USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Claremont > The grantees of Claremont, N.H., 1767-1893 > Part 1
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M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01095 9002
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/granteesofclarem1767spof
THE
Grantees of Claremont, N. H.
REPRINTED FROM "GRANITE MONTHLY."
ALSOC
A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST
OF THE
Town Officers
REPRESENTATIVES AND POSTMASTER3.
1767 --- 1893.
REPRINTED FROM "THE NATIONAL EAGLE."
Compiled by Charles B. Spofford.
1771739
- (6טלפון
1:
14214 83
Spofford, Charles Byron, 1863- comp.
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The grantees of Claremont, N. H .; reprinted from "Granite monthly." Also a chronological list of the town officers, representatives and postmasters. 1767- 1893. Reprinted from "The National cagle." Comp. by Charles B. Spofford. . (Concord? N. HI., 1893] cover-title, 23, 15 p. 25}cm.
1. Claremont, N. H .- Hist. 2. Claremont, N. H .- Biog.
PARA
Library of Congress
F44.C65S69
15-19108
-
F84214.83
THE GRANTEES OF CLAREMONT. N. H.
BY C. B. SPOFFORD.
The events which led to the granting of the town of Claremont are but a repetition of those of other towns along the Connecticut and in Vermont. Previous to the French and Indian war (1754-1761) the only settlements of importance were at Charlestown, or "Number Four," as it was then called, Upper Ashuelot, or Keene, and Fort Dummer, or Hinsdale. From these places the expeditions were sent, usually taking direct routes to their objective points, so that the value of the lands through which they passed became known. When the contest ended the whole northern part of America became British possessions, and the ungranted portions were eagerly sought. The title to these was, however, claimed by both New York and New Hampshire, the former under the government of Tyron, the latter under Benning Wentworth. Tyron claimed the territory as far east as the Connecticut river, while Went- worth presumed that his authority extended as far west as that of Massachusetts, or within twenty miles of the Hud- son river. Both had certain reasons for such claims, and the dispute over territory was not settled until many years later. With the close of the war these lands were sought by adventurers and speculators and generously granted by both governors. Gov. Wentworth availed himself of the opportunity to fatten his own purse, reward friends and relatives as well as a few faithful subjects, and he granted almost without limit.
By the advice of the council he ordered a survey to be made of the Connecticut river valley and three tiers of townships to be laid out on each side, each township to average six miles square. During the year 1761 sixty of these were granted on the west side of the river and eighteen on the east side, among them being Newport in 1761, Cornish in 1763. Besides the fees and presents received for these grants the governor also reserved for himself five hundred acres in each of the grants, also a share for the schools, first settled minister, the Church of England, and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. All of these reservations were exempt from fees and charges of improve-
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ment. Those who obtained the grants seldom settled upon them, but sold their rights to those who did settle, or sought purchasers in the neighboring colonies, in some instances making grants to those who would settle. The passion for new lands rose to a great height, and in a few years many settlers had become occupants of and were tilling the fer- tile lands along the Connecticut river, the greater part of whom were from the older settlements in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
