USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > New London > A history of the town of New London, Merrimack county, New Hampshire, 1779-1899 > Part 4
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In 1792 the town voted the first time for electors of the presi-
29
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.
dent and vice-president of the United States, twenty-eight votes being cast for Ebenezer Webster, James Flanders, Timothy Walker, Abel Foster, John T. Gilman, and Jonathan Gove. This was the second term of George Washington and John Adams, the town having passed over the call for the previous election in 1788. The question was brought up whether the town would accept the westerly part of Kearsarge Gore, and was decided in the affirmative, " on condition that the inhabi- tants of lots do clear the town from any back taxes up to the year 1792." Accordingly the legislature of 1793 disannexed lots Nos. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 from Kearsarge Gore and added them to New London. This addition contained about seven hundred acres, and was triangular in shape, its base resting on Sutton's north line, and was the first of. several changes which were made in the town's territorial limits during the ensuing quarter of a century. The bridge over the bog " between Capt. Samuel Brocklebank's and the meeting-house" was built and accepted this year, and the usual question as to what should be done towards finishing the meeting-house having been brought up, it was
" Voted that the town do build the pulpit next spring and " build the seats and finish the alleys, the selectmen to provide " boards and other necessaries for the same.
" Voted that Lieutenant Hutchins have liberty to put a win- " dow into the meeting-house against his own pew at his cost. " Voted that the singing-pew may be built by subscription " for the use of the town."
Up to the year 1792 the church which had begun with eleven members in 1788 had added but seven to their number, but that winter the faithful work done by Elder Seamans began to bear fruit, and the names of fourteen new members were placed on the church roll. The interest became general, and extended throughout the following year, so that with the opening of the year 1794 the church numbered one hundred and fifteen mem- bers, and included the united heads of thirty-seven of the fifty families then in the town.
Slowly but surely the corporation was progressing in the administration of its affairs, each year bringing its changes. In 1793 the tax-collecting was set up and struck off to the lowest bidder, Capt. John Morgan securing the prize at four
30
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
pence half-penny per pound. Thomas Pike and Levi Harvey were named as the first auditors, and Levi Harvey " for writing in town book three years past" was allowed the liberal sum of fifteen shillings. He seems to have been a " general utility man," for he was also entrusted with a commission to " procure a burying-cloth" at the town's cost. It was voted to build a pound thirty feet square " on the corner of Mr. Dow's field back of the burying-yard by the road." Later records, however, would indicate that the pound was not built for some years, when Jesse Dow, who had served as keeper of stray cattle in the mean time, was made pound-keeper. The pulpit had been built and accepted, and it was decided that the glazing of the meeting-house should be finished next. In December Benja- min Woodbury and Joseph Colby, by virtue of their office as selectmen, perambulated the town line, "beginning at the " northeast corner of Sutton, at a stake spotted and several " beech trees spotted around it, then running on the north end " of Sutton till it comes to the northeast corner of Fishersfield, "to a beech tree marked on four sides, with several letters " on the same, then running on the north end of said Fishers- " field till it comes to the bank of Sunapee pond, to a large " pine stump standing on a stone spotted on two sides."
And these are but a few of the many items recorded in the town book for 1793.
So far in its history New London had had no share in the representation of the towns at the general court, but on March I, 1794, the court sent an order that New London and Sutton were classed together to send one representative, and the selectmen of the last-named town were requested to warn a meeting for that purpose. There is nothing in the New London town records in regard to this meeting, but the " History of Sutton," p. 113, gives a document that throws some light on the matter :
" This may certify that we selectmen of Sutton about the " first of March 1794 received an order of the General Court " that New London and this town were classed together to " choose a Representative for the Court and were desired to " warn a meeting for that purpose, but considering that New " London is the oldest town by incorporation we thought it
3I
PETITION FOR CORONER.
" proper that their selectmen should warn the meeting and sent " the order to them. Accordingly they warned the meeting to " be held in Sutton.
"After the Representative was chosen we were called on to " make a Return of the Same. The answer we gave was that " we thought the Selectmen that warned the meeting ought to " make a Return.
" Sutton May 15, 1794
" THOMAS WADLEIGH Selectmen
" MOSES HILLS S of Sutton."
