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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00055 5489
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/memorialsofmered00unse
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New England Town Series EDITED BY FRANKLIN P. RICE
MEMORIALS OF
MEREDITH
NEW HAMPSHIRE
SETTS RECOR
MASSACHUS
JORD SOCIETY 1
WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS RECORD SOCIETY 1891
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MEMORIALS OF MEREDITH.
I. PRINCIPAL FACTS.
The town was incorporated by the Governor and Council on the 30th of December, 1768, at which time it received its present name.
Previous to its incorporation it was known by the name of New Salem, some of its early settlers being formerly residents of the town of Salem.
It was within the bounds of Mason's Patent, and as incorpor- ated included the present town of Laconia.
By an Act approved December 30, 1799, Stone-dam and Bear Islands were annexed to this town.
A division of the town took place July 14, 1855, the south- easterly portion being incorporated into a town by the name of Laconia.
By an Act approved July 3, 1873, a portion of Meredith was annexed to Centre Harbor.
II. PETITION FOR AN INCORPORATION, 1768.
To his Excellency John Wentworth Esq'. Captain General Governor & Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, & the Hon : His Majesty's Council.
The Humble Petition of David Lawrence Esq'. and Ebenezer Smith Gent" in behalf of themselves and others Proprietors & Inhabitants of NEW SALEM (in the Province aforesaid) upon Winipisiokee Pond.
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Sheweth
That 17 Families have actually Settled and are now resident in New Salem aforesaid, and four other Families are now preparing to go, & reside there.
That they humbly apprehend they are ripe for an Incorporation ; and an Investment with Town Priviledges, which will greatly assist the present Settlement, and accelerate its Completion as they can thereby make proper Highways, & have power to chuse Town Officers &c
They therefore pray your Excell"y & Hon's to take the premises into your Consideration, and that they may be incorporated ac- cordingly
And your Pet's will ever pray &c
DAVID LAWRENCE EBENEZER SMITH
Portsmouth 16th June 1768
[The foregoing petition was granted, and the town incorpor- ated by the name of Meredith, December 30, 1768 .- ED. ]-New Hampshire Town Papers, Vol. XII., pp. 581-2.
III. POPULATION.
A Return of the Several Inhabitants of the town of Meredith to the Committee of Safety for the Colony of New Hampshire taken agreeable to the order of the Congress of said Colony.
Males under 16 years of age 70
Males from 16 years of age to 50 not in the Army 50
All males above 50 years of age 7
Persons gone in the Army and at home on furloo IO
All females 122
Negroes and Slaves for life
o
259
Meredith October ye 19th 1775
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[Attested by Ebenezer Smith, William Mead and Nathaniel Robinson, Selectmen.]-N. H. Provincial Papers, Vol. VII., p. 753.
572 was the number returned in 1786.
The following figures are from the U. S. Census returns :
Year
Inhabitants
Year
Inhabitants
1790
881
1850
3,521
1 800
1,609
1860
1,944 *
1810
1,940
1870
1,807
1820
2,416
1880
1,800
1830
2,683
1890
1,642
1840
3,344
*Laconia was set off in 1855.
IV. PROPRIETARY AND TOWN RECORDS.
The following statement of the periods covered by the Town and other Records of Meredith, the number of volumes, and their condition, etc., was kindly furnished me by Mr. I. C. Boynton, the Town Clerk.
PROPRIETORS' RECORDS.
The Proprietors' Records are complete from November 3d, 1748 to December 30th, 1768. There are occasional records relating to the division of lands, etc., extending a few years later.
TOWN RECORDS.
The first town meeting was called by Ebenezer Smith to as- semble on the 20th of March, 1769. The Record of Town Proceedings is complete to the present time, with the exception of that for 1793, which is missing from the end of the first volume. The whole is comprised in five books, as follows :
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Volume I.
1769 to 1792.
II.
1794 to 1818.
III.
1819 to 1860.
66
IV.
1861 to 1887.
.V.
1888 to 1891.
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
The record of Marriages begins with 1805, and is thought to be complete, or nearly so, for the years following to 1891. The Births and Deaths previous to 1848 are not preserved, and many are omitted before 1884. The records from 1885 to 1891 are supposed to be complete.
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS.
There is a volume of Highway Records from 1785 to 1848, in a damaged condition. Another volume continues to the present time. Miscellaneous records have been kept since 1851. None of the original papers are preserved.
