USA > New Hampshire > Colony, province, state, 1623-1888: history of New Hampshire > Part 34
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Ebenezer Smith, was a proprietor of Gilmanton, but settled in Meredith in 1768, and was a "father of the town " for many years. Ile was judge of Probate; lieutenant-colonel of roth regiment militia; and president of the Senate two years. He died in August, 1807.
Matthew Thornton vas a member of Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Simeon Olcott, of Charlestown, was judge of Probate ; chief justice of Court of Common Pleas; associate justice of Superior Court in 1790; chief justice from 1795 to ISO1 ; and United States senator. He died in February, 1815.
Enoch HIale, of Rindge, was a leading citizen of the town, till he removed to Walpole in 1784. He died in Grafton, Vt., in April, IS13, aged seventy-nine.
Moses Dow, of Haverhill, was the first lawyer of Grafton county, and for some time was register of Probate.
Of the Ilouse of Representatives, George Atkinson, who was born, lived, and died in Portsmouth, was a man of considerable ability, striet integrity, and of an irreproachable character. He was four times appointed a delegate to the Continental Congress, but each time declined the office. He was also appointed a member of the Committee of Safety, and declined. He was ap- pointed a special justice of the Superior Court. In 1785 he was one of four candidates for president of the State, and received the largest popular vote, but failed of an election before the legislature. He died in February, 1788.
George Gains was one of the Committee of Safety for the State in 1777.
John Piekering, a native of Newington, was attorney-general in 1786; re- peatedly a member of the legislature ; president of the United States Senate in 1789; and governor of the State, ex officio, when Governor John Langdon was elected to the United States Senate. In 1790 he was appointed chief justice of the Superior Court, and held the office five years. He was afterwards district judge of the United States and served till 1804. He died in April, 1805.
Colonel Daniel Runnels, of Londonderry, served as captain in Colonel Nichols's regiment at Bennington, and as captain in Colonel Peabody's regiment in Rhode Island in 177S. He was an able and distinguished citizen.
Thomas Bartlett, of Nottingham, was among the leading patriots of Rockingham county. He was captain of a company in 1775 at Winter Hill; lieutenant-colonel in Colonel Gilman's regiment in Rhode Island in 1778; a member of Committee of Safety in 1778; colonel of a regiment at West Point in 1780; brigadier-general of New Hampshire militia in 1792; representative in 1775; speaker of the House of Representatives; judge of the Court of 'Common Pleas. He died in June, 1807, aged fifty-nine.
Moses Leavitt, of North Hampton, actively participated in the war of the Revolution. He was appointed captain in the Continental service in 1776, and was employed on coast defence during the war. He was representative in 1782 and 1783.
Hon. Christopher Toppan, of Ilampton, was a useful and distinguished
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citizen, son of Dr. Edmund Toppan, and grandson of Rev. Christopher Toppan, of Newbury, Mass. His mother was a daughter of Colonel Joshua Wingate. He was often a representative and councillor. He died in Febru- ary, 1819, aged eighty-four.
Daniel Emerson, of Hollis, was coroner for Hillsborough county; captain in Rhode Island expedition; representative and councillor. He died in October, 1821.
Lieutenant Robert Wallace, of Henniker, was a native of Londonderry; judge of Court of Common Pleas for Hillsborough county, and councilior from 1788 to 1803. He died in January, 1815.
John Duncan, of Antrim, a native of Londonderry, was a prominent citizen, serving as town-clerk, representative, selectman, and senator. He died in March, 1823.
John Underhill, of Chester.
John Cram, one of the chief men in the town of Pittsfield.
Captain Jeremiah Clough, of Canterbury, was a veteran of Bunker Hill, and an active and influential citizen.
Major Nathan Bachelder, of Loudon, was one of the most active and influ- ential citizens of that town from its organization until the close of the century.
Samuel Daniell, of Pembroke, was a leading citizen of that town.
Colonel Nathaniel Emerson, of Candia, was " called to public stations perhaps more than any other individual who ever lived in Candia."
Jeremiah Eastman, of Deerfield, was born in December, 1732, in Kensing- ton, and settled in Deerfield.
