USA > New Hampshire > Colony, province, state, 1623-1888: history of New Hampshire > Part 16
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Mantle Old Wentworth House
Allott F. graves
apartment, still remains the ancient spinet, now time-worn and voiceless, but whose keys have many a time been touched by
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the jewelled white fingers of aristocratic belles. Washington listened to its music once when he visited here in 1790, the guest of the hospitable Colonel Wentworth. Here, too, is seen in one corner, the old buffet which, in the olden time, has held many a full and empty punch bowl. Opening out of the larger apartment are little side rooms where illustrious guests, General Loudon, Admiral Boscawen, Lord Pepperell and many others, have played at cards and other games, until the "wee sma' hours." About the whole hall there is a choice venerableness.
In 1770, Benning Wentworth breathed his last in the arms of his faithful wife. The governor rewarded her care and faithful- ness by bequeathing her his entire estate. The great house was not long without a master, however. Lady Wentworth, after living single about a year, fell into the matrimonial traces again, but without changing her name. She outlived her second husband several years, and at her death, in 1804, left the old mansion to her daughter Martha, whom she had by Colonel Michael Wentworth. She was buried beside her first husband, in the churchyard of St. John's, in Portsmouth.
The mansion at Little Harbor continued to be occupied by the second Martha Wentworth, who was also a Lady, her husband being Sir John Wentworth, until 1816, when they went to England, from whence they never returned.
The winter of 174I was famous throughout New England as much colder than any which preceded it. Probably no year since could furnish testimony for cold either so intense or pro- tracted. The snow, which covered the whole country as early as the 13th of November, was still found the next April covering the fences. The Boston Post Boy for January 12th, reports a tent on the Charles River for the entertainment of travellers. The Boston News Letter for March 6th, tells us that "people ride every day from Stratford, Conn., to Long Island, which is three leagues." Even as far east as New London, we are told that the "ice extended into the sound as far as could be seen from the town ;" and that Fisher's Island was united to the main- land by a solid bed. On March 28th, the Boston News Letter reports that the people living on Thompson's Island had crossed
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over to Dorchester to church on the ice for the fifteen preceding Sundays.
As late as the 9th of July, a letter from New London, Conn., reports on the east side of the Connecticut river a body of ice as large as two carts can draw, clear and solid, and adds very artlessly that "it might lay there a month longer, were it not that so many resort, out of curiosity, to drink punch made out of it." On the 17th of July snow was still lying in a mass in the town of Ipswich, Mass., nearly four feet thick. But the most marvellous record of that season is the statement made by Alonzo Lewis, author of the "Annals of Lynn," Mass., that " Francis Lewis, the signer of the Declaration of Independence, drove his horse from New York to Barnstable, the whole length of Long Island Sound on the ice."
Epping was set off from Exeter in 1741. Rev. Robert Cut- ler was the first minister, settled in 1747. He was succeeded in 1758, by Rev. Josiah Stevens ; in 1793, by Rev. Peter Holt ; in 1826, by Rev. Forest Jefferds ; in 1842, by Rev. Calvin Chapman ; in 1849, by Rev. Lyman White.
The town has claimed among its distinguished residents, General Henry Dearborn, Governor William Plumer, Senator John Chandler, William Plumer, Jr., and Governor Benjamin F. Prescott.
The Quakers and Baptists had a foothold in the town very early in its history. Jonathan Norris, Joshua Folsom, and his son, Benjamin Folsom, were among the leaders of the former society. Among the Baptists, Rev. Dr. Samuel Shepard was a preacher for nearly half a century.
1 Windham, from 1719 to 1742, was a parish of Londonderry, a part and parcel of that historic Scotch settlement.
It is doubtful if any permanent settlements were made till the advent of the Scotch in 1719 in the Londonderry colony. The first house in Windham was established on Copp's hill, south- east of Cobbett's pond, about 1720. Its occupant was John Waddell. In 1721 David Gregg, son of John Gregg, of London- derry, Ireland, and grandson of Captain David Gregg, a Scotch-
1 I .. A. Morrison.
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man and captain in Cromwell's army, established himself in the west side of the town. He was the uncle of Andrew Gregg, member of the U. S. Senate from Pennsylvania, in 1806-7.