On October 26, 1764, "By the Special Grace certain knowledge & meer motion, & for the due encouragement of settling a new plantation within the Province of New Hampshire " the council, with the advice of "Our Trusty and well beloved Benning Wentworth, Governor and Com- mander-in-chief of said province, do upon certain condi- tions and with certain reservations grant unto the parties hereafter named the tract of land bounded as follows, ' beginning at a marked tree standing on the easterly bank of the Connecticut River, which bound is the Northwest- erly corner of Charlestown, from thence running south 78 ° easterly about six and one half miles to the South- westerly angle of NewPort from thence turning off & running North 8º easterly about five and seven eighths of a mile by New Port aforesaid to the southeasterly angle of Cornish. Then turning off again and running north 77 ° westerly about six miles by Cornish aforesaid, to the Connecticut River thence down the said river as that runs to the bounds begun at, together with the islands lying in said river opposite the said premises.'" This tract was further said to contain by admeasurement 24,000 acres, six miles square and no more, out of which was made an allowance . of 1,040 acres for highways and unimprovable land, by reason of rocks, ponds, mountains, and rivers. The tract was named Claremont, and was divided into seventy-five equal shares, sixty-nine of whom were named as individu- als, the remaining six shares being for the governor and the various societies. The usual reservations were made for the preservation of white pine trees for his majesty's navy, and providing for two " Fairs," the dates being left open. Samuel Ashley was named as the first' moderator. We shall give the names of the grantees as they appear on the charter, the numbering being our own for the sake of con-
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venience. The first meeting of the proprietors was held at the house of Hilkiah Grout, in Winchester, N. H., on February 21, 1767, at which Samuel Ashley was chosen moderator, and Col. Josiah Willard, clerk. Hilkiah Grout, although not a grantee, was quite a noted man. He was born in 1728, was living at Bridgeman's Fort June 24th, 1755, when that place was taken by the Indians, and his wife and three children were captured and taken to Canada. He enlisted for the war, and after its close removed to Winchester, his family being exchanged. He resided in Winchester about ten years and then removed to Wethers- field, Vt., where he died. During the trouble of the New Hampshire grants he was an active partisan on the side of New York. He was made a justice of the peace in 1777, assistant justice of the court of common pleas in 1788, justice of the court of oyer and terminer in 1782. In 1775 he served as major of the upper regiment of Cum- berland county.
The first meeting held in Claremont was at the house of Thomas Jones, on April 20, 1767.
LIST OF GRANTEES.
I. Josiah Willard, 23. Gideon Ellis,
2. Samuel Ashley,
24. Joseph Ellis,
3. Jeremiah Hall, 25. John Grimes,
4. Josiah Willard, Jr.,
26. Joseph Cass,
5. Thomas Frink, Esq.,
27. Jonathan Scott,
6. John Ellis, 28. William Richardson,
7. Simon Willard,
29. John Pierce,
8. Abraham Scott, 30. Thomas Lee,
9. Henry Foster,
31. Stephen Putney,
IO. Solomon Willard,
32. Timothy Taylor,
II. Jonathan Hammond,
33. Benjamin Freeman,
12. William Heaton,
13. Prentice Willard,
35. Jonathan Searles,
14. Col. Joseph Hammond,
36. Oliver Farwell, Jr.,
15. William Grimes,
37. Ephraim Adams,
16. Jonathan Willard,
17. Samuel Ashley, Jr.,
39. Oliver Ashley,
40. Abijah Willard,
19. Samuel Scott,
41. Micah Lawrence,
42. Abel Lawrence,
43. Lemuel Hedge,
22. Nathaniel Eaton,
44. Clement Sumner,
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20. John Cass,
21. Joshua Hyde (or Hide),
38. Phineas Wait,
18. James Scott,
34. Oliver Farwell,
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45. Abel Lawrence,
46. Michael Medcalf,
47- Ephraim Dorman,
63. Daniel Jones, Esq.,
48. Joseph Lord,
64. Hon. John Temple, Esq.,
49. William Willard,
65. Theodore Atkinson, Esq.,
50. Jeremael Powers,
66. Mark Hunking Wentworth,
51. John Armes,
67. TheodoreAtkinson, Jr., Esq.,
52. David Field,
68. Col. William Syms,
53. Henry Bond,
69. Samuel Davis,
. 54. John Hawks,
70. 5
5.5. Samuel Field,
71. Gov. Benn'g Wentworth, S
56. Simeon Chamberlin,
57. Elijah Alexander,
58. Ebenezer Dodge,
59. Samuel Wells,
74. First settled minister,
60. John Hunt,
75. Glebe for Church of E'gland.
No. I. JOSIAH WILLARD was born in Lancaster, Mass., January 15, 1715. He was a son of Col. Josiah Willard, one of the grantees and early settlers of Winchester, N. H and for many years commander of Fort Dummer, now Hinsdale. In 1737 he migrated with his father to Win - chester, he having, on November 23, 1732, married Han- nah Hubbard of Groton, Mass., sisters of whom married Col. Joseph Blanchard of Dunstable, Oliver Farwell of the same place, and Col. Benjamin Bellows of Walpole.
