USA > New Hampshire > Colony, province, state, 1623-1888: history of New Hampshire > Part 35
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At the December session of the legislature to count the votes for electors and announce the result it was found there had been no choice by the people: Again the Senate refused to meet the House in convention, causing an exciting and angry controversy ; but the House at the last moment yielded the point. President Sullivan violently opposed the claim of the Senate, while William Plumer favored it.1
2 Few if any of the original thirteen States had an abler or more influential representation in the various Continental Congresses by which the war of the Revolution was directed than New Hampshire, a representation which was continued, in point of ability and influence, in the various congresses which met under the Articles of Confederation, until the constitution was adop- ted, and the first Congress met at New York in 1789. From the meeting of the first Continental Congress at Philadelphia, Sep- tember 5, 1774, to the adjournment of the last Congress under the Confederation, at New York, October 21, 1778, New Hamp- shire was represented by eighteen of her wisest and most prominent men. Several of these, as for instance Nathaniel Folsom, John Langdon, Samuel Livermore, and John Sullivan, served for several terms, having been engaged in other patriotic service in the intervals between their terms of service.
When the first Continental Congress met at Philadelphia, September 5, 1774, New Hampshire had two representatives, Nathaniel Folsom and John Sullivan.
I William Plumer, Jr.
2 W. F. Whitcher.
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Nathaniel Folsom was born at Exeter, in 1726. lle early evinced ability which gave him prominence in the affairs of the Province. In the Seven Years' War he served as captain in the regiment commanded by Colonel Blanchard. He was active in militia affairs, and commanded the 4th regiment at the outbreak of the Revolution. He was a delegate to the first Continental Congress at Philadelphia. In April, 1775, he was appointed brigadier-general to command the State troops sent to Massachusetts, and served during the siege of Boston. Ile was subsequently major-general. He was again a delegate to the congresses which met at Lancaster, Penn., Philadelphia, York, and Philadelphia, serving the whole time in the first three of these congresses, and about a year, 1779-80, in the last. In each of these he was regarded as a valuable member. In 1778 he was a member of the New Hampshire Executive Council, and was the President of the State constitutional convention which prepared the first constitution of the State in 1783. He died at Exeter, where, for the greater part of his life, he had his home, May 26, 1790.
John Sullivan.
Josiah Bartlett.
John Langdon, born in Portsmouth, June 25, 1741, was one of the most active citizens of the State in the movements leading to the Revolution. He was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, and was appointed con- tinental navy agent. Largely at his own expense he equipped General Stark's regiment which won the battle of Bennington. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1786; was for a number of years a member of the State House of Representatives and several times speaker. He was elected president of the State in 17SS, and United States senator in 1789 and in 1795. He was elected governor in 1805, 1806, ISO7, ISOS, and 1810. He declined the office of secretary of the navy offered to him by President Jefferson, and the office of vice-president tendered by the Democratic delegation in IS12. He died in Portsmouth, September IS, IS19, mourned as one of the most honored and distinguished citizens of the State.
Woodbury Langdon, an older brother of John, was born at Portsmouth in 1739, and, like his brother, early engaged in mercantile pursuits. He served for about a year, 1779-1780, in the Continental Congress, rendering valuable service in the councils of the time. For three years, from 1781 to 1784, he was a member of the State Executive Council. In 1782 he was ap- pointed one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the State, serving but a short time, however. In 1786 he was again appointed, serving till 1790. He died at Portsmouth, January 13, 1805.
One of the most honored names in New Hampshire's early history is that of Matthew Thornton. He was born in Ireland in 1714, and came, when a mere lad, to America, living for a while at Wiscasset, Me. Removing to Worcester, he received an academic education, studied medicine, and began his practice in the historic town of Londonderry. In the famous expedition of Sir William Pepperrell against Louisburg he served as surgeon, and was afterward prominently connected with the colonial militia,
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holding for several years a commission as colonel. He was a member of the convention which declared New Hampshire to be a sovereign State. He served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1778, and in the latter year resigned to accept the chief justiceship of Hillsborough county. He held this position only about two years, resigning to accept an appointment on the supreme bench of the State. In 1783 he was a member of the State House of Repre- sentatives, and the next year of the State Senate. The year following he was a member of the Executive Council, but soon afterward removed to Massa- chusetts. He died at Newburyport, Mass., June 24, 1804, in his ninety- first year.