New London sent only one representative during the nine years that this arrangement lasted-Lieut. Joseph Colby in 1801,-but by 1803 both New London and Sutton had in- creased sufficiently in population to warrant individual repre- sentation. In 1794, too, the town was called on for jurors to serve at the May term of the supreme court, then held at Hopkinton, which had shared the dignities of the shire town of Hillsborough county with Amherst since 1793. It was voted that Lieut. Joseph Colby serve as grand juror, and Capt. John Morgan was drawn for the office of petit juror. In August of the same year Ezekiel Knowlton was drawn as petit juror for the September term of the court of common pleas and general court of sessions, which was also held at Hopkinton. This division of the county business was a great convenience to most of the towns, as hitherto it had all been done at Amherst, which from its location in the extreme southern part of Hillsborough county made the journey a tiresome one to those having busi- ness at court. Another memorable event of the year 1794 was the great frost which came on June 17, destroying all the grain and most of the fruit.
An office of which the town records make no mention is that of coroner, but the following petition (see " History of Sutton," p. 244) would indicate the necessity for and creation of such an official :
" To his excellency the governor and honorable council, in " general court to be convened, at Concord, on Tuesday, the " sixteenth day of December, 1794. We, the petitioners, of the " town of New London, humbly showeth that we labor under " a great disadvantage by not having a coroner in said town,
32
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" having been obliged to send several times for one at a con- " siderable distance.
" Therefore, we humbly pray your honors would take the " matter into your wise consideration, and remove such diffi- " culty by appointing Mr. Joseph Colby to be coroner for said " town, and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever "pray."
This petition bears the signatures of Jedediah Jewett, Caleb Segur, Jeremiah Pingree, John Sargent, Abner Whittier, Benjamin Woodbury, Zebedee Hayes, Levi Everett, John Slack, John Ide, Ebenezer Hunting, Ebenezer Shepard, Jesse Shepard, Seth Gay, Ebenezer Shepard, Jr., Josiah Brown, Peter Sargent, Ezekiel Sargent, Jonathan Everett, John Adams, Jr., John Adams, Peter Sargent, Jr., Jeremiah Everett, James Brocklebank, Nathaniel Emerson, Joshua Wright, Anthony Sargent, Nathan Goodwin, Ebenezer Sargent, Amasa Sargent. From 1800 to 1805 Lieut. Samuel Messer held the office of coroner, according to some numbers of " Curtis' Pocket Almanac," of date 1800 to 1806, and in 1805 there were two coroners, Lieutenant Messer and Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury. Notwithstanding the urgency set forth in the petition the duties of this gruesome position have never been very burdensome in New London.
The year 1795 is marked by the building of three school- houses, in addition to the one built at the Hominy Pot in 1786. The town voted ninety pounds for this purpose, and chose one man in each district as a committee to forward the work,-Levi Harvey for the north district, Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury for the east, and Ebenezer Sargent for the west. Nathaniel Fales, Ebenezer Shepard, Jr., and Dea. Zebedee Hayes, with all the inhabitants to the east of them, made up the east district; the west district did not vary greatly from the present one, and the remaining inhabitants of the town were known as the north district. This arrangement lasted until 1803, when the bounds underwent considerable change and new districts were created. The town also voted to finish the windows in the meeting-house immediately, and to hold its meetings there in the future. The house was guiltless of paint and plaster, but this incompleteness was largely due to the existence of a feeling among some of
33
ELDER SEAMANS'S PROPOSITIONS.
the towns-people that the responsibility of the meeting-house and the pastor's salary ought to rest on the church rather than the town.
When Elder Seamans was settled as the town's minister in 1788, he had taken a bond from the town as security for his annual salary of forty pounds. For one reason and another payment of the ministerial dues had been allowed to fall into arrears, and in 1795 the town desired to be released from its obligations, looking to the church as the proper source of sup- ply for the pastor's needs. Accordingly Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury and Dea. Zebedee Hayes were appointed a com- mittee to confer with the elder as to the terms on which he would give up the bond. Never was treaty more easily adjusted, or difficult path made smooth. The committee waited upon the elder, stated their case, and left the matter for his consideration. In due time he submitted three propositions for the town's choice of action, either and all of which did credit to the man's heart and mind :
" I .- I am willing to receive a dismission from my pastoral " and ministerial office in church and town, together with such " a recommendation as I brought you from Attleboro ; that my " salary shall cease from the date of such dismission, etc. ; and " to give up the bond I hold against the town for the payment " of said salary when it is paid up to the date of such dismis- " sion.
