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 2
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
and hereby are confirmed to the within-named John Coffin, Joseph Dole, and other petitioners, their heirs and assigns forever, they complying with the orders and conditions in the grant, on their petition in December last ; provided the plat does not contain more than the contents of seven miles square, nor interfere with any other, or for- mer grant.
Consented to, J. BELCHER."
A true copy of record, as among the proceed- ings of the General Court, on 6th June, 1733. Page 394.
Attest,
ALDEN BRADFORD, Secretary of the Commonwealth.
This grant, thus confirmed, was made to eigh- ty-one proprietors, to whom were added ten more, making ninety-one, whose names, for the satisfac- tion of their posterity and successors are to be found in a list in the miscellany.
The characters of the gentlemen composing the proprietary of Contoocook very widely differ- ed from modern speculators in wild lands. It was not a mere regard to private emolument which prompted them to engage in such an en- terprize ; but they evidenced in all their proce- dures " in turning the wilderness into a fruitful field," a patriotic spirit, and a readiness to lend their influence for the benefit of others. It is but a just tribute to the memory of this body of men, to say, they were from habit and principle moral, the friends of civil order, and the firm supporters of the institutions of the gospel. Some of them were distinguished, by their influence in the most important concerns of the State, and many of
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
their names are registered among the friends of the Redeemer.
SECTION. 2.
May 2, 1733. By order of the General Court of Massachusetts, to John Coffin, the proprietors held their first meeting in Newbury at the house of Archelaus Adams.
Lt. George Little was chosen moderator, and Joseph Coffin, Proprietors' clerk-who was duly sworn by Richard Kent, Esq. justice of the peace. The clerk thus elected, afterwards Col. Joseph Coffin, was a gentleman of good natural abilities,-a handsome common education, and a very ready scribe. Though living in Newbury, he was uniformly chosen clerk, as uniformly at- tended the proprietors' meetings for the term of twenty-eight years, until the town was incorpora- ted. The proprietors being in a capacity to act, the immediate object of their attention was to prepare their plantation for settlement. At their first meeting, therefore, they appointed a commit- tee of five-Joseph Gerrish, Esq. William Ilsley, John Coffin, Joseph Noyes and Tristram Little, to locate their grant, fix its boundaries, take a plan of the same and make a return of their do- ings to the General Court ;- assessed five pounds on each proprietor to defray this expence, and chose Daniel Hale, Treasurer, and John Weed, Collector. The committee performed this ser- vice in the following month of June ; called a meeting of the proprietors, and presented them with a plan of the township as taken by Richard Hazzen, surveyor. July 4. The compensation
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
made to the surveyor 10€ ; to each of the three chainmen 36s. ; and 10s. per day to each of the committee for their attendance.
The proprietors agreed that the township should be laid out into one hundred and four shares or rights. One right to each of the ninety-one pro- prietors ;- four rights for public uses, viz. for the first minister-support of the ministry-schools and mills ;- and nine rights to be conferred, one on each of the following gentlemen ;- Ebenezer Burrill, Esq., John Wainwright, Esq., Richard Kent, Esq., Mr. Samuel Bradford, John Choate, Esq., Mr. Edward Shove, Mr. Benjamin Bird, Mr. Jeremiah Getchell, and Mr. Richard Hub- bard, who had assisted the proprietors by their advice and influence.
In prosecution of the plan, a new committee of five-Col. Joseph Gerrish, Lt. William Ilsley, BenjaminPettingell, Daniel Peirce andJohn Weed, jun. were appointed to lay out the first division, which should consist of an interval lot of five. acres, and a house-lot (called home-lots) to each proprietor ;- six other gentlemen were added to this committee Oct. 9, to attend and advise in respect of the business, the whole to be compen- sated by the proprietors.
The season was somewhat advanced, the com- mittee therefore, with their attendants, immedi- ately set about, and accomplished the business of their appointment, so that on tl'e 9th of Novem- ber they were able to report to the proprietors. The Ist division, or home lot, so called, laid out by Mr. John Brown, surveyor ; also, three streets in the first division-King-street, Queen-street. and Newbury-street ; lewise the Gentlemen's
1
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
Farms, so called-five on the north side and four on the south side of the plantation; each farm containing 300 acres, but laid out in lots of 150 acres, two lots to each farm, including sufficiency of land for all necessary roads.