William Whipple, born at Kittery, January 14, 1730, received his education on board a vessel, being bred a sailor, and was in command of a vessel in the African trade before he reached his twenty-first birthday. During the Seven Years' War he retired from a seafaring life and engaged in mercantile pursuits, at Portsmouth, in which he was remarkably successful. In 1775 he was elected a member of the Continental Congress, tak'ng his seat in May ; was re-elected in 1776, taking his seat in February, in time to immortalize himself as one of the signers of the Declaration. He was again elected in 1778, but did not take his seat till some time after the opening of the congress, as in the meantime he had accepted the command of a brigade for the defence of Rhode Island. He declined further re-elections to Con- gress which were tendered him, and resigned his military commission, June 20, 1782. He was a member of the State Assembly, 1780-1784; superinten- dent of finance of the State, 1782-1784. In 1782 he was appointed a judge of the State Supreme Court, holding the position till obliged to relinquish it on account of disease. While captain of a vessel in the African trade he engaged to some extent in the slave-trade, but after the opening of the war of the Revolution he emancipated all his slaves, and refused to assist General Wash- ington in the recovery of a servant of Mrs. Washington, who had run away and taken refuge in New Hampshire. Captain Whipple, as he was familiarly called, died suddenly, of heart disease, November 28, 1785.
George Frost was born at Newcastle, April 26, 1727, and after receiving a public school education, entered the employ of his uncle, the celebrated mer- chant, Sir William Pepperrell, at Kittery Point. For several years he followed a seafaring life as supercargo and captain, but in 1770 abandoned the sea and removed to Durham. He was made a judge of the Strafford county Court of Common Pleas in 1773, and served till 1791, for several of these years being chief justice. He was elected a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1777, and served, rendering good service, till 1779. For the three years 1781-1784 he was a member of the Executive Council. Resigning his seat on the bench at the age of seventy, he retired to private life, and died at Durham, June 21, 1796, in his seventy-seventh year.
Little needs to be said of the Wentworths, a family of the first prominence in the colonial and early history of New Hampshire, and the list of members of the Continental Congress could hardly be said to be complete unless it em- braced the name of a Wentworth. John Wentworth, Jr., was born at Somers-
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worth, July 17, 1745, and graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1768. He was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law at Dover in 1770. This same year he was appointed by Governor John Wentworth register of probate for Strafford county. Was a member of the State House of Representatives from 1776 to 1780, and served as a member of the Continental Congress for nearly the whole of 1778 and 1779. He was a member of the State Senate 1781-1784, and of the Executive Council 17So- 1784. Ile was recognized as a man of the most brilliant talents and of great promise, and his early death, which occurred at Dover, January 10, 1787, was deeply regretted by all the people of the State.
Nathaniel Peabody was born at Topsfield, Massachusetts, March 1, 1741. He was the son of Dr. Jacob Peabody, with whom he studied medicine, and after being licensed commenced practice at Plaistow in 1761.
He was an ardent advocate of the Revolution, and was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in the militia in 1774, and was the first man in the pro- vince to resign a royal commission. He was elected one of the Committee of Safety January 10, 1776, and was appointed adjutant-general of the State militia July 19, 1779. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1779,- and again in 1786, but the latter time did not act. He was for eight years a member of the State legislature, and in 1793 was elected speaker. Few men rendered the State better service in both civil and military capacity during the Revolutionary period, but in his last years he became financially em- barrassed and died in jail at Exeter, June 27, 1823, where he had been impris- oned for debt.
Of Philip White little is known beyond the fact that he was a native of New Hampshire, and was probably a member of the family of Whites that were among the early settlers of Rockingham county. He served a short time as one of the delegates from New Hampshire in the Continental Congress that met at Philadelphia, July 2, 1778. His term of service was in the latter part of 1782 and during the early months of 1783. Like some congressmen of the present day he was not much heard from, and made no enduring mark.
Livermore is one of the honored names of New Hampshire history. Sam- uel Livermore in 17So was chosen a delegate to the Continental Congress, taking his seat in February of that year, but resigned in June, 1782, to accept the chief justiceship of the New Hampshire Court of Common Pleas.
Jonathan Blanchard served in the Continental Congress in 1783-84.
Abiel Foster, pastor of the Congregational church in Canterbury, was a member of the Continental Congress in 1783 and 1784, and was several times elected to Congress under the Constitution.