"2 .- I will enter into the following agreement with the " church and town, viz. : The church and town shall wholly " surrender, give up, and relinquish my ministerial services in " church and town ; and I on my part will wholly surrender, " give up, and relinquish my yearly salary ; so that it shall be " a matter of judgment and conscience between us,-that is, I " will serve you as much in the work of the ministry as my " judgment and conscience dictate, and you on your part shall " communicate to me of your temporal good things, towards " the support of myself and family, as much as your judgment " and conscience dictate to you, and that, too, in such a way " as you choose.
" 3 .- If neither of these offers is satisfactory to you, then my "request is that the town will join with me to call a mutual " council to look into any matters of grief or dissatisfaction that 4
34
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" subsist amongst us, either on your part or on mine; and " give us their advice on the following questions, viz. : " Whether, all things considered, it is not best for me to ask " and you to give me such a dismission and recommendation as " mentioned above; and if the council shall think it best for " me to be dismissed, then I am willing they should say upon " what conditions, being informed of what the town has done " for me and of my services in return. Let them judge whether " the town shall pay me my salary in part or in full, and give "me something more, for reasons which to the council may " appear ; or, I shall relinquish my salary which shall then be " due in part or in whole, and give the town something more, " for reasons which to the council may appear."
The town promptly voted to accept his second offer,-that is, to pay up the salary due him January 1, 1795, by the first of the following year, and they also gave up a small note which the town held against him; thereby relinquishing all claim which they had upon his ministerial services. From that time on the expense of the elder's salary was borne by the church and by voluntary contributions, to the mutual satisfaction of all parties concerned. Surely never was laborer more worthy of his hire. The elder's farm was that now owned by Christopher C. Gardner on Pleasant street, and he erected the buildings now standing. In the field on the opposite side of the road Joseph Colby built a house where he lived in the interim between the log cabin at the foot of Pleasant street and the erection of the Henry Quimby house on the back road. No farm was more diligently and carefully tilled, the elder liter- ally earning his bread by the sweat of his brow, for while his hands were busied with hoe or scythe his active mind was evolving and arranging the sermons for the next Sabbath day. His constant companion about the farm as well as in his visits among the members of his scattered parish, was the little Man- ning who had been taken ill the night the family arrived in town, now grown to a sturdy lad.
The elder was a firm believer in parental discipline impar- tially administered, and his own numerous flock were models of good behavior, though Manning, presuming on his position as his father's favorite, sometimes ventured beyond the pre- scribed bounds and generally to his own discomfiture. One
35
ANECDOTES OF ELDER SEAMANS.
day there was to be a barn-raising down on the Pingree farm, and the elder, as usual, was to lend a helping hand. Manning wanted to go, too ; but his father, fearing lest some harm might happen to him, decided that he must remain at home. But the elder was no sooner out of sight than the boy made up his mind to be a looker-on at the proceedings, though debarred from participating therein by his father's command. Taking the "'cross-lots" route, he stole carefully down on the busy workers from the back side, and managed to bestow himself unseen in a maple tree that stood in the pasture just behind the barn. The fun and frolic went on, and Manning, forgetting caution in interest, thrust his tow-colored head beyond the sheltering leaves, regardless of consequences. It was not long before he rued his reckless procedure, for the elder caught sight of the familiar headpiece of his young hopeful almost immediately. The workmen had seen him, too, and awaited the result of the elder's discovery with considerable interest. There was a duty to be performed, and that was enough for the elder : he walked over to the tree, and the trembling cul- prit descended. The maple rods were both light and " lissome" -the elder returned to his work, and the boy went home. The maple tree still stands in the pasture, though the elder and his son have been gathered to their fathers " these many years."