On accepting the report of their committee, the proprietors appointed Henry Rolfe, Esq. to draw the home-lots, and also the Gentlemen's Farms ; assessed 4s. on each right to meet the ex- pense of their doings, and the present meeting. And moreover appointed a committee to fence the interval on the plantation early the ensuing spring at the expense of the proprietors.
Thus in the short term of about seren months, the proprietors of Contoocook, in exercising the enterprising spirit they possessed, completely pre- pared their plantation for the reception of its first settlers.
SECTION 3.
It was carly in the season of 1734, when the first settlers, mostly natives of Newbury, moved to Contoocook with their families, there to fix their own future residence and provide an inher- itance for their posterity. And this was an un- dertaking of no common magnitude in that age. To us it may seem but a light thing to leave the place of our nativity and to migrate 60 or 100 miles into the interior, to bring land from a state of nature into a well cultivated farm. But in turning back 80 or 90 years, we find the circum- stances of men greatly differing from ours. Their views of the country were more limited ; their 4
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
fears more numerous, and their enterprize less. For them, therefore, to leave the fields cultivated by their progenitors for several generations, to es- tablish a residence but a few miles in the woods, demanded a greater effort than would be needed by the most of this age to plant themselves upon the far distant Missouri. But these adventurers had to encounter serious obstacles. To secure the means of life by cutting down the trees of the forest was business entirely new ; the place of their destination was 60 miles distant-a dis- tance which but few had ever travelled ; should they arrive in safety to their contemplated resi- dence, their domestic accommodations must, at best, be poor ; and there too they must feel them- selves to be the farthest removed from society, as but few or no permanent settlements were as yet made between them and Canada. The idea of the wild beasts of the wilderness was appalling ; but the most distressing thought was that of meet- ing merciless Indians, without the means of de- fending their property, families or lives. So that whatever confidence they placed in the encourage- ment, protection, and aid proffered by the proprie- tors, it was like a self-banishment from society, friends and privileges-like giving up all, except their reliance upon a merciful Providence to prc- serve them from evil, and prosper them in their undertaking.
There is no record to be found, shewing the ex- act order, or time, in which the first settlers mov- ed into the plantation; their names, therefore, will be found inserted in the miscellany as near their true order as verbal information will allow.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
The most of the first season was occupied by the settlers in preparing for and erecting their habitations ; cultivating some patches of inter- val, and making clearings for future crops. Be- ing destitute of saw-mills, their houses were built in the ordinary style of new countries ; the walls of round logs, and roofs covered with large slabs of spruce bark, except a small aperture for the es- cape of the smoke of their fires, instead of the more expensive apparatus of a chimney.
The first plough was introduced into the settle- ment, and used by Mr. Stephen Gerrish, upon the interval.
Dec. 18, 1734, The proprietors met at New- bury and passed several acts for the accommo- dation of their settlers. Mr. Joseph Toppan was directed to provide a good grind-stone for the use of the plantation ; raised £100 Massachusetts currency, for building a saw-mill, though at a sub- sequent meeting the measure was objected to and varied ; chose Benjamin Lunt, John Moody, jun. and Edward Emery, assessors, and John Coffin, Collector.
Jan. 7, 1735. The first child was born on the plantation, viz. Abigail, daughter of Nathan iel Danforth, who was married to Thomas Foss, and lived to an advanced age. Sarah, daughter of Andrew Bohonnon, the second child, born Jan. 22, 1736.
March 10. After several attempts for the erection of mills, the proprietors accepted a pro- posal of Joseph Gerrish, Esq. and fourteen asso- ciates, to build a saw-mill at the upper end of King-street, on the small stream called Mill- brook, by the following September ; and also to
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
build a good corn-mill, when there should be in the plantation twenty settlers, for the considera- tion of a 50 acre lot adjoining the mills, and a full right of land through the town. A bond was taken of these 15 gentlemen for the faithful per- formance of this service, by Robert Adams, Jo- seph Morse, 3d, and Richard Hale, for the propri- etors.
SECTION 4.