John Taylor Gilman is perhaps best known to students of New Hampshire as the man who held for the longest period the chief executive office. His father was for a long time receiver-general of the Province, and afterward of the State, and he was for several years assistant to his father. In 1782-1783 he was a delegate from New Hampshire to the Continental Congress. In 1794 he was elected governor as a Federalist, and was re-elected each year till 1805, when he was defeated by John Langdon, Democrat, by nearly 4000 majority-
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In 1812 he was again the Federal candidate, but failing a majority of votes by the people, his opponent William Plumer was elected by the legislature. In Į813 he was again elected governor by a majority of 500 votes, and was re- elected in 1814 and 1815, each time by about the same majority. Governor Gilman well earned the title of being the Federal governor par excellence of the State. He was born in Exeter, December 19, 1753; and died there August 21, 1828.
His brother, Nicholas Gilman, was born at Exeter in 1762, and served in the Revolutionary war as lieutenant, captain, adjutant, and adjutant-general. From 1786 to 1788 he was the youngest member of the Congress of the Confederation. He was a member of the first, second, third and fourth congresses, serving till March 3, 1797, when he took his seat in the United States Senate as a Democrat. His election to this position was the first break in the New England Federa- lists in the Senate, who up to this had been solidly Federal. He was re-elec-' ted in 1805, and again in ISII, and died at Philadelphia, on his way home, May 3, 1814. Congress had adjourned April 18. During his senatorial career he was as ardent a Democrat as was his brother John Taylor a Fed- eralist.
Pierce Long was a native of Portsmouth; born in 1739, he became, on reaching manhood, a partner with his father in the shipping business. In 1775 he was a delegate to the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire, and on the breaking out of hostilities served in the Revolutionary army as colonel of the ist New Hampshire regiment, especially distinguishing himself at Ticonderoga. In 1784, 1785, and part of 1786 he was an efficient member of the Continental Congress. He was a member of the Executive Council 1786-1789, and member also of the State Constitutional Convention of 1788. In 1789 he was appointed by President Washington collector of customs at Portsmouth, where he died April 3, 1799.
Paine Wingate was another of New Hampshire's members of the Conti- nental Congress who was liberally educated. He was born at Amesbury, Massachusetts, May 14, 1739, and graduated at Harvard in 1759. Like Abiel Foster he studied theology, and December 14, 1763, was ordained over the church at Hampton Falls, remaining as its minister till March IS, 17SI, when he was dismissed; removed to Stratham and engaged in farming. In the latter part of 1787 and the former part of 1788 he served for a brief period in the Continental Congress, and was one of the first United States senators from New Hampshire, serving four years from March 4, 1789. He was elec- ted representative to the third Congress, serving two years. From 1798 to 1809 he was one of the judges of the Superior Court, retiring when he reached his seventieth birthday. He passed his last years in Stratham, dying there March 7, 1838, having nearly completed his ninety-ninth year. His life, cov- ering as it did the field of theology, politics and law, extending through nearly a century, was a remarkable one.
These eighteen names deserve to be placed on New Hampshire's roll of honor. They belong to men whose lives, services, and character had an in- calculable influence in making New Hampshire what it has been and is, in
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giving it its honorable place in American history. The names of these patriots are worthy to be held in remembrance by every son of the Granite State.
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The following account of the custom and post offices is from the pen of the late Hon. Thos. L. Tullock, a native of Portsmouth:
About the year 1675 Sampson Sheafe, senior, was collector of the port of Piscataqua, and continued in office a few years. Dur- ing his administration several vessels were seized for a violation of the revenue laws, or the laws of " trade and navigation." He was successful as a merchant ; honored as one of His Majesty's Council, and also as secretary of the Province. His descendants became prominent and wealthy citizens of the Province. His great-grandson, the Hon. James Sheafe, an opulent merchant of Portsmouth, was a member of the Sixth Congress and a United States senator. He was also the Federal candidate for governor of New Hampshire in 1816, but was defeated by William Plu- mer. Mr. Sheafe died December 5, 1829, aged seventy-four.
In 1680 Edward Randolph was the collector of customs for New England, and Walter Barefoote was deputy collector.
In 1692 Phesant Estwick was the deputy collector of the port of Portsmouth.
About the year 1700 Samuel Penhallow was appointed col- lector. He was an eminent citizen, one of the governor's Coun- cil, chief justice of the Superior Court of Judicature in 1717, recorder of deeds, treasurer of the Province, and held other responsible positions. He married a daughter of President John Cutt, and inherited in his wife's right a large estate. He died in December, 1726, aged sixty-two.