James Betton, of Windham, was a farmer, surveyor, and auctioneer.
Major Jonathan Wentworth, of Somersworth, was captain in siege of Boston.
John Sanborn, from Sanbornton, a veteran of the old French war, and a sold.er of the Revolution, was a benevolent, generous-hearted man, of dig- nity and presence, full of dry humor.
Robert Means, of Amherst, born in Ireland, was noted for his hon- esty, fair dealing, close attention to business, and in time became one of the most widely known and distinguished merchants in the town or State.
Benjamin Mann, of Mason, commanded a company at the battle of Bunker Hill. He moved to Keene in 1800, and died in 1801.
Mr. Ephraim Adams, of New Ipswich, was one of the leading men of that town for many years.
Matthew Wallace, of Peterborough, was seventeen times moderator; eleven years town-clerk ; six years selectman ; six years representative.
Captain Francis Davis, of Warner, was the first representative from War- ner, both to the Provincial Congress at Exeter as well as under the constitution.
Elijah Grout, of Charlestown, was very active and widely known through- out the Revolution. He was a brave and good man. He was intelligent and far-seeing, and had all the qualities of a sterling man.
William Smiley, of Jaffrey, an early settler, was a prominent and influen- tial man.
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Samuel King, of Chesterfield, was a physician.
Stephen Powers, of Croydon, was an early settler of that place, and was distinguished for his giant frame, great physical strength, and vigorous in- tellect.
Colonel Timothy Bedel, of Bath, was prominent all through the Revolu- tion, holding important commands on the northern frontier.
Moses Baker, of Campton, was the great-grandfather of Hon. Henry W. Blair.
Such, with their associates of like character, were the men chosen by the yeomanry of New Hampshire to organize the new State government. To them was intrusted the welfare of the Commonwealth at the most important and trying time of its his- tory, - a period of depression and distress such as had hardly been felt in the sharpest crisis of the war itself. The close of hostilities with England brought with it no relief to the suf- ferings of the people, but seemed for a time rather to aug- ment them. A feeling of very general discontent pervaded the public mind, no longer held in check by a foreign foe. The government was weak and inefficient, the people poor and in debt, credit both public and private impaired, or rather well-nigh destroyed. A depreciated paper currency took the place of specie ; tender laws and the further issues of paper were loudly called for by the discontented and debtor party, as the only remedy for the great and acknowledged evils of the times ; and the courts of law were more than ever surrounded by mobs, whose avowed purpose was to prevent the judges from proceeding in the trial of cases. In Kcene, nearly two years before, the judges of the Superior Court, accompanied by the attorney-general, John Sullivan, were warned in the outskirts of the village that a mob had col- lected about the court-house, who would resist with violence any attempt to enforce the laws. Sullivan undertook to get the court, with as little loss of dignity as possible, out of the hands of the mob. He accordingly halted the party while he put on his uniform of a general in the Continental army - blue coat, bright buttons, sword, and cocked hat with plume, that had been seen on nearly every battlefield of the Revolution, - mounted his pow- erful gray horse, and, preceding the court, conducted them into the town. An armed assembly had gathered about the court-
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house, sullen in their aspect and resolute in their purpose to pre- vent the transaction of business, who gave way, however, and allowed the court to enter. The judges having taken their seats, the court was opened in due form by the crier, while the crowd rushed tumultuously in and filled the house. Sullivan, who was a man of fine personal appearance, dignified aspect, and com- manding deportment, stood in the clerk's desk and calmly and resolutely surveyed the multitude, recognizing among them offi- cers and soldiers who had served with him. He seemed once more their trusted commander, and the instinct of obedience was working strongly in the mass, who felt his presence and involun- tarily obeyed the motions of their old chief. With dignity he took off his cocked hat, disclosing a profusion of white powdered hair, unbelted his long sword and deliberately laid them on the table. Having gained their attention, and silence ensuing after considerable disturbance, he demanded of them why they had come before the court in such a turbulent manner. He was answered by many voices : "The petition! the peti- tion !" and a committee stepped forward with a huge roll of paper which Sullivan received and presented to the court. The clerk having read it, Sullivan addressed the people, courteously but firmly, on the impropriety of any attempt to influence, even by the appearance of violence, the deliberations of the court ; told them their petition would be considered ; and directed them to withdraw. They obeyed with reluctance, whereupon the court adjourned until the next day, in hope that the mob would disperse. In the afternoon Sullivan addressed them on the sub- ject of their complaints, and advised them to return to their homes. On the opening of the court the next morning the house was full of people, impatient for the answer to their peti- tion. Sullivan, now in citizen's dress, with grace and dignity said that he was instructed by the court to inform them that the court would continue all causes on the civil docket in which either party was not ready for trial, as the court was due in another county. Upon which announcement the people withdrew with cheers for General Sullivan. The mob had effected its pur- pose, and the dignity of the court had been sustained. At
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this time Keene and the towns bordering on the Connecticut were lukewarm in their allegiance to the New Hampshire au- thorities.
