expression. The willing contribution of time and labor by members of the History Com- mittee followed. This committee consisted of Henry L. Clough, Alfred H. Brown, Olwyn W. Dow, Miss Mary E. Clough, and Mrs. Almira J. Sargent. Especially are the people of Canterbury indebted to Miss Clough, Mrs. Sargent, Miss Josephine M. Brown and Miss Katherine Pickard for work, covering a period of several years, in the preparation of the genealogy. Without the assistance of Miss Clough my part in the enterprise would have been greatly delayed. Her knowledge of local happenings and her historical instinct have insured accuracy and prevented omissions.
Assistance has not been confined to residents of the town. The accompanying maps, one a reproduction from the County Map of 1858 with a plan of the town lots superimposed, the other showing locations and inhabitants at the present time, are the gifts of Howard P. Moore of Albany, N. Y., the plan of the town lots having been prepared without expense by Augustine H. Ayers of Concord. Two former residents, Levi Badger Chase of Sturbridge, Mass., and George R. Foster of Milford, Mass., have furnished much data relating to the Hill's Corner and Hackleborough school districts. Photographs for the illustra- tions have been supplied by Luther M. Cody from his collection. To Otis G. Hammond, assistant state librarian, I am also in- debted for assistance in finding both published and unpublished data relating to the town.
NOTE .- The references in the footnotes of this volume to the Provincial Papers, the N. H. Town Papers, Bouton's Town Papers and the N. H. State Papers are to the series of volumes published by the state and edited by Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Bouton, Isaac N. Hammond and Albert S. Batchellor.
CHAPTER I.
THE CHARTER AND THE PROPRIETORS. BOUNDING THE TOWN AND DRAWING THE LOTS. PROMOTING A SETTLEMENT. THE FIRST SETTLERS. CUTTING A ROAD FROM DURHAM TO CANTERBURY. PROVISIONS FOR A MINISTER, A MEETING HOUSE, A SAW MILL AND A FORT. THE FIRST PREACHER, REV. JAMES SCALES. PUR- CHASE OF PEW GROUND IN THE MEETING HOUSE. DEED OF THE PARSONAGE LOT.
CHARTER.1
George, By the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of Faith etc.
To All People to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
Know ye that we of our special knowledge and meer motion for the due encouragement of settling a new plantation, by and with the advise and consent of our Council, have given and granted and by presents, as far as in us lies, do give and grant in equal shares unto sundry of our beloved subjects whose names are entered in a schedule hereunto annexed, that inhabit or shall inhabit within the said grant within our Province of New Hamp- shire all of that tract of land within the following bounds, viz: To begin at the head of the town of Chichester and to run north- west by the town of Gilmantown to Winassosawque (Winnepi- seogee) Pond, or River that runs westerly of said pond, and from the first place where it began then to run southwest seven miles on the head of the aforesaid town of Chichester, and then to run northwest to the aforesaid river that comes out of the pond afore- said, and then the river to be the bounds on the northwest end, provided it do not intrench on any former legal grant, and that the same be a town corporate by the name of Canterbury to the persons aforesaid and to such associates as they shall admit, forever. To have and to hold the said land to the said grantees and their associates and their heirs and assigns forever upon the conditions following:
1N. H. State Papers, Vol. XXIV, page 524.
2
2
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
First, That the Proprietors within three years build seventy dwelling houses and settle a family in each house or cause the same to be done, and clear three acres of ground fit for planting or mowing, and that each proprietor pay his proportion of the town charges when and so often as occasion shall require the same.
Second, That a meeting house be built for the public worship of God within the term of four years.
Third, That upon the default of any particular proprietor in complying with the conditions of this Charter, upon his part such delinquent proprietor shall forfeit his share of the said land to the other proprietors, which shall be disposed of according to the major vote of the said proprietors at a legal meeting.
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