Hon. Theodore Atkinson, senior, who died September 22, 1779, aged eighty-two, was for many years the secretary of the Province, and held other offices of reputation, such as president of council, and chief justice of the Superior Court of Jndicature. He was the son of Hon. Theodore Atkinson, of Newcastle, and the father of Hon. Theodore Atkinson, junior, and preceded and succeeded him in the office of secretary of the Province. He had also been collector of customs, naval officer of the port, and sheriff of the Province ; but Jonathan Belcher,
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of Boston, when appointed in 1730 governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, removed Mr. Atkinson from the office of collector, and appointed Richard Wibird in his stead. He also displaced him as naval officer ; and Captain Ellis Huske suc- ceeded to the office. Mr. Atkinson was however continued as sheriff. Mr Atkinson married the daughter of Lieut .- Governor John Wentworth.
Lieut .- Gov. John Temple, surveyor general of His Majesty's customs in the northern part of America, appointed Theodore Atkinson, jr., deputy collector of the customs at Piscataqua. James Nevin, a native of Scotland, a post captain in the British navy, and also one of His Majesty's Council, was collector of the customs for the port of Portsmouth, and was succeeded by John Hughes. Robert Hallowell succeeded him, remaining in Ports- mouth about one year, until 1772, when he was transferred to Boston.
George Meserve, a native of Portsmouth, son of Colonel Nath- aniel Meserve, who rendered highly meritorious services at the first and second siege of Louisburg, as well as at Crown Point and Fort Edward, and died at Louisburg in 1758, was the agent for the distribution of stamps in New Hampshire. He was in England in 1765, when the Stamp Act passed. His commis- sion reached Portsmouth in 1766 ; but the Act was particularly obnoxious to the people of the Province, and the Sons of Liberty at Portsmouth were so active and positive in their opposition, that Mr. Meserve declined to qualify, not deeming it prudent to accept the trust. To compensate him for the disappointment and loss of the office, he was appointed comptroller of customs for the port of Boston ; but with the consent of the Crown, Mr. Hallowell, the collector at Portsmouth, exchanged offices with him, and he returned to Portsmouth, where he was collector of the port in 1772.
Robert Trail, who married Mary Whipple, the sister of Joseph, the collector of customs, and William Whipple, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was at one time the comptroller of the port at Portsmouth-an office not continued under the present organization of the government.
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Eleazer Russell was naval officer, and virtually for a time the collector of the port. He was an unmarried man, very precise and careful. It is related of him that " when a vessel arrived and the papers were carried to the custom house, Mr. Russell would receive them with the tongs and submit them to a smok- ing before he examined them," being "always in great fear of small-pox or foreign epidemics." He was connected with the customs September 9, 1776, for he wrote on that day a letter of considerable length to Hon. Meshech Weare in relation to maritime fees charged and collected. May 23, 1783, he was instructed by President Weare to allow British vessels to enter the port, as the reasons for excluding them had ceased.
Colonel Pierce Long was appointed by Washington collector in 1789, but died in April before entering upon the duties of the office. Colonel Long was a successful merchant, an influential member of the Provincial Congress, and was particularly distin- guished for his military and civic services.
Benjamin Franklin was appointed general deputy postmaster in 1753, and in the following year startled the people of the col- onies by giving notice that the mails for New England, which theretofore had left Philadelphia once a fortnight in winter, would start once a week throughout the year. In 1760 he pro- posed to run stage wagons between Philadelphia and Boston for the conveyance of the mail, one starting from each city on Mon- day morning, and reaching its destination by Saturday night.
Franklin was removed from office by the British ministry in 1774. The Continental Congress appointed a committee to de- vise a system of post-office communication, and on July 26, 1775, a report was submitted, and the plan proposed was adopted, whereupon Dr. Franklin was appointed postmaster-general.
Jeremiah Libbey was postmaster at Portsmouth in 1776.
In 1790 the general post-office was located in New York city, at which time there were 1875 miles of post-roads established in the United States. Now the aggregate length of routes, in- cluding all classes of service, would probably reach over 350,000 miles. In 1790 there were only seventy-five post-offices. Now there are over 50,000. The entire revenue from postages in 1790
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was less than sixteen thousand dollars. Now it aggregates up- wards of forty-two million dollars.
In April, 1761, John Stavers, an Englishman by birth, and the proprietor of noted hostelries in his day, commenced running a stage between Portsmouth and Boston. A curricle, or large stage chair, drawn by two horses and sufficiently wide to comfort- ably accommodate three persons, was the vehicle used, and is repre- sented to have been the first regular stage line established in Amer- ica. The journey was performed once a week. The conveