A memorial of the town of Hampstead, New Hampshire : historic and genealogic sketches. Proceedings of the centennial celebration, July 4th, 1849. Proceedings of the 150th anniversary of the town's incorporation, July 4th, 1899, Volume I, Part 5

Author: Noyes, Harriette Eliza, b. 1848, comp
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Boston : G.B. Reed
Number of Pages: 676


USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampstead > A memorial of the town of Hampstead, New Hampshire : historic and genealogic sketches. Proceedings of the centennial celebration, July 4th, 1849. Proceedings of the 150th anniversary of the town's incorporation, July 4th, 1899, Volume I > Part 5


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I have been one of the Vice Presidents of the New Hamp- shire Bible Society seven years-the Scribe of Haverhill As-


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sociation ten years, Trustee of Atkinson Academy thirty years.


In addition to those already mentioned I delivered a ser- mon on leaving the old meeting house October 15, 1837, which was printed.


And recently I have written and published several articles in the Congregational Journal and Exeter News Letter on the Subject of Capital Punishment, on Uncircumcism and Baptism, and on Bishops and Deacons, etc.


In less than a year after my ordination, I was married with Abigail Dearbon, daughter of Dea. John S. Dearbon of Ches- ter, N. H. and we had twelve children in twenty years, five sons and seven daughters. Three of my sons had degrees. The eldest at Dartmouth College in 1819 at the age of twenty-five, and twenty-one years after that he deceased as a minister in Upper Canada, and left a widow childless, aged forty-six, Sept. 9,1840.


My next son graduated at Williams College, and is now a physician in Carlysle, N. Y., with a wife and four children. My youngest son had a medical degree at Dartmouth College and deceased at home, Jan. 12, 1834, aged twenty-nine ; the two other sons died younger. Four of my daughters I hope are in Heaven, and the three youngest are with me, two of them unmarried, and the youngest of them thirty years old is married and has one daughter. Thus the Lord is good and kind to me, and very thankful I must be, for I am yet able to read, to write and to preach at home and abroad this cold season, though I am eighty-one years old.


JOHN KELLY.


March 21, 1844.


N. B. The people of Hampstead have kindly given me the use of the parsonage ; and I have preached a half century sermon at home and in Derry since my dismission.


J. K.


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MEMORIAL OF THE TOWN OF


Rev. John Kelly died November 23, 1848, in Hampstead. The sermon at the funeral was preached by Rev. Dr. French of North Hampton, N. H. who after an account of his char- acter, attainments and labors, says "Such was the aged, ven- erated and beloved minister whose funeral the Holy Provi- dence of God has called us to attend. We revere his mem- ory and would gather instruction from his life."


Among the Memorial notices of Mr. Kelly which appeared in various Journals was one of particular interest in the " Massachusetts Observer " written by Rev. William Cogswell, D. D.


Kelly Genealogy.


Sivbruary 10 th 82%. John Shelly 28 Hampatias /H.


CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AT HAMPSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE,


JULY 4TH, 1849.


JOHN ORDWAY.


PROCEEDINGS AT THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRA- TION AT HAMPSTEAD, N. H. JULY 4TH, 1849.


During the winter of 1848-9, the propriety of celebrating the One Hundredth Anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Hampstead, was suggested by many of the inhabi- tants of the town. As the anniversary day fell on the 19th of January, in the midst of the most inelement season of the year, and as it was deemed desirable to have as many of the natives and former citizens, " who had strayed away from the old homestead," present as possible, it was determined to de- fer taking any steps towards the proposed celebration, till the return of warm weather.


In the following May the subject was again proposed, and was suggested to many of the citizens and met their cordial approbation. On the Sabbath of May 27th, Rev. Mr. Bart- ley, according to request, alluded to the subject and gave notice to all who felt disposed, to meet at the Center School House on the Monday evening following.


Agreeably to this notice, several of the citizens assembled at the above mentioned time and place. The following is the Record of the Secretary.


The meeting was organized by appointing Mr. Moody H. Brick, Chairman, and E. H. L. Gibson, Secretary.


Voted, To celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of the In- corporation of this town, and that the exercises be on the 4th of July next, in the " Davis Grove."


On motion, a committee was appointed by the chair, to nominate a Committee of Arrangements.


The chair appointed Dr. Josiah C. Eastman, Messrs. Caleb Moulton, and Richard K. Brickett.