V. PRIVATE BURIAL GROUNDS.
Several private burial places were observed in and about Mere- dith. Two in the northeastern part of the town were visited, and the inscriptions on the monuments copied. The Leavitt burial ground is situated near the site of the early home of Dudley Leavitt in Meredith, on an old road, now closed to travel, leading to the farm of Rufus L. Veasey. I am indebted to Miss H. J. Leavitt, a granddaughter of Dudley Leavitt, for the information embodied in the notes.
The Fogg burial ground is situated on a deserted farmstead, at the top of the hill on the old road from Meredith to Centre Har- bor, about three miles from Meredith Village. Near by is the house, now unoccupied and falling into decay, of the late owner of the farm, Chase Fogg, whose remains, with those of his wife, I am informed, rest in this ground.
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THE LEAVITT PRIVATE BURIAL GROUND.
INSCRIPTIONS.
I
DUDLEY LEAVITT Died
JUDITH 2
Wife of
Sept. 15, 1851, Æ 79 yrs 3 mos & 22 days
DUDLEY LEAVITT
Died
Mar. 20, 1853 Æ. 75
-
3
ENOS Son of
DUDLEY & JUDITH LEAVITT
Died June 6, 1819 Aged 18 yrs, 4 mos. 6 days
DUDLEY Son of DUDLEY & JUDITH LEAVITT Died Jan. 7, 1842 Æ. 31 yr's 6 mo. & 18 d's Blessed are they who die in the Lord.
5 ISAAC LEAVITT
EDDIE C.
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Son of
Born Dec. 31, 1798' 1 Died Nov. 8, 1881 *
A. E. & E. A. LEAVITT, Died Dec. 30, 1863 Æ. 2 y'rs, 7 mo's.
-
Sweet little one we mourn thy loss, Yet hope again to meet ; To join thy song and with thee cast Our crowns at Jesus' fret
* The date on the stone was incorrectly cut " 1882."
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7
S
[Double stone. Obverse : ] BARTLETT
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MOTHER
FATHER S
[Reverse : ]
BETSEY JOSEPH BARTLETT
Wife of
Died
JOSEPH BARTLETT
Mar. 8, 1859
Died
Æ. 68 yrs. 4 mos.
May 16, 1858 , A. 62 yrs. 10 mos.
NOTE TO NO. 1.
Dudley Leavitt, widely known as " Old Master Leavitt," was a descendant in the fifth generation from John Leavitt, the emigrant from England, and freeman of Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1636, through Joshua', Joseph 3 and Moses2. Dudley was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, May 23, 1772. In early life he removed to Gilmanton. where he engaged in school-teaching. and, in 1800, edited the Gilmanton Gazette. The first number of his famous Almanac was issued for 1797, and he continued its publication annually during the remainder of his life, making his own calculations and supplying the whole matter. The Almanac is still published in Concord. In 1Sco Mr. Leavitt took up his residence in Meredith, on the fine farm now in the possession of his descendants. In 1811 he established the New Hampshire Register, which he edited several years; he also prepared an Arithmetic and a Grammar for use in Schools. His works gained for him some distinction in Europe.
Dudley Leavitt married Judith Glidden (born March 13, 1778) of Gilman- ton, New Hampshire. Their children were :-
Betsey, born June 20, 1795; died May 16, 1858. Married Joseph Bartlett Isaac, born June 17, 1797; died March 2, 1798.
Isaac, born December 31, 1798; died November 8, 1881. Married Sarah Smith.
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Enos, born January 30, 1801; died June 6, 1819.
Josiah, born December 15, 1So2; died November 3, 1837. Married Patience Kenney.
Judith, born April 8, 1805; died November 15, IS13.
Jane, born June 29, 1807; died March, 1851. Married Rev. John L Sey- mour, and was a missionary among the Indians.
Dudley, born June 19, 1810; died January 7, 1842.
Mary, born March 25, 1813; died July 4, 1SS6. , Married Josiah Prescott. Judith, born September 24, 1815; died March 21, 1846. Married Rev. John Taylor Jones, and was a missionary at Bangkok, Siam.
Sivilla, born July 16, 1818; died July 21, 1858. Married Charles Prescott.
NOTE TO NO. 4.