The elder had a horror of dancing, and considered it one of the devil's wiles to lure unwary souls ; so one winter when a dancing-school was held down near the Sutton line, his hired man, who was a devoted disciple of the Terpsichorean art, had to use all sorts of devices to explain his frequent absences from home. One day when he thought the parson was safely out of the way he shut himself up in the barn and, gaily whis- tling a dancing tune, began to practise the latest figures. But alas for the unlucky Amos ! The parson returned unexpect- edly, and scandalized at the ungodly sounds that issued from his premises, quietly investigated. He waited until the tune was finished, and then entered the barn. "Are you often taken so, Amos?" he queried. "Uncle Amos" used to say that he was conscious only of a wish that the floor might open and swal- low him, then and there. 1307931
The question of the minister's support had been quickly dis- posed of, thanks to the unselfishness and singleheartedness of
36
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
the man, but when it came to that much vexed topic of finishing off the meeting-house-why, that was quite another matter. Inasmuch as the town made more or less use of the building for public purposes, the weight of this burden was not so easily shifted to other shoulders, and dragged its weary way along through numberless town meetings before the house finally reached a state of completeness.
The need of a janitor for the meeting-house became a sub- ject for corporate consideration in the year 1796, and Jesse Dow was appointed to the office, with an annual salary of eight shillings, the town, however, making this proviso, " that if ยท" the doorkeeper of the meeting-house should neglect his duty " in opening and shutting the doors, he shall forfeit his salary." The following year the town voted " that those inhabitants of "New London that do not belong to the Baptist society so- " called in town, have a right to invite preachers of the Gospel " into the meeting-house to preach such a part of the time as " shall be in proportion to the interest they own in the meeting- " house." Post-guides were established this year, and the popular sentiment demanded that the boards on the same be colored green.
Josiah Brown was chosen sealer of weights and measures in 1798, in place of Levi Harvey who had held the office since its institution in 1790. The day following town meeting Levi Everett, collector of taxes for the year 1797, held a public vendue of non-resident lands, occasioned by non-payment of taxes, nearly nine hundred acres being thus forfeited. This non-resident tax was devoted to highway purposes, and was quite an important item in those times, when roadways seem to have been built and discontinued with about equal facility ; but as an able-bodied man was allowed only seven cents per hour for labor on the highways, even a small appropriation would cover considerable territory.
As illustrative of the procrastinating spirit which seemed to govern the destinies of the meeting-house doomed to grow old before its time, witness a meeting held December 17, in the year 1798. The principal items in the warrant were relative to the meeting-house and its surroundings, indicating a desire at least to have matters closed up. There were no means of warming the building, and December days are chilly, so the
37
THE FIRST STORE.
meeting, after Joseph Colby had been chosen moderator, promptly " adjourned for ten minutes, then to meet at the schoolhouse," where frosted fingers and toes could be thawed out at the blazing fire. The first business transacted was the question of finishing the meeting-house, and the record, exas- perating in its inconsistency and brevity, reads, " Voted not to finish the meeting-house."
The March meeting for 1799 likewise adjourned to the schoolhouse, and probably for a similar reason. Nine pence on the pound had been the standard rate for collecting the taxes up to this time, but this year they were struck off to Levi Harvey, Jr., at twelve cents on the pound, and it having been decided that the collector should " procure a sufficient bonds- man," the name of Capt. John Morgan was presented and accepted as such bondsman. A committee had been pre- viously appointed to treat with Capt. John Woodman to secure the land where the meeting-house stood, and the burying- ground, for the use of the town. Their report, presented at this meeting, offered the exchange of the four and a half acres included in the above grounds for a ten-acre lot of public land near Elder Seamans's house, and was accepted by the town. This vote was ratified and confirmed April 29, 1799, and Joseph Harvey was chosen a committee for the town to convey the ten-acre lot to Capt. John Woodman, and accept in return the said Woodman's conveyance of the meeting-house lot.
The license to retail and mix spirituous liquors, granted by the selectmen to Woodman & Macfarland June 14, 1797, seems to establish the date of the first store. This store was kept by Capt. John Woodman in one of the front rooms of his house, which stood on the site of the old red house at the southerly end of the cemetery. Joseph Greeley had set up a store in Sutton in the early 'gos, but most of the trading had been done at Hopkinton when matters at the court made the journey a necessity. There was very little money in circula- tion at this period, most of the business transacted being done by barter of neat stock or grain. Nearly all the money raised for town purposes was payable in corn or rye, and a set of standard measures were kept at Harvey's mill for this purpose. 'Squire Messer seems to have been something of a trader, and his ancient steelyards are now in the possession of Henry W.
38
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
Putney, but there is no record of any other store than Captain Woodman's until 1800.
The fencing of the burying-yard adjoining the church was another instance of delay. Almost every year the matter was brought up in one form or another, and in 1799 the town voted to build the wall fronting the road with faced stone, the north and south ends with ordinary stone, and the west side with logs. An estimate of the cost called for a sober second thought, and at a later meeting the vote was reconsidered. As it was finally built in 1800 horsesheds formed the east and south boundaries of the yard, about thirty feet in the centre of each being a board fence with a gate; the north end had a stone wall, and the west side " a log fence three logs high." The building of the stone wall about the burying-yard in the west part of the town, which had been let out to Ephraim Gile as far back as 1791, was not accomplished until the close of the century.
There were two public vendues of non-resident lands in 1799, about six hundred acres in all being struck off. Octo- ber 29, Levi Harvey and Benjamin Woodbury, selectmen for New London, and Francis Pingree and Whittier Perkins, selectmen for Wendall (Sunapee), " met and perambulated " the line and renewed the mark and bounds between said " towns from the southwest corner of Springfield to Sunapee " pond." The following spring the inhabitants of that part of Wendall " that lies between the two ponds [Great and Little Sunapee] and New London line," petitioned to be set off to New London, and the town voted to receive them. This was the territory disannexed from Wendall by the legislature in 1804 and added to New London.
The " singing pue " in the meeting-house had shared in the general tribulation up to the close of the century. In 1799 the singers were given " liberty to build the singing pue in the " meeting-house on their own cost for the use of singers to set " in to sing," and the majority were also " impowered to make " and exercise such regulations as is necessary concerning the " singers or said singing pue." Evidently the singers were not anxious to avail themselves of these privileges, and in 1800 the town voted to set the singing pew two feet forward in the front gallery, to build the same at the town's cost, and the remaining seats in the gallery the ensuing season.
39
PLAN OF HORSESHEDS.
The Plan and Record of The Horseshed, Ground 11 in New London. 01
Each original proprietor's name is set against his number _
14/15/16 12/13
Lieut. Jhos. Burpee James Brocklebank
Nathaniel Messer Lieut. Jhos. Burpee Ebenezer Shepard. fr. Jesse Dow
6
8 Front Gate -
Jonathan Harvey Jesse Shepard Capt. Eliph. Gay Jonathan Greeley Zacheus Messer
Esquire Harvey Ebenezer Sargent.fr. 6%
16 15 14 13 12 11 10 Back Gate
98
7 16 5432 - Stephen Sargent
Deacon Hunting
John Morgan
Calvin Burpee
Jonathan Herrick
Lapt Thos. Courrier
Zacheus Messer
Deacon Hunting
Doctor bushing
Jonathan Everett
David Smith Elder Seamand
Lieut. E. Shepard
Samuel Messer. Fr.
[The above plan of the horse sheds built in 1800 is copied from the first book of the town records. These horsesheds enclosed two sides of the churchyard. The "Front Gate" opened to the present Summer street ; the " Back Gate " was towards the meeting-house.]
The following certificates are of interest as pertaining to the bounds between the towns mentioned, and bear witness to the indefatigability of the selectmen as well :
" New London, August 20th, 1800: This is to certify that " we have this day perambulated the line between Sutton and " New London and found the bounds standing and marked the " line anew to the satisfaction of both parties.
" Moses Hills 2 Selectmen
" Green French S for Sutton.
" Benjamin Woodbury ? Selectmen
" Josiah Brown S for New London."
" Fishersfield, October 30th, 1800 : This may certify that we " have perambulated the line between the town of Fishersfield
40
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" and the town of New London, and found the bounds are now " standing. The northerly bound of Fishersfield is a stake " and stones on New London line, from thence westerly to a " dry pine stub on the east bank of Great Sunapee pond, to the " satisfaction of both parties.
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