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The said Committee reported the names of the following gentlemen to constitute a Committee of Arrangements, viz :-


Messrs. Isaac Smith, Amos Buck, Christopher P. Ayer, Nelson Ordway, Caleb Moulton, Moody H. Brockett, Henry Putnam, William Clark, Hiram Nichols. (Last two refused to act.)


And the gentlemen reported to the meeting, were elected. Voted :- To give the Committee of Arrangements power to add to their number, if they find it necessary.


Voted :- To give the Committee discretionary powers in making arrangements for the proposed Celebration.


The meeting was then adjourned.


E. H. L. GIBSON, Secretary.


The Committee of Arrangements met on the following day and elected the following additional members, viz :-


Messrs. Tristram Little, Frederick A. Pike, Joseph G. Brown, Stephen S. Shannon, Ebenezer Hoyt, Samuel Morse (refused to act), Jacob E. Eastman.


The Committee of Arrangements held meetings from time to time, as the case required. At their first session, it was voted to celebrate the day by an address appropriate to the occasion, by a procession, by a picnic in the Grove, and by other exercises usual at such celebrations.


It was voted to invite Frederick Emerson Esq., of Boston, to deliver the address.


In reply to the invitation of the Committee, Mr. Emerson wrote as follows :


" It is truly gratifying to me, to be thus kindly remembered in the place of my nativity, and I feel deeply obliged to the Committee for the honor they have chosen to confer upon me. The occasion of the celebration is, indeed, full of inter- est, and, if the circumstances which surround me at this time would allow me to accept the invitation, I would do so with much pleasure. But I feel compelled to decline. I liave


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made such engagements of my time, for the thirty days that will intervene between this time and the 4th of July, that I should be wholly unable to make the historical research nec- essary for the address. Although I must decline the office of making the address of the day, I shall look forward with much pleasure to the celebration, for it is my intention to be present, and listen to some other son of Hampstead, and once more shake the hands of my fellow townsmen."


The Committee then extended an invitation to Mr. Isaac W. Smith of Manchester ; and expressed an earnest desire that he would consent to deliver the address, as the time was wearing away, when it would be impossible to procure any one, and it was desirable that the address should be pro- nounced by a native of the town. An affirmative reply was given by him, stating that it would be impossible to go into any very extensive research among old records and papers, both from the shortness of time and the press of other duties.


The Committee of Arrangements invited the ladies to as- semble and make what provision they might think proper in relation to the duties more properly coming under their su- pervision.


At a meeting of the ladies, held in accordance with the above invitation, it was voted that families in town be invited to contribute provisions for the tables. It was also voted, to decorate the grove with flowers and evergreen. The follow- ing ladies were chosen a committee to carry out these propo- sitions.


Misses Esther Bartley, Mary C. Smith, Elvira Ordway, Susan E. Putnam, Mary A. Garland, Elizabeth A. Little, Mary J. Heath, Almira B. Sargent, Clara A. Kent, Mary A. Brown, Mary E. Merrill, Philena W. Hoyt, Clara A. Colby, Martha J. Smith, Louisa E. Kent, Susan E. Johnson, Mrs. Betsey A. Abbott, Mrs. Mary J. Atwood, Misses Betsey H. Davis, Sa- rah Morse.


Great credit is due to both committees for the exertions they made to make the preparations for the proposed celebra-


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tion, every way worthy of the occasion. The ladies of the town contributed bountifully to supply the tables with re- freshments. The grove, for a few days previous to the Fourth, resounded with the merry voices of fair ladies and gallant gentlemen, while they vied with each other in decorating the place with all the attractions which taste could display, or in- genuity devise. The gentlemen contributed liberally to de- fray the expenses incident to the occasion, and every arrange- ment was made which was desirable in a quiet town, where the people are disinclined to show and are content with a participation in the ordinary occurrences of life.


On Monday, the 2d, the weather was sultry, with occasion- al showers, which cooled the air and gave promise of a fair day on Wednesday. Tuesday was a cool but pleasant day, the precursor of a more delightful one to follow. On Wed- nesday morning the sun rose in all its splendor of a summer's morning. Ere he made his appearance from beyond the eastern hills, the day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and the discharge of cannon. The firing of the national salute was under the direction of Lieut. Simon Dow, who deserves great praise for the care and promptitude he manifested in the discharge of his duties. The spot selected by him was upon the hill near the Grove, and from its elevation was admirably chosen. The booming of the guns across the still waters of the ponds, and the thousand echoes awakened among the dis- tant hills, reminded all that the day was one of unusual in- terest to the quiet town of Hampstead. Early in the morn- ing the finishing touches were given to the Grove, and the tables bountifully laden with the luxuries of life.