Dudley was a graduate of Dartmouth College, class of 1839. He pre- pared for the ministry at Andover, and was stricken with paralysis a few hours before his classmates were licensed.
NOTE TO No. 6.
Eddie C. was a grandson of Isaac Leavitt, and a great-grandson of Dudley Leavitt senior.
THE FOGG PRIVATE BURIAL GROUND.
INSCRIPTIONS.
SALLY
2
I
STEPHEN FOGG Died
Wife of
Dec. 26, 1842,
STEPHEN FOGG
Æ 82 yrs. 4 mos. Æ 70 yrs. 9 mos. & 14 d's. & 29 d's. Died Dec. 22 1833
1565701
IO
3 In Memory of DANIEL CASS
Who died
Dec. 5, 1822,
Aged 33.
DANIEL CASS 4
Died
Aug. 22, 1853,
Æt. 32.
Let me go, for the day breaketh.
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REV.
FRANCIS E. CLEVES, Died Dec. 2, 1883, Æ. 67 yrs. 2 mos. 28 ds.
Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. II. TIM. I : X.
Just as I am : Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God! I come, I come!
SARAH ADAMS, 6
Wife of
REV. F. E. CLEVES,
Died
Mar. 8, 1854, Æ. 31.
"Just as I am, without one plea. But that Thy blood was shed for me. And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come."
PRESENTED BY JOSIAH FOGG.
7 SUSAN CLARA,
Dau. of F. E. & S. A. CLEVES, Died Apr. 27, 1853, Æ. 17 mo.
Good night, darling ; we will meet thee in the morning.
ANNIE S
II years & 3 mos. A Life of Love.
T
9 DUDLEY KENNEY
SALLY F. 10
Died
Wife of
Mar. 26, 1868
DUDLEY KENNEY
, Æ. 74
Died
At Rest
Feb. 9, 1874
Æ. 80
At rest
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II LEWIS C. Died Mar. 17, 1829 Æ. 1 yr. 10 mo. & 16 days LEWIS C. Died Mar. 10, 1841 A. 2 yrs. 6 mo. & 5 days Children of Dudley & Sally F. Kenney
GEORGE W. KENNEY I3
Died
Jan. 26, 1852
Æ. 30 yrs. & 6 mos.
We loved thee on earth We hope to meet thee in heaven
14 SARAH E. Dau. of
SELWIN C. 15
Son of
P. W. & N. L. HEATH
Died
Oct. 13, 1863, Æ. 9 yrs.
With thee departed many hopes.
r
FREEMAN & MARY
WILSON .
Died Aug. 23, 1853, Æ. 17 mo's.
Sweet bud of promise, passing sweet. The solace of an hour; Now blooming bright in Paradise. A fair, immortal flower.
الثالث .
I 2
NOTE TO NOS. 3 AND 4.
These were father and son. The mother of Daniel Cass senior was a sis- ter of Stephen Fogg.
NOTE TO NOS. 5 AND 6.
.The Rev. Francis E. Cleves was a Baptist clergyman, and preached at Sanbornton, Littleton and New Boston in New Hampshire, and Woodville, Massachusetts. His wife was a daughter of Chase Fogg and a granddaughter of Stephen Fogg.
ADDENDA.
The following facts concerning the persons buried in the Fogg ground were kindly given by Mrs. P. W. Heath, a daughter of Chase Fogg, in a communication received after the body of this pamphlet was printed.
Nos. I and 2. Stephen Fogg was the first of the family who settled on the farm in Meredith. He was undoubtedly the Stephen mentioned in the Sanbornton records before 1800. He married Sally Marsh. Chase Fogg was their son. The latter died February 25th, 1873, aged 75 years, 2 months and 6 days. His wife, Sally B. Leavitt Fogg, died June Ist, ISSS, aged 89 years, 9 months and 17 days.
Nos. 5 & 6. The Rev. Mr. Cleves died in Springfield, Mass. It was at Littleton, Massachusetts, that he preached, not New Hampshire. Josiah Fogg, whose name appears in No. 6, was a cousin of Mrs. Cleves.
No. 8. Annie was the daughter of Mr. Cleves by his second wife, who was a sister of his first wife. This child died in April, 1874.
No. 10. Mrs. Kenney was a sister of Daniel Cass senior. George W. (No. 13) was her son.
No. 14. Mrs. Mary Wilson was a sister of Chase Fogg's wife.
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