The elder Josiah died, at Dunstable, December 8, 1750, at the age of fifty, and the subject of our sketch was com- missioned colonel, to succeed his father, on the 18th of the same month, which position he held until relieved by Col. Samuel Ashley, just previous to the outbreak of the Rev- olutionary war. His position was one of great responsi- bility and, consequently, influential ; so much so that when the passion for new lands and settlements agitated the older towns on the Connecticut river, Col. Willard became prominent in their charter rights, and with him nearly all of his relatives and friends.
In addition to Claremont we find him to have been a grantee of Putney, Vt., Chesterfield, five shares of West- moreland, Grafton, Jefferson, and doubtless many others, as we find him to have been associated with Benjamin
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72. Society for the Propagation of Gospel in Foreign Parts,
73. Support of Schools,
61. William Smeed,
62. Col. John Goff, Esq.,
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Bellows of Walpole, Samuel Chase of Sutton, Mass., and Cornish, N. H., and Daniel Jones of Hinsdale, as agent for the sale of lands in no less than twenty-five townships.
His part in the granting of Claremont is fully set forth in the following deposition (from a copy in possession of Isaac H. Long, Esq.), which was taken in connection with the suit to recover possession of the governor's farm :
" Josiah Willard of Winchester in the county of Cheshire and state of New Hampshire of lawful age &c. testify and say that in the year 1764 I took out the charter of the town of Claremont, agreeing with Gov. Wentworth that 500 acres should be laid out to him in the south west corner of the said town including the island called Walcotts island. At the first meeting of the proprietors of said township it was agree by them that the said 500 acres and island should be laid out to Gov. Wentworth, and in the year 1767 the same was laid out by the following boundaries. [Boundaries follow.] I further testify and say that I did agree with William Porter to settle on the said governor's farm and do settling duty for which I was to procure for him the deed of forty acres from the Governor. The said Porter did so settle and I procured the deed. I further testify and say that a number of other shares or rights were voted at the same time and in the same manner as the governors to be set off by themselves to several proprietors."
As has been said, very little was done for three years after the charter was granted, the other rights referred to being those of Col. Wiliam Symes, Col. John Goff, Theo- dore Atkinson, Mark H. Wentworth, John Temple, Lem- uel Hedge, Micah Lawrence, John Hunt, Simon Cham- berlin, Joshua Hide, William Willard, Joseph Lord, Thomas Frink, Jonathan Hawkes, Daniel Field, Samuel Field, Sam- uel Ashley, Jr., and Oliver Ashley. Of these rights nearly all were purchased by Samuel Ashley and Col. Willard as well as others from other grantees, and the settlement of the town was largely promoted by these two men as proprie- tors. That the rights were considered of little value at that time is evident, for the registry of deeds in Cheshire county records many transfers for sums varying from two to five shillings each.
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The commencement of the Revolution found Col. Wil- lard an ardent supporter of the crown, and in an agreement between the citizens of Keene to " Oppose the Hostility of the British against the United colonies," all but thirteen of its citizens signed ; of these one was Col. Willard. Several of his family also maintained allegiance, one of whom was his son Solomon.
Col. Willard died, in Winchester, November 19th, 1786 (the gravestone says April 19th, but is incorrect), and part of his rights which were originally sold to Samson, Solo- mon, Jonathan and Abel Willard, John Ellis, William Grimes, Clement Sumner, Michael Medcalf, Elijah Alex- ander, Stephen Putnam, John Serles, Oliver Farwell, Jr., Gideon Ellis, Joseph Cass, and John Grimes, were sold February 4th, 1787, by Solomon Willard, executor, to Timothy Grannis of Claremont for 151 pounds four shil- lings. Much more might be said of this man, but for further reference the several volumes of State Papers may be consulted, hardly one of which but that contains allu- sions to him or to his family.