A large stage was built in front of the seats arranged for the audience, decorated with evergreen and flowers, and orna- mented with beautiful devices. On the front of the stage, in letters wrought with roses, and arranged in the form of an arc, was the word "Independence "; and immediately under it wrought in the same way, the figures "1776." Over the speaker's desk were suspended the figures " 1749", wrought


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in white rosebuds and standing prominent from the centre of a large bouquet.


Mr. Tristram Little generously contributed more than a thousand roses on the morning of the Fourth ; and the citizens from the east part of the town contributed also another large number.


In a celebration of this character, there will always be a small number of persons upon whom will devolve the perform- ance of a greater share of the labor. Upon the present oc- casion, however, each seemed to strive in outdoing the others. When all were so deeply interested it would be invidious to point out particular individuals by name. The people acted in a spirit of unanimity and harmony seldom equalled.


The officers of the day, selected by the committee of ar- rangements were as follows :


John Ordway, Esq., President.


James Calef. Esq., Dea. Joshua Eastman, Dea. Jonathan Kent, Moses Hoyt, Esq., Andrew B. Marshall, Esq., Mr. John Little, Mr. Horace Bailey, Mr. James Hadley, Vice Presidents.


Early in the forenoon the streets began to fill up with strangers and citizens. The " Hampstead Light Infantry Company," under the command of Capt. John P. Stickney, performed escort duty ; by the steadiness of their movements, exactness in the performance of their evolutions, and by their gentlemanly and soldierly bearing they elicited the praise of all. They would compare favorably with many Independent Companies in cities or larger towns, where many opportunities for drill and exereise are more favorable and frequent. The " Atkinson and Methuen Brass Band " diseoursed their music upon the occasion. Their reputation is too well known to require any praise at this time. They were, if possible, more than usually successful.


According to previous notice the people assembled in the " Old Meeting-House," and at ten o'clock the house was filled to overflowing.


The invited guests from abroad, together with the officers


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of the day assembled at Spiggot Hall, and were escorted to the Old Meeting-House, by Capt. Stickney's Company. A pro- cession was then formed to march to the Davis Grove, under the direction of


Jese Ayer. Chief Marshal.


Amos Ring, Jacob E. Eastman, Simon Merrill, Edward R. Noyes, Francis V. Dow, George W. Eastman, Assistant Mar- shals.


The procession was formed at the Old Meeting-House in the following order, viz :


Chief Marshal. Music. Hampstead Light Infantry.


Marshal. Youth and Gentlemen. Marshal. Marshal. President and Orator of the Day. Marshal.


Clergymen. Invited Guests from abroad.


Marshal. Ladies. Marshal. Ladies' Committee of Arrangements. Gentlemen's Committee of Arrangements.


On reaching the Grove, the military and gentlemen opened to the right and left and the procession then passed in. Af- ter the audience were seated and every arrangement com- pleted, the President announced the exercises in the following order.


I. Music, by the Band.


II. Reading of the Town Charter, by Mr. Caleb Moulton.


*III. Invocation and Reading of the Scriptures, by Rev Joseph Smith of Newport, R. I.


IV. Anthem, by the Choir.


V. Prayer, by Rev. Jesse Page of Atkinson, N. H.


VI. Reading of the Declaration of Independence, by Mr. Ezekiel H. L. Gibson.


*Omitted, Mr. Smith a native of Hampstead was prevented from being present.


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VII. Music, by the Band.


VIII. Address, by Mr. Isaac W. Smith.


IX. Anthem, by the Choir.


X. Prayer, by Rev. J. M. C. Bartley.


After these exercises had been gone through, the wants of the body were attended to.


Great credit is due to the ladies of Hampstead, for the abundant supply of the good things of this life, furnished by them for the table.


They entered fully into the interest of the day and con- tributed in no small degree to its enjoyment. When the luxuries of the table had been fully discussed and the oppor- tunity embraced for the interchange of friendly greetings and recognitions, the people attended to the reading of the fol- lowing letters from natives of the town who were unable to attend.


Letter from Benjamin D. Emerson, Esq., of Roxbury, Mass.


JAMAICA PLAIN, July 3d, 1849.


Dear Sir :- I have delayed till this late period to answer your gratifying invitation to be present at the approaching Centennial Celebration of my native town, and participate "in the festivities of the occasion," vainly hoping it would be in my power to accept it. There are few things that impart a warmer or more thrilling glow to an old man's bosom than the manifestation of kindness and respectful consideration, from his younger brethren ; and I cannot too feelingly express my thanks for being thus courteously remembered by your committee. Nothing would afford me more satisfaction, than to spend my day with the good people of my native town, partake of your hospitality, and reciprocate congratulations with all ; with the old whose reminiscences reach far back into by-gone days, and also with the young, on whom under Providence, rest the responsibilities of the present, and the


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destinies of the future " weal or woe," of the good old town of Hampstead.


No spot in this wide world, is so dear to me, as that where I first inhaled the vital air, and first looked out upon this beautiful world ; where stood those venerated edifices, the School House, and the Meeting House ; in one of which, we were taught the rudiments of Letters, in the other our duties to our God and our fellow men; and lastly, where repose the sacred ashes of my beloved parents.


May the choicest of Heaven's blessings be bestowed and rest upon Hampstead and its inhabitants. May Peace and social harmony ever dwell in your midst. May smiling health prevail in all your habitations. May prosperity attend all your laudable enterprises. May your children from genera- tion to generation, as they in succession, rise up, attain to higher and higher excellence, drink more and more copiously, from the fountain of the Wisdom of Truth and of Goodness. And as they from time to time, go forth and mingle with the world, may they so deport themselves, as to reflect honor upon the place of their nativity. Very respectfully and truly


Your obliged friend and servant,


B. D. EMERSON.


ISAAC SMITH, Esq., Chairman Committee of Arrangements.


Letter from Mr. Lorenzo Kent, of Woodstock, Vt.


WOODSTOCK, June 30, 1849.


Dear Sir :- Your letter of the 20th inst., came duly to hand, and I regret exceedingly that my engagements are such as to render it impossible for me to comply with your invitation, in regard to the coming 4th of July. The time, and the ob- ject of your proposed celebration awaken in the heart of every one of these, our peaceful and happy homes, the liveliest feel ings of the quman heart. We remember those days of labor, privation and suffering, through which our forefathers passed, that they might secure for us, their children, the joys of a free


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and happy country. It is our duty and our privilege, to pre- serve, to cherish and to improve our free institutions, for our children and our children's children.


With much respect, I am your servant,


L. KENT.


To ISAAC SMITH, Esq., Chairman of Committee of Arrange- ments.


Letter from Mr. E. HI. Little, of Boston, Mass.


BOSTON, July 3, 1849.


ISAAC SMITH, Esq., Chairman of Committee of Arrangements.


Dear Sir :- I received your letter of invitation under date of July 19th, to unite with the citizens of Hampstead in their Centennial Celebration on the 4th inst.


In your communication, you refer to me, as one having "Strayed away from the old Homestead." This is true. I did stray away for several years, thereafter I became some- what a roving character, floating about from the Bay of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico; and finding the old adage to be true, that "a rolling stone gathers no moss," I came to the conclusion that I must settle down somewhere if the moss would stick ; and now I find myself identified with the inter- est and feelings of the citizens of Boston.


It is now nearly thirty-three years since I left my native town of Hampstead, during which time I have only visited it occasionally, and even then my stay has usually been very short.


The business of the town has changed so materially, es- pecially in the mechanical branches, that I find but few at- tractions of interest there ; a few familiar faces, whose locks have whitened with age that call up to mind the pleasant reminiscences of by-gone days-the Patriot fathers of the town.


Of their sons and daughters, companions of my early days, where are they ? When I look around and inquire for them,


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I am told they are mostly gone,-and but few remain to honor their parents and gladden their hearts in the evening of life.


I regret that I can not be with you to participate in the fes- tivities of the occasion, but I will give you a sentiment :


New Hampshire-Distinguished for the production and growth of her sons, and Massachusetts for their nourishment and support-namely her Webster, her Emersons and her Mason-besides the Little Fry.


I am, very respectfully, your ob't serv't, E. H. LITTLE.


Extract from a letter written by Rev. Henry True, of Union, Me., to his sister in Hampstead, and read upon the occasion.


" Tell Mr. Smith, and others of the Committee, that I feel very sensibly their kind invitation to attend the Centennial Celebration. I should be much delighted to be present, if circumstances and the state of my health rendered it suitable. I will be present in spirit, although not in body. It seems that the town was incorporated but three years when our father was ordained.


I must let the " royal oak " be my representative at the fes- tival. It is the oldest inhabitant of the town, and if his sight and hearing were good, he would give more history than all the other inhabitants. It has had several of its limbs amputa- ted by the Indians, but he has not lost his scalp. His head and shoulders tower aloft and buffet the fleet wings of time.


The royal oak, it was the tree, That swiftly I ran down to see, The first time I had trousers on.


It has heard Latin and Greek conned over numberless times. On the branches Samuel once shot pigeons, and many squirrels lost lives by climbing it. If he could spell English he would tell how our father went out two campaigns in the old French war; was at Crown Point, at Fort Edward, at the German Flats, and went up Lake George with Batteau and first landed on the shore, and shot the first enemy, a rattlesnake.


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Our father was a strong Whig in the Revolutionary struggle, as almost all clergymen were. He had great influence among the people in keeping up the liberty spirit. He would use no foreign tea, but sometimes domestic, such as Judy Goodwin sent down from Hailstown in a long birch box. He once wrote a piece of poetry against the use of tea and published it. When he built a cider mill, he told Dea. Goodwin he would not shingle it till he knew whether Lord North would have it or not. He let his, and probably his favorite, son go to the taking of Burgoyne, and afterwards he went with Capt. Gile to Providence, where he lost his life, much to the grief of his parents : but they consoled themselves with the justice of the cause in which he was engaged. Jabez also went out as a surgeon on board a privateer.


But I am reminded that I have not time to trouble you further."


Letter from Hon. Samuel Marshall, of Derry, N. H., member of the N. H. Senate, District No. 3.


DERRY, June 30, 1849.


ISAAC SMITH, Esq., Chairman of Committee of Arrangements :


I have received with pleasure your letter of invitation to be present on the 4th of July, at the celebration in commem- oration of events which have transpired in the town of Hamp- stead since its settlement. It would give me the greatest pleasure to listen to the Historical Address to be delivered on the occasion, to participate in the other appropriate exer- cises of the day, and once more to meet those citizens of my native town, who "have strayed away from the old home- stead ", and will return to unite in paying tribute to the mem- ories of our forefathers. But my engagements are such that I shall be unable to be with you, only in sentiment and feeling.


Permit me to relate to you the tradition that I heard while on a visit to my friends in Coos County a few years since :


When my grandfather and Lieut. Edmund Morse, of Hamp-


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stead, were on an exploring expedition they discovered the Notch in the White Mountains, and were the first white men that ever passed through there on their way to Portland.


To show the simplicity of the household furniture of the first settlers, allow me to add that I have heard my grand- father say that part of the furniture was a knot bowl with two spoons (I presume pewter, for I well recollect the old moulds), which are still in existence, from which he and his wife both ate at the same time.


Permit me to propose the following sentiment :


My Native Town-May Temperance and the social virtues pervade every heart.


I am, with much respect, yours, etc., SAMUEL MARSHALL.


Letter from Rev. Jesse B. Davis, of Princeton, N. J.


PRINCETON, June 30, 1849.


ISAAC SMITH, Esq., Chairman of Committee of Arrangements :


Dear Sir :- The invitation to attend the Centennial Cele- bration which you have been so kind as to send me has awak- ened mingled emotions of regret and pleasure. Of regret, be- eause on account of duties here which demand my constant attention, I cannot be present and participate in the festivities of that interesting occasion.


But of pleasure, because I am informed that those in whose welfare I am interested, the inhabitants of my native place, are to enjoy a season which I am confident will be both pleas- ant and profitable. It strikes me as being a very suitable way of turning the glorious anniversary of our National Indepen- dence to good account.


The connection between the two events is by no means ob- seure, and the recollections which cluster around both of them are calculated to render the celebration one of peculiar inter- est. The sons of New England have reason to be proud of their ancestors, those noble men who lived and acted not for


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themselves, but for their God, their country, and their posteri- ty. They are gone, but their works do follow them. The seed which they have sown has yielded precious fruit.


It will be well to revive the recollections of former days, and of the men of former days, that the present generation may see how the liberty and prosperity which they now enjoy have been gained, and may learn to value more highly the in- structions of religion and learning for which we are largely indebted to our fathers.


Please to extend to the Committee of Arrangements my most sincere and grateful acknowledgments for their kind re- membrance of me among the many wanderers who are proud to say that Old Hampstead was our native place. And ac- cept for yourself my warmest assurance of personal regards.




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