In Massachusetts a similar condition of things led, in 1786, to Shays's rebellion ; and in this State, at an earlier period of that year, events seemed fast tending to a like dangerous issue. Many town and county conventions were held, and petitions for a redress of grievances were presented to the legislature. Del- egates from some of the conventions assembled in Concord during the June session, where they were assisted to organize by several active young men, some of whom were afterwards distinguished in the service of the State, who, although not prop- erly chosen members, conceived the idea of turning the pro- ceedings into ridicule. Having been admitted without question, as delegates from their respective towns, they at once took a leading part, taking different sides to avoid an appearance of concert, and vied with the true members in their zeal for reform. After a debate of several hours the convention adopted a series of resolutions, and appointed a committee, of which William Plumer, one of the eleven young conspirators, was chairman, to report a petition to the legislature. This petition, which was reported the next morning, embodied the substance of the reso- lutions, and was unanimously adopted by the convention. Among other things it requested the legislature to abolish the Court of Common Pleas, to establish town courts, to restrict the number of lawyers to two in a county, and to provide for the issue of State notes to the amount of three million dollars, the same to be legal tender in payment of all debts. The issue of paper money by the State was the favorite measure of the discontented and debtor party, and the mock members of the convention could hardly keep pace with the real ones in the extravagance of their suggestions. Dr. Jonathan Gove, of New Boston, who represented ten towns in Hillsborough county, proposed to raise the amount named to twelve millions of dollars, to pay all debts public and private. The convention went in a body to present their petition, and were gravely received by the legislature. The speaker showed them ceremonious attention, and, as one of
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the delegates said, treated them "with superfluous respect," laying their memorial on the table. Having again assembled at their place of meeting, Mr. Plumer addressed them and showed the absurdity of their proceedings ; after a heated discussion the convention broke up in disorder : and for some time the very name 'of a convention became a term of reproach.1
The dispute between the people of New Hampshire and the inhabitants of the Hampshire grants and the authorities of New York as to the western boundary of New Hampshire had been settled by the Continental Congress admitting into the Union the new State of Vermont. About this time several New Hampshire towns situate in the Connecticut valley were tempted to throw off their allegiance to New Hampshire ; but happily more pru- dent counsels prevailed and the separation did not take place.
John Langdon, who was elected second president of the State in 1785, after Meshech Weare had declined to serve, was born in Portsmouth in 1740, was a merchant, shipbuilder, and a patriot. He helped seize the ammunition at Fort William and Mary in 1774, built the Ranger for John Paul Jones, was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775 and 1776, served with Stark at Bennington, was again elected president of the State in 1788, a delegate to the convention which framed the constitution of the United States, and to the State convention which accepted it. He was the first United States senator elected, and was chosen president of that body, and as such informed General Washing- ton of his election. After he left Congress he was elected gov- ernor five times. From a Federalist he became a Republican, and later a Democrat.
General John Sullivan was chosen president of New Hampshire in 1786. The want of money and the depression in business were evils too deeply rooted to be removed by ridicule, mock conventions, or idle talk. The people were in distress, especially the veterans of the Continental army. New conventions were called in different parts of the State. In the Rockingham con- vention, held in Chester, it was resolved to send to Exeter, where the legislature was to meet in September, a body of
I William Plumer, Jr.