No. 2. COL. SAMUEL ASHLEY was born in Westfield, Mass., March 20, 1720. An extended sketch of him was printed in the GRANITE MONTHLY for May, 1892, and it is unnecessary to repeat the same at this time. Of the sixty-nine individuals who were grantees, the following were bought out by Col. Ashley : William Willard, Lem- uel Hedge, Jonathan Hunt, Micah Lawrence, Joshua Hide, Jonathan Hawkes, David and Samuel Field, Joseph Lord, and Thomas Frink. Nearly all of these were transferred in July, 1765. Samuel Ashley removed, about 1783-4, to Claremont, where he died February 18th, 1792, aged sev- enty-two.
No. 3. JEREMIAH HALL was one of the first settlers and a proprietor of Keene, going to that town, with six others, from Concord, Mass., in 1734, under the grant from Mass- achusetts. In 1753 he, with others, petitioned for a
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re-grant under the New Hampshire authorities, the request being acknowledged April II, 1753. He was also a grantee of Westmoreland. He sold his right in Claremont, May 15th, 1771, to Col. Benjamin Sumner, for 40 pounds.
No. 4. MAJOR JOSIAH WILLARD, the eldest son of Col. Josiah (No. 1), was born in Lunenburg, Mass., September 22, 1734. At various times he commanded Fort Dummer and was also in command of a regiment at Fort Edward in 1755. During the Revolutionary war he was a resident of Keene, but we do not find that he took any part in those events which led to American independence. He was the first register of deeds for Cheshire county, and many volumes yet existing attest his fitness for the position. Major Willard married three wives, the second of whom was Mary Jennison, daughter of. John and Mary (Hub- bard) Jennison. To them were born four children. His right in Claremont was sold by his father to Ezra Conant of Warwick, Mass., August 29th, 1774. (Conant became a settler.) Major Willard died, in Keene, June 29th, 1801.
No. 5. THOMAS FRINK was of Keene and a physician and surgeon. He was in Col. Samuel Ashley's regiment, which marched to the relief of Ticonderoga in June, 1777, serving in his professional capacity. His right was pur- chased by Col. Ashley, on July 23, 1765, for " five shil- lings lawful money."
No. 6. JOHN ELLIS, probably from Winchester. He enlisted from that town for three years, in 1779, receiving a bounty of seventy-five pounds in advance, and deserted February 1, 1780. This right was also one of those trans- ferred to Timothy Grannis by the executor of the estate of Josiah Willard, and was doubtless purchased by Willard soon after the granting of the charter.
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No. 7. SIMON WILLARD was a brother of Col. Josiah, and a resident of Winchester. He was also a grantee of Chesterfield in 1752, a selectman of Winchester in 1782-84, and in 1790 one of the trustees under the act incorporating Chesterfield Academy. This right was also purchased by Josiah Willard, and ultimately by Mr. Grannis.
No. 8. ABRAHAM SCOTT, probably from Winchester or Hinsdale. He was, in 1795, a petitioner for the building of a bridge across the Connecticut at Hinsdale, by means of a lottery. -
No. 9. HENRY FOSTER was a resident of Winchester as late as 1795.
NO. 10. SOLOMON WILLARD, of Winchester, son of Col. Josiah (No. 1). A petition to the general court, in 1785, states that " He was unfortunate enough to differ in senti- ment from his countrymen who were struggling to gain and support the Independency of the United States. That in 1777 he went to Long Island and took protection under the King and during the war spent most of his time in that place in a State of Neutrality. That at the time of the petition he was supporting his aged father and after reciting the reasons for his petition promises that he will Behave as a good and faithful subject of the state." The petition is " Heartily joined in by his father Josiah, and the selectmen of the town, one of whom is Simon Willard," and all "Desire that the Prayer of s'd petitioner be Granted," and the records show it to have been successful. Solomon Willard's right in Claremont was sold to his father, and later transferred by himself as executor to Timothy Grannis of Claremont.
NO. II. JONATHAN HAMMOND was from Swanzey, and also a grantee of Reading, Vt. He was a brother of Col. Joseph Hammond, and originally came from Littleton, Mass., but settled in Swanzey about 1737. Born 1714; married, July 29, 1741, Abigail Hastings of Lunenburg, Mass. ; died September 11, 1777.
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No. 12. CAPT. WILLIAM HEATON, probably a rela- tive of Nathaniel of Swanzey, as he was a grantee of that town. In 1777 he exchanged farms with Rev. Clement Sumner of Thetford, Vt., removed there and opened a tavern, which he conducted a number of years, it being also the usual place for holding town meetings [pp. 1093-4, Vol. II, Vt. Gazetteer]. He had eight children, born in Swanzey.
No. 13. PRENTICE WILLARD was of Winchester and Putney, Vt., and a son of Col. Josiah (No. 1). In 1784 he was a selectman of the town of Winchester, and a petitioner for a fishway in the Ashuelot river. He died at Putney, Vt., March 25, 1796, aged forty-seven years. His grave is in plain sight of the railroad, on what is known as the Great Meadow.
No. 14. COL. JOSEPH HAMMOND was, in 1744, one of the first settlers of Swanzey, going to that place when a young man from Littleton, Mass. He was a colonel in the French wars, and on receipt of the news of the battle of Lexington was elected captain of the Swanzey company, and with sixty-two men marched, April 21, to the defence of Boston. He was lieutenant-colonel of Col. Ashley's regiment at the second Ticonderoga alarm, but being considered too old for active service, was employed as mustering officer, and also placed in charge of the trans- portation of supplies for the army. He resigned June 14, 1779, and his letter was accepted with regrets on June 19th, accompanied by a vote of thanks from the Assembly. He was also a grantee of Jefferson, in 1772. Born about 1722 ; died 1804.
No. 15. WILLIAM GRIMES, Swanzey, his name appearing on the town records there as early as 1738. He originally came from Lancaster, Mass., and was also a grantee of Reading, Vt. His right in Claremont was probably sold to Josiah Willard, as it was transferred by him to Moody Dustin of Dunstable on February 8, 1768, with other land drawn to the right of Michael Metcalf, the consideration being 42 pounds. Died January 14, 1781.
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No. 16. JONATHAN WILLARD, Winchester, also a son of Josiah. In 1774 he was an early settler of Langdon. His right was one of those purchased by Timothy Grannis from the estate of Josiah Willard.
No. 17. SAMUEL ASHLEY, JR., was born in Westfield, Mass., September 29, 1747, son of Col. Samuel Ashley (No. 2). He became one of the early settlers of the town, and served on many important committees ; was captain of the company raised to oppose the advance of Burgoyne, and served at various other times in the war of indepen- dence. June, 1785, he was appointed, with two others, as managers of the lottery, with authority to raise 200 pounds, the proceeds of which were to be expended in building "Lottery Bridge." He married, August 9, 1770, Lydia Doolittle of Northfield, Mass., had several children, some of whom were born in Claremont. He removed, with his son Charles, to Susquehannah county, Penn., about 1818, and died there in 1820. Many of his descendants live in the West, and several became early settlers of Grant county, Illinois.
No. 18. JAMES SCOTT was from Winchester, and later of Stoddard. He was a soldier from the latter place in the battle of Bunker hill, and was also at Burgoyne's surren- der. In 1783 he served the town of Stoddard as selectman.
No. 19. SAMUEL SCOTT was probably from Winchester, as several transfers of real estate are recorded to him as from that town. He marched with others to the defence of Ticonderoga in 1777, and was present at Bur- goyne's surrender.
No. 20. JOHN CASS, of Richmond, was, about 1762-3, a settler of that town, the first town meeting being held at his house, he being styled "Innholder," and at which meeting he was elected moderator, selectman, treasurer, assessor and highway surveyor.
No. 21. JOSHUA HIDE (or HYDE), of Putney, Vt., orig- inally from Deerfield, Mass. This right was sold to Samuel Ashley, on July 16, 1765, for two shillings.
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No. 22. NATHANIEL HEATON, probably from Swanzey, at the time of the granting of the charter ; but later, in 1784, we find him a petitioner for the appointment of a Mr. Freeman as justice of the peace in Hanover, N. H., and also for the issuance of paper money sufficient to pay the debt of the state. It is probable that he sold his rights in Claremont, or exchanged for others in Hanover, which was granted in 1761. He had four children, born in Swanzey between 1761 and 1771.
No. 23. GIDEON ELLIS was a resident of Keene as early as 1734, his father having settled there as one of the pro- prietors. He was, in 1753, a petitioner for the incorpora- tion of that town, " Praying that if it was Consistent with the Pleasure of his Exelencey he would insert a clause in the charter whereby every man may be entitled to those lands which he thought himself to be the honest owner of." By the "Annals of Keene" we find him to have been a member of the Foot Guards, in August, 1773. His right in Claremont was sold to Josiah Willard.
No. 24. JOSEPH ELLIS, Keene, one of the grantees of that town and also one of the first settlers. In 1740, at a proprietors' meeting, grants were made of ten acres of land to each of thirty-nine parties, of which Joseph Ellis was one, " As a reward for hazarding their lives and estate by living there and bringing forward the settlement."
No. 25. JOHN GRIMES, one of the first settlers of the town of Hancock. Part of his right was sold to Benjamin Tyler, November 22, 1768. Tyler also sold Meadow lot, No. 7, to Barnabas Ellis, and deeded it as "part of the original right of John Grimes." The remaining rights in undivided land were sold to Mr. Grannis by the estate of Col. Willard.
No. 26. JOSEPH CASS, probably from Richmond, and a relative of John (No. 20). This right was also a part of Josiah Willard's estate.
No. 27. JONATHAN SCOTT was also probably from Richmond. His right was sold by Willard to Ebenezer
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Rice for twenty-nine pounds, the latter becoming one of the early settlers.
NO 28. WILLIAM RICHARDSON of Pelham was an early settler of that town, going there as early as 1722 from Chelmsford, Mass., and continued to reside there as late as 1769.
No. 29. JOHN (or JONATHAN) PIERCE was a lawyer in Portsmouth, born in 1746. He received a mercantile educa- tion, and was early in life entrusted with the charge of his uncle's property, the latter being Mark Hunking Went- worth, and also with the management of the affairs of the Masonian Patent. In 1791 and for several years he was a member of the legislature, and was the principal agent of the proprietors in the construction of the Piscataqua bridge, in 1794, also the Concord turnpike. He died, June 14, 1814, aged sixty-eight years.
No. 30. THOMAS LEE, probably from Lunenburg, Mass.
No. 31. STEPHEN PUTNAM, from Wilton or that part of which was later formed into the town of Temple. He was one of the two first families which removed there from Dan- vers in 1738. This right was sold to Col. Willard, and later transferred to Mr. Grannis.
No. 32. TIMOTHY TAYLOR, from Merrimack. He was justice of the peace and selectman several years. In 1754 he was a petitioner for the division of the state into counties.
No. 33. BENJAMIN FREEMAN, probably from Swanzey.
No. 34. OLIVER FARWELL, of Dunstable, was also an incorporator of Wilton and Acworth. He married, in Groton, Mass., Dec 25, 1738, Abigail Hubbard, sister of Hannah, wife of Col. Willard. Part of this right was sold to Mark Hunking Wentworth, May 11, 1774, for sixty pounds. Born November 19, 1717; died October 12, 1808. Gen- ealogy of family says, died Feb. 12, 1808.
No. 35. JONATHAN SERLES was probably from Dunstable, as in 1746 he was a qualified voter, and as such voted to settle Rev. Samuel Bird as the first minister of that town. In 1752 he was a grantee of the town of Richmond, and in 1757 appears as constable of Dunstable. Col. Willard
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obtained the right on December 13, 1770, and later it was sold to Timothy Grannis by Willard's executor.
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