This David Gregg was joined by Alexander McCoy from the highlands of Scotland. In 1723 John Dinsmoor, son of John Dinsmoor of Scotland, located near the Junction. In 1728 or '29 John Archibald settled in the north part of the town.
About 1730, Lieut. Samuel Morrison, son of Charter James Morrison of Londonderry, N. H., and grandson of John Morri- son of Scotland, settled in the east of the town, in the "Range." He was the ancestor of the Morrisons at Windham.
In 1733, Henry Campbell of Londonderry, Ireland, and the grandson of Daniel Campbell of Scotland, settled in the east of the town, on Beaver river, and where his descendants "live unto this day." About this same date Alexander Simpson and Adam Templeton struck for settlement here.
John Cochran, of Scotch blood, came in 1730, hewed from the wilderness his farm, upon which his descendants have since lived. Alexander Park and John Armstrong appeared soon after.
These are some of the pioneer fathers : William and Robert Thompson, Joseph Waugh, Thomas Quigley, Alexander and James Dunlap, John Kyle, John Morrow, Hugh Graham, John and James Vance, Samuel and William McAdams, James Gil- more, Andrew Armour, John Hopkins, Daniel Clyde, William Thom, John Stuart, Hugh Brown, Samuel Kinkead, Francis Smilie, Alexander Ritchie, William Jameson, Nathaniel Hemp- hill, James Caldwell, who were here in early times, and, with the exception of William Thom, not a single descendant of any of this list, bearing the family name, remains in town to-day.
Immediately after the first settlement had been made in Lon- donderry, near what is now the east village, individuals would go from home to the more distant glebes to work in summer, and would return in the winter. Many young men lived in this manner several years, laboring thus to prepare a home for their future companions. When the home was provided they went or sent to Scotland, or to the Scotch settlements in Ireland,
i
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for the brave lass who had consented to cross the wide ocean to meet her stern lord in the wilderness, and by her presence to cheer, to brighten, and to bless his home and life.
Land was cheap, and John Hopkins purchased a large tract for a web of linen cloth. Neighbors were far apart, oftentimes as far as three miles, and it was said, "we were obliged to go three miles to borrow a needle, not being able to buy one."
There were no grist-mills nearer than Haverhill or Andover, Mass., so the grain was carried on poles trailed from the horse's back. They often broke their corn into meal by placing it be- tween two revolving stones, this being a hand-mill called a cairn. They lived mainly on what could be raised in the ground. They possessed but little wealth, for their lot was like their father- land, Scotland, cast in a cold wintry land, with a hard and rocky soil.
North Hampton and South Hampton were incorporated in 1742.
Brentwood was incorporated in 1742. It was taken from Exeter, including the present town of Freemont, and had been known as Keenborough. A meeting-house had already been built. Rev. Nathaniel Trask was settled as the first minister of the place. He was succeeded, in 1801, by Rev. Ebenezer Flint ; in 1813, by Rev. Chester Colton ; in 1826, by Rev. Luke A. Spofford ; in 1831, by Rev. Jonathan Ward ; in 1833, by Rev. Francis Welch ; in 1839, by Rev. John Gunnison ; in 1841, by Rev. James Boutwell ; in 1854, by Rev. Charles Dame. Elder Samuel Shepard was settled over a society of Baptists in the town in 1775 and continued until his death, in 1816.
Governor Benning Wentworth had been received at Ports- mouth with great marks of popular respect upon the publi- cation of his commission in December, 1741. He had been a heavy loser by the failure of Spanish officials to meet their obli- gations to him, and his claim and other neglected claims of English merchants against the Spanish government led to the declaration of war on the part of Great Britain to seek redress. In his first address to the General Court of New Hampshire he "did not forget to recommend a fixed salary for himself, not
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subject to depreciation ; nor the payment of expenses which had arisen on account of the boundary lines." 1
"The Assembly, in their answer, acknowledged the wisdom and justice of the King in determining the long controversy between them and Massachusetts,"1 but claimed that half the expense of settling the boundary lines should be borne by the adjoining Province. They promised " ample provision for his honorable support " 1 as soon as practicable. They voted a salary of £250 to the governor, which they increased to £500, and an additional sum for house rent. They presented their agent, Thomlinson, with £500 sterling for his faithful services. They also issued paper money to the amount of £25,000. The governor's salary was further increased by £800 sterling, his pay as surveyor of the woods, an office which Dunbar was in- duced to resign upon receipt of £2,000 sterling. . Thomlinson brought about the appointment of Wentworth to the office upon the surrender of his claim of $56,000 against the Spanish c.own.1
The good fortune of Governor Wentworth did not fail to raise up envious enemies, but their schemes for his overthrow were futile.
In 1744 the proprietors of Suncook chose Colonel Benjamin Rolfe, Mr. Andrew McFarland, and Deacon Noah Johnson, to treat with the proprietors of the Town of Bow, at their next meeting, and "to see upon what terms or agreement they will come into with us concerning our lands which they have in dispute with us, and see if said proprietors will take up with such offers or proposals as the Province or Provinces shall make unto them ; or some other way; so that all controversies or law- suits may be ended for the future, that so it may be for theirs and our peace and benefit."
The war commenced between England and Spain soon in- volved nearly all Europe. When France became an ally of the Spaniards, New England became interested. The French garri- son at Cape Breton, having early information of the declaration of war, surprised and captured the unprepared English fishing
I Belknap.
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station at Canseau, near the northern part of Nova Scotia, and were assisted by the Indians. As a consequence the govern- ment of Massachusetts declared war against the French and Indians in October, 1744, and offered a bounty for scalps and prisoners.
From the pen of Rev. Daniel Rollins, a descendant of the chief actor in the romantic drama of the Louisburg war, comes the following accounts :
France had declared war on the 15th of March, 1744; and about six months prior to that time, Governor Shirley sent a letter to Colonel Pepperrell, desiring him to hold his regiment in readi- ness to protect the frontier against the Indians. He accordingly sent copies of it to each of his captains, and also added the following spirited sentence : " I hope that He who gave us our breath will give us the courage and prudence to behave ourselves like true-born Englishmen."
Colonel Pepperrell was born at Kittery Point, Maine, June 27, 1696. The colony was then under the jurisdiction of Massa- chusetts : both being subject, of course, to the crown.
The capture of Louisburg, the " Gibraltar of America," was the leading event in our Colonial history; but it was followed so closely by the Revolution, that it is somewhat obscured in the light of that great struggle. The town of Louisburg, named after "le grand monarque," is situated in the south- eastern part of Cape Breton Island, adjoining Nova Scotia, and controls the entrance to the Gulf and River St. Lawrence. It commanded the fisheries by its position. The island also pro- duced large quantities of excellent ship timber. That ripe scholar, the Rev. Jeremy Belknap, in his exhaustive description of its capture, says the town of Louisburg "was two and a half miles in circumference, fortified in every accessible part, with a rampart of stone from thirty to thirty-six feet high, and a ditch eighty feet wide. On an island at the entrance to the har- bor, which was only four hundred yards wide, was a battery of thirty cannon, carrying twenty-eight pound shot ; and at the bottom of the harbor, directly opposite to the entrance, was the grand or royal battery, of twenty-eight forty-twos, and two
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eighteen-pound cannon. * The entrance to the town was at the west gate, over a drawbridge, which was protected by a circular battery of thirteen twenty-four-pound cannon. These works had been twenty-five years in building, and, though un- finished, had cost France not less than six millions of dollars." It is worthy of notice that only New England troops took part in the siege. Colonel Pepperrell was selected to command the forces, with the rank of lieutenant-general. He already occupied the next highest post to that of the governor, viz., president of the council. He was also very wealthy and popular, and likely to draw soldiers to his standard, as indeed proved to be the case. "Nil desperandum Christo duce," was the motto of the invaders. Colonel Pepperrell advanced five thousand pounds from his own fortune, and threw himself into the work of preparation with all the impetuosity of his nature.