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armed men to enforce their claims. Accordingly about two hundred men, under command of Joseph French, of Hampstead, and James Cochrane, of Pembroke, some armed with muskets and others with clubs, marched into Exeter, and sent in their petition to the General Court for a redress of grievances, declaring their inten- tion, if it was not granted, to do themselves justice. They sur- rounded the house in which the legislature was in session, and, placing sentinels at the door and windows, demanded an imme- diate answer to their petition. The House appointed a com- mittee on the petition ; but the Senate, under the influence of Sullivan, who was now president of the State, and as such had a seat in the Senate, refused to act on the subject while they were thus besieged by the mob, and proceeded with their ordi- nary business.1 A party of the friends of order armed them- selves, and called upon all good citizens to disperse the mob and thus set the members of the legislature at liberty. General Sullivan came out, accompanied by Nathaniel Peabody, Ebenezer Webster, and other officers of the Revolution and friends of gov- ernment, and ordered the mob to disperse. Armed citizens in their rear, pressing on them and calling for the artillery to ad- vance, the mob began to retire ; and French, finding that the legislature was not frightened by threats, withdrew with his men some distance from the village for the night. Sullivan summoned the militia, and on the following morning nearly two thousand assembled and were led by General Cilley against the insurgents, who made some show of resistance. Upon being ordered to fire by Major Cochrane they broke and fled in disor- der, and the militia captured thirty-nine of their number. The question now arose as to what should be their punishment. They had been guilty of treason or of some high offence. The leaders were brought before the two Houses in convention. French made very humble supplications for his life. Cochrane, who had been a soldier in the Revolution, pled for pardon with some self-respect. Both stated that they had been encouraged in their course by men in high standing, some of them members of the legislature, who now repudiated all connection with their
I William Plumer, Jr ..
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acts. The leaders now became as anxious to get rid of their captives as they had been the day before to capture them. Most of them were indicted, but allowed at the next term of court to . escape without punishment. Such as were church members were dealt with by their churches ; militia officers were dis- missed from the service. It was deemed good policy, as no blood had been shed, to treat this first attempt at armed resist- ance to the Government with lenity, yet so as to vindicate the violated authority of the law, thus attacked at the fountain head.
Littleton is a part of the territory originally granted as Chis- wick.1 Subsequently it was called Apthorp. In 1784 it was divided, forming the present towns of Littleton and Dalton. The first town meeting in Littleton appears to have been held on the 19th day of July, 1787, at the house of Nathan Caswell, the first settler in the town, the same having been called by John Young, by authority granted by the legislature, who by the same authority served as moderator. At this meet- ing Robert Charlton was chosen clerk, Samuel Larnard, John Chase and Perley Williams, selectmen, and Sargent Currier, constable. Until 1809 the town was classed with various others, the arrangement being changed at different times, for the pur- pose of choosing a representative to the General Court. The first resident of Littleton chosen representative was James Wil-
liams, in 1794. The next was James Rankin, in 1798; then David Goodall, from 1800 to 1806 inclusive, the class then in- cluding Littleton, Dalton, and Bethlehem.2
The year 1787 is memorable as that in which the constitution of the United States was formed. Highly as that instrument is now prized, it was not received with much favor by the people on its first promulgation. It met, in all the States, with many
I It has been a central point in White Mountain travel ever since tourists and pleasure seekers com- menced visiting this now celebrated region. Even before the construction of the railroad, it was, in the summer time, a great stage depot, where centred the various lines to the mountains from the wes- tern approach. It is, however, since the construction of the White Mountains Railroad, which was completed to this point in 1853, that the growth of the place in population and business importance has mainly occurred. From 1853 until 1870, when the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad, having come into possession of the White Mountains road, extended the line to Lancaster and Fabyan's, Littleton enjoyed the advantage of being a railroad terminus, which contributed materially to its development as a trade centre.
2 H. H. Metcalf.
.
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. ..
PUSSELL .RICHARDSONSFC
ho. B.