May 19, 1736. The first meeting of the proprietors held at Contoocook. After choosing a Clerk and other officers, in compliance with one of the conditions of the grant, the proprietors ap- pointed Lt. Benjamin Lunt, Joseph Gerrish, Esq. and Mr. John Coffin, a committee to select a suit- able preacher for the settlers, and empowered them to assess such a tax as would meet this expense : but the name of the preacher is not recollected. Provision was first made for amending the high- ways, and five shillings allowed for a day's work ; an order passed that the interval should not be mowed until the 10th of July ; and this year the proprietors erected on the plantation a log-building for a town-house. and other publick uses.
March 4, 1737. Proprietors met at Newbu- ry, and appointed a committee to expose to pub- lic sale the lands of those who were delinquent in paying their proportion of the expense incurred in bringing forward the settlement ; granted an award of &5 to John Weed, for his former ser- vice as collector : and being desirous of settling a minister upon the plantation, authorized their
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
committee to employ Mr. Phineas Stevens, a can- didate, to preach on trial for settlement.
May 25. At Contoocook the proprietors rais- ed ££210 for preaching the present year ; also chose all necessary officers ; and as the number of set- tlers had considerably increased, they passed an order that suitable accommodations should be made in the town-house for holding meetings on the sabbath.
May 10, 1738. Meeting at Contoocook .- The proprietors chose their officers ; raised ££100 for preaching the ensuing season, and Mr. Stevens was again employed as their religious teacher.
The ferry across Merrimack river, to Canter- bury was first established, and Mr. Stephen Ger- rish obligated himself to keep it the term of one year for the rate of ferriage. There being no civ- il officer among the settlers, the proprietors by their committee, petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts Bay for the appointment of a con- stable to keep the peace.
September 6. The proprietors finding that another division of their plantation was necessa- ry, appointed Benjamin Rolfe, Esq., John Coffin, Edward Emery, Ensign Joseph Gerrish and Thomas Thorla, a committee to lay out the Second Division of lots, containing each 80 acres. The committee employed Mr. John Brown as surveyor, performed the service, and made a re- turn of their doings, Dec. 20, with the following streets in said division laid out four rods wide, viz. Fish-street, High-street, Cross-street, Water-street. Long-street, Battle-street, Pleasant-street, and the street now called West-highway, with several oth- er roads. The expense of this survey amounted
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
to £100, 10s., and was allowed by the proprie- tors. Mr. Moses Smith was appointed to draw the lots for the proprietors ; and an order was pass- ed that each proprietor should pay his proportion of the expense of the laying out the 2d division at the drawing, or not have his lot recorded. An as- sessment also of £100, was made to enable Joseph Gerrish, Esq., Lieut. Joseph Coffin and Jacob Flan- ders to build a meeting house upon the plantation ; said house to be built of logs, 40 feet long, and "as wide as Rumford (now Concord) meeting house,on- ly two fect higher." The land of delinquent pro- prietors was ordered to be set up for sale.
SECTION 5.
May 16, 1769. Meeting held at the town-house in Contoocook. Officers of the proprietary chosen. Mr. Phineas Stevens again employed as preacher for the settlers. = £300 old tenor raised to defray con- tingent expenses. The log meeting house com- pleted and occupied ; and the land of delinquent proprietors sold, July 18.
But here we must turn from the routine of bu- siness so successfully pursued by the proprietors in advancing the settlement of their plantation, to a subject very interesting and distressing to their settlers. This feeble colony, after the experience of great deprivations, submitting to many hard- ships in planting their habitations in the wilder- ness ; and while flushed with the hope, that soon their toils would be amply rewarded with the accom- modations of life, were harrassed with fear, and called to make defence of themselves and fami- lies against the merciless hands of a savage foe .---
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
In consequence of the frequent wars between France and England, the Indian tribes in North- America, under the influence of the French, made frequent depredations upon the property, and took captive, or killed, some of the N. E. colonists in the new settlements, even in times of peace. This was the evil threatened the first settlers of Con- toocook by the Canada Indians. To flee before their enemies with their all, they could not ; and to make open defence, they had not power. And where could they look but to the proprietors un- der God for that protection, which, at this junc- ture, they so much needed ? Nor did they look in vain ; for
Dec. 6. The proprietors in session at Newbury unanimously agreed forthwith to build a fort 100 feet square, 10 feet high, of timber and other ma- terials, for the defence of their settlers. This fort to be built on the school-lot, near the meeting- house, on King-street ; which was completed in the course of the winter, and for more than twenty years proved a commodious garrison for all the in- habitants. Being furnished with muskets and ammunition, they were able to protect them- selves, while they improved their farms.
May 16, 1740. The proprietors met at Contoo- cook, and having elected the annual officers, a com- mittee was appointed, consisting of Joseph Ger- rish, Esq., George Jackman, John Brown, John Coffin and Edward Emery, to consult with Mr. Stevens respecting conditions of his settling in the work of the gospel ministry upon the planta- tion, and to report at the next meeting. Raised £150, bills of credit of the old tenor, for con- tingent expenses ; and at the request of the pro-
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
prietors of Baker's town (easterly part of Salis- bury) opened a road from King-street, near the river. to said plantation.
New-Hampshire was about this time to be or- ganized into a province, separate from Massachu- setts ; the proprietors of Contoocook, therefore, presented a petition to His Majesty the King, by Thomas Huchinson, Esq., praying that their plan- tation might still be continued to the parent-prov- ince. Belknap informs (Hist. 2 vol. p. 173), that 27 other towns made similar application by the same hand, but to no avail ; for it was made to appear to the House of Lords by Mr. Thomlin- · son, agent for this colony, that the interest of the people in the province of New-Hampshire required they be under a government distinct from Massachusetts.
Sept. 25. At a meeting held at Newbury the proprietors heard and received the report of their committee respecting the settlement of a minister, and agreed to proffer Mr. Phineas Stevens the fol- lowing encouragement for his support :
1. ££135 of bills of credit, made equivalent to silver at 29s. the ounce, as his salary for the first year, and that to increase £5 a year until it should amount to ££175, which should be his stated an- nual support during his ministry.
2. To give him a settlement of £180; and
3. Should it be found on trial, that his salary proved inadequate to his support, the proprietors engaged to make a reasonable addition.
It was at the same time to be understood that the first settled minister was entitled by grant to one full right of land as his own in fee simple ; and the improvement of the parsonage and right
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
during his ministry .- The last named committee were directed to present these terms to Mr. Stevens, as the proprietors' call ; and should he accept them, to unite with him in appointing the time of his ordi- nation, and in calling in the aid of an ecclesiastica] council. Likewise were authorized to take security of Mr. Stevens, that neither he, nor any other for him, should ever claim, for the minister's right, more than the one hundred and fourth part of said plantation, as his forever ; and for the parsonage right, more than the one hundred and fourth part as his during his ministry .*
Mr. Stevens accepted the proposals made ;- ordination was appointed ; council convened : the security given. A congregational church em- bodied on the Cambridge platform, and he ordain- ed to the pastoral care of the church and people in Contoocook, October 8, 1740 ;} and George Jackman was elected the first Deacon in the church.
SECTION 6.
1741. William Shirley succeeded Gov. Belcher in the government of Massachusetts, and at the same time New-Hampshire, which had been nearly 100 years subject to that government was erected in- to a distinct province, and Benning Wentworth,
* Such a security was necessary because the town was laid out in one hundred and four rights, and by grant the first minister was entitled to an eighty-fourth part of the plantation.
1 An exact account of the expense of ordination was kept by John Brown, Esq. and paid bv the proprietors, amounting to £104. N. H. old tenor, or $46 35 our currency-a rare specimen of the simplicity and economy of that age.
5
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
Esq. a native of Portsmouth, N. H. then in Eng- land, was commissioned Governor by the Crown.
The newly appointed Governor soon returned from abroad and entered his government on the 12th Dec. 1741, under very liberal tokens of re- spect from the populace. Should any one wish for more information respecting this transaction, he may be gratified by consulting Belknap's Hist. N. H. Vol. II. Chap. 19.
May 20. Meeting at Contoocook. The Pro- prietors in addition to the choice of Clerk, Asses- sors and Collector, appointed Surveyors of Ways, Fence-viewers, Pound-keeper and Hogreeves ; raised 201. for highways, and 200l. for contingent expenses ; ordered the sale of lands for delin- quency in taxes, and employed Capt. Ebenezer Eastman to clear and plough the ministerial in- terval-lot the present summer.
1742. Being now under the immediate gov- ernment of New-Hampshire, the proprietors feel- ing their need of governmental efficiency, sent in a petition to His Excellency Governor Went- worth, and Council, on the 4th of Feb. and another the latter part of the same month, ex- pressing their desire for his favorable patronage in the adoption of measures suited to the state of the settlers ; and as they were exposed to the as- saults of the Indians, to provide them with the means of defence.
Sept. S. The proprietors raised 2007. old ten- or, to meet the minister's salary, and other ex- penditures of the year. And to prevent delay in their collection, ordered that each proprietor give his note of hand for his tax to the Collector.
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
May 18, 1743. Elected the usual annual of- ficers ; raised 2007. old tenor for the ministry, and contingent expenses ; and to expedite the collection, voted that all those who should pay their taxes before the first day of the ensuing November should pay nothing for collection, but those who should delay payment till after that time, should pay one shilling for every pound in addition-an important stimulus to punctuality in other times. 30£ raised for the highways, and a committee appointed to lay it out. It was agreed that the grass upon the undivided mead- ows should be mowed by the resident proprietors according to the taxes; and the remainder to be equally divided among the other inhabitants.
Sept. 14. At a full meeting of the proprie- tors an order passed that a 3d Division of land should be laid out-100 acres to each proprietor's share, made equal in quantity and quality .- Richard Jackman, John Fowler, John Coffin, Ens. Joseph Gerrish, John Brown and Thomas Thor- la appointed a committee to lay out said Division as soon as may be.
Oct. 31. Deacon George Jackman received of Henry Rolfe, jun. 4 lbs. of powder, 56 lbs. of bul- lets, and 24 flints ; also of Benj. Pettingill 10 Ibs. of powder, to be used by the settlers in garrison, for their defence, as occasion should require.
SECTION 7.
Oct. 30, 1744. At an adjourned meeting from the 17th inst. the proprietors provided for the ex-
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
penses of the current year, and raised 126l. old tenor, exclusive of the aid of the inhabitants of the plantation, to fortify the dwelling-house of the Rev. Mr. Stevens. This became necessary, because the hostility of the Indians was increas- ing, and their depredations were more distressing, arising from the late declaration of war by Eng- land against France. Though the seat of war was far distant, upon the eastern coast, yet the Indian tribes in Canada, along the river St. Law- rence and upon the Lakes, strongly attached to France, both by interest and religion, sallied forth upon the defenceless frontier settlements : took many captive, and some they barbarously mas- sacred.
The committee appointed to lay out the 3d Division made their report, which was accepted. John Brown, the surveyor, was allowed 30/. old tenor, for his service, and each of the committee , 12s. per day, for their attendance. And to meet the expense of laying out this division of land, the proprietors raised 122/. and appointed John Brown to draw the lots for them, on their pay- ing each his proportion of the whole expense.
June 4, 1745. The proprietors met at Contoo- cook, to transact their annual business, and raised 250/. for the support of the ministry, and other expenditures.
On the 17th of June the strongly fortified town of Louisbourg, situated on the S. E. side of Cape Breton, was surrendered by the French Go- vernor Duchambon, to the English, after a siege of 49 days. This famous expedition, which re- flected the highest honor upon New-England, was
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HISTORY OF BOSCAWEN.
said and generally believed to have been planned by William Vaughan, of New-Hampshire .* Per- mission was obtained from the Crown, by Govern- or Shirley, who solicited the aid of Governor Wentworth, and by the united land force princi- pally from Massachusetts and New-Hampshire, under the command of Gen. William Pepperell, and the naval force under Admiral Warren, through a series of very remarkable providences, a very signal victory was attained. The expense of this expedition, and paid by the crown of Eng- land, was 16,355 pounds sterling. But howev- er signal this victory, the war was not terminated. The Governor of Canada, encouraged and aided the Indians to make depredations upon the colo- nists ; consequently the fields, cattle and mills of the defenceless inhabitants were destroyed, and some of them killed, and others taken captives.
1746. On the 4th of May, Mr. Thomas Cook, and Cæsar, a man of color, were killed at Clay- hill, Contoocook, and a Mr. Jones was taken cap- tive and carried to Canada, and there died. This was a very alarming and distressing circumstance to the rest of the settlers. The proprietors call- ed a meeting, (Dec. 30,) and united in a petition to the Executive of the Government of New- Hampshire to provide for the defence of the dis- tressed inhabitants of their plantation.
June 30, 1747. Joseph Coffin was appointed agent in behalf of the proprietors, to present a petition to the Government of the Province for power to collect taxes, who received 9l. old tenor. for the service.
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