The West India squadron, under Commodore Warren, which was to co-operate with the New-England troops, failed to arrive at the appointed time ; but they set sail without them on March 24, 1745, and after a short passage reached Louisburg, and began at once to disembark and invest the town. On the 24th of April, Warren and three of his men-of-war joined them, and others arrived later. It appears that they took part in the bom- bardment to some extent, but most of the work had necessarily to be done by the land forces with their heavy siege-guns. The ships also served to good purpose in preventing reinforcements and supplies from entering the harbor. But space will not per- mit a detailed account of the capture of the "Dunkirk of America." Suffice it to say that the place capitulated after a seven-weeks arduous attack by land and sea. The cross of St. George had supplanted the lilies of France. On the 17th of June, 1745, General Pepperrell marched into the town at the head of his troops, and received the keys, although Commodore Warren had vainly flattered himself that he or one of his officers should have the honor of receiving the surrender of the place. He had even gone so far as to send a letter to the French governor, ordering him to deliver the keys to some one whom he should afterwards designate. General Pepperrell did not
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know of this action at the time ; and he probably never learned of it, as they continued to be good friends. Very likely he knew of Warren's desire to assume the glory ; for this was the general opinion among the people of New England at the time, and, indeed, feeling ran very high on the subject. Dr. Chauncey expressed their sentiments when he wrote the following to General Pepperrell. He said : "If the high admiral of England had been there, he would not have had the least right to command any- where but aboard his own ships." A good instance of the American spirit thirty years prior to the Revolution.
Smollett says : "The conquest of Louisburg was the most important achievement of the war of 1744."
Ward, in his edition of "Curwen's Journal of the Loyalists," says : " That such a city should have yielded to the farmers, merchants, and fishermen of New England, is almost incredible. The lovers of the wonderful may read the works which contain accounts of its rise and ruin, and be satisfied that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction."
Pepperrell received a letter from the Duke of Newcastle, dated at Whitehall, August 10, 1745, acquainting him that his Majesty had sent a patent from Hanover creating him a baronet of Great Britain,-an honor never before conferred on a native of America. Commodore Warren was also promoted to the rank of admiral.
A trophy of the capture of Louisburg lies almost at our doors. The visitor, on approaching the massive and stately building known as Gore Hall, at Cambridge, may see a gilded cross over one of its doors, which was taken from a French church and eventually found a resting-place there. The granite pile stands for learning and progress. The cross may well re- mind the students and all the friends of the university of its motto, "Christo et Ecclesia," that its meaning may never be forgotten in our onward march.
Sir William Pepperrell embarked in Admiral Knowles's squadron for Boston, Sept. 24, 1746, and arrived there on the 2nd of October, after a stormy passage.
He set sail for London in September, 1749, and was cordially
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received at court by his Majesty, King George II. He was also the recipient of many attentions from the Prince of Wales and Lord Halifax. The mayor of London waited on him, and pre- sented him with a set of plate in honor of his distinguished ser- vices. Sir William was a man of fine appearance, somewhat inclined to be portly, and his dignified and elegant bearing made him noted, even at the court of St. James. A description of the dress which he wore when presented has not come down to us, but he ordinarily dressed in the rich apparel customary for gentlemen in his day, viz., a suit of scarlet cloth trimmed with gold lace, silk stockings and silver shoe buckles, and the usual powdered wig. He also wore lace ruffles at his wrists, and the long vest then in fashion. There is extant a full-length portrait of him by the gifted Smibert, in the Essex Institute at Salem. It belongs to, and was formerly in, the Portsmouth Athenaeum, where it should have remained.
He lived in great style at Kittery, and kept open house for all his friends, although he was choice in his acquaintance. His library was the best in that part of the country, and was much consulted by scholars, especially the clergy. His large and substantial house was hung with beautiful paintings and costly mirrors. His cellar was filled with rare old wines, - not to mention the highly-prized New England rum, that had been mellowed by its voyage to the Indies and back. His park was stocked with deer; he kept a coach-and-six, and also had a splendid barge, manned by six slaves in uniform.
He owned immense tracts of land in Maine; and it is said that he could travel from Portsmouth to Saco River, a distance of thirty miles, all the way on his own soil. All these vast estates were confiscated during the Revolution.
Still another honor awaited him : for he received a commis- sion of lieutenant-general in the royal army, bearing date Feb. 20, 1759, giving him the command of all the forces engaged against the French and their savage allies. But the old veteran could not take the field, for his health was failing : and he died on the 6th of July, 1759, in the sixty-third year of his age. His remains were placed in the family tomb, on his estate at Kittery Point.
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1 The old Pepperrell House, built nearly two hundred years ago, which has seen more of splendor, and sheltered more famous individuals than any other private residence on this side of the sea, is still the object of frequent pilgrimages to Kittery Point. The house was built by the first William Pepperrell, the great merchant and ship-builder of his time. He accumulated va t wealth by trade, and his mansion reflected the boundless- ness of his means. Grand as any old English castle, it stood looking out to sea, girt by a great park where droves of deer sported. His son, the famous Sir William Pepperrell, enlarged and adorned it at the time of his marriage in 1734. This Lord Pepperrell, the only American baronet after Sir William Phipps, was a remarkable man. He was the richest merchant in the colonies, and had at times two hundred ships at sea. His suc- cess at Louisburg proved him a skilful general, and his political influence was second to that of no man's in the colonies. The style he lived in recalled the feudal magnificence of the great barons. The walls of his great mansion were adorned with rich carvings, splendid mirrors, and costly paintings. In his side- board glittered heavy silver plate and rare old china. Wine a hundred years old, from the delicate, spicy brands of Rhineland to the fiery Tuscan, was in his cellars. He kept a coach with six white horses. A retinue of slaves and hired menials looked to him as their lord ; and he had a barge upon the river, in which he was rowed by a crew of Africans in gaudy uniforms. The only man in all the colonies worth two hundred thousand pounds sterling, reigning grandly over grand estates ; for, like an English peer, he might have travelled all day long upon his own lands, sovereign lord, in fact, if not in name, of more than five hundred thousand acres,- timber, plain and valley, - in New Hampshire and Maine. Sir William Pepperrell could do this, and yet not live beyond his means.
The original paper remains on the walls of the wide hall, as do the deer antlers above the doors. The observatory upon the roof affords a fine view of the surrounding country. A_ noble avenue of eims, a quarter of a mile in length, formerly i- . from
'U're l Myron Colb ;.
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the street to the door. The trees were about one rod apart. The perspective effect of this grand avenue must have been peculiarly graceful and impressive. Some vandal cut down the trees years ago. But no one can destroy the beauty of the noble site on which the mansion stands. The late James T. Fields, an honored son of Portsmouth, endeavored, among others, to purchase it for a summer residence.
One of the prime movers and most enthusiastic supporters of the expedition against Louisburg was William Vaughan, son of Lieut .- Governor Vaughan of New Hampshire, who was exten- sively engaged in fishing along the eastern coast. Some claim that he originated the idea. Governor Shirley, of Massa- chusetts, having determined upon the matter, Vaughan rode express from Boston to Portsmouth, where the New Hampshire Assembly was sitting. Governor Wentworth, between whom and Governor Shirley the most amicable relations existed, im- mediately laid the matter before them, and proposed a confer- ence of the two houses to be held on the next day. The house of representatives having caught the enthusiasm of Vaughan were impatient of even this delay, and immediately took favor- able action, appropriated £4,000, and authorized the governor to select two hundred and fifty men and provide stores and transports. To raise the necessary money, they had to go beyond the power vested in them by the crown, but were advised to do so by Governor Shirley. By the middle of February their quota of men were enlisted, eager to serve under such a popular man as Colonel Pepperrell. Governor Wentworth was at first inclined to take command of the force, but was persuaded to stay at home. The famous George Whitefield gave the expedition a motto, Nil Desperandum Christo Duce, which almost gave it the character of a crusade.
Including the crew of an armed sloop in command of Captain John Fernald, New Hampshire furnished three hundred and fifty men, organized into a regiment under command of Colonel Samuel Moore, besides one hundred and fifty men enlisted in Massachusetts regiments, or one-eighth of the whole land force. The New Hampshire troops arrived at the rendezvous at Can-
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seau the last day of March, two days before the arrival of their comrades.
The expedition was planned by a lawyer, executed by a mer- chant, at the head of a body of husbandmen and mechanics, animated indeed by ardent patriotism, but destitute of professi- onal skill and experience. " If any one circumstance had taken a wrong turn on our side, and if any one circumstance had not taken a wrong turn on the French side, the expedition must have miscarried." 1
The impregnable fortress capitulated after a short siege, in which New Hampshire lost eleven men, five killed and six died of sickness. Lieutenant-Colonel Vaughan especially distin- guished himself. The British navy, however, reaped most of the rich harvest from the victory ; but Wentworth and Shirley were confirmed in their governments as a result.
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