LITTLETON, N. H.
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opponents ; and in several it was adopted only after repeated trials, and by small majorities.1
In more than half the States its ratification was accompanied by proposed amendments, without which it would probably have been rejected. A government for the Union was proposed by constitution for the first time. The votes of the Revolution- ary Congress had no legislative authority ; even the articles of confederation, which went into operation in 1781, merely formed a league or alliance between independent States. The people who believed in establishing a strong central government were called Federalists; those who believed in State rights were soon called Anti-Federalists. After its ratification the friends of the first two administrations retained the name of Federalists, while their opponents took that of Republicans. The Federal- ists were succeeded by the Whigs, and later by the Republicans the Anti-Federalists became Republicans, and at length Democrats; the two great political parties into which the people of the United States are divided at the present time. In gen- eral the Federalists were in favor of a liberal construction and exercise of the powers of the general government ; and the Re- publicans, in theory always, and to a considerable extent in prac- tice, were for narrowing down those powers to their least possible extent. The election of delegates to the convention, which was to accept the proposed constitution or to reject it, drew into two parties the people, who became thoroughly familiar with its provi- sions from frequent private and public discussions. Men equally honest and intelligent belonged to both parties.
The convention chosen to accept or reject in behalf of the State the Federal Constitution met at the Court House at Exeter, February 13, 1788. That instrument had already re- ceived the approval of six States. Upon the meeting of the dele- gates it was found that there was a powerful opposition to the proposed form of government, many of the members from the „. smaller towns having been instructed to vote against it. The convention included many of the leading men of the State. The leading Federalists were John Sullivan, John Langdon, Samuel
I William Plumer, Jr.
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Langdon, Samuel Livermore, Josiah Bartlett, John Pickering, John Taylor Gilman, and Benjamin Bellows. The leaders of the opposition were Joseph Badger, Joshua Atherton, William Hooper, Matthias Stone, Abiel Parker, and Jonathan Dow. During the early debates it seemed that the opponents of the constitution had a majority in the convention. The friends of the Union did not dare to let a decisive vote be taken, and after a session of seven days brought about an adjournment, in order to let those delegates whom they had won over return to their constituents for different instructions. The convention again assembled in June, at Concord, and in the meanwhile two more States had voted to accept the constitution. Thus devolved upon New Hampshire the responsibility of casting the ninth or decisive vote, which would put the new form of government in operation. New York and Virginia were considering the measure, in con. vention, at the same time. June 21, by a vote of 57 yeas to 47 nays the New Hampshire convention voted to accept the federal constitution, but at the same time proposed several amendments. A messenger was sent post haste to notify the convention then sitting in New York, and undoubtedly caused favorable action in that body.
Tradition asserts that one delegate, of pronounced Anti-Fed- eral convictions, was being "dined and wined " at the house of Judge Walker at the time the decisive vote was being taken, and failed to have his vote recorded.
At the meeting of the legislature in the fall of 1788 the choice of two senators to the first Congress of the United States under the new constitution devolved upon it. The two Houses refused to . meet in convention and accordingly voted separately by ballot.
In the House John Langdon had all but three votes, where- upon William Plumer offered a resolution declaring that Mr. Langdon was duly elected, and called for the yeas and nays, thus putting every member's vote on record. His object did not ap- pear at the time, but was understood, when the ballot for the second senator was taken, to establish a precedent. The two candidates were Josiah Bartlett and Nathaniel Peabody ; and the latter, an Anti-Federalist, had a considerable majority, which
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was reduced to two on the roll call, Mr. Plumer, in a plain and forcible speech, having denounced Mr. Peabody as unfit for the office, and extolled Dr. Bartlett. It had the desired effect on the Senate, which sent down the name of Dr. Bartlett: and he was finally elected. Dr. Bartlett declined the honor, however ; and Paine Wingate was chosen in his place. Mr. Peabody felt mortified and provoked at the result, talked loudly of his vio- lated honor, and threatened to chastise his assailant. A prompt intimation that more or worse would be said if he moved far- ther put an end to his threats, though not to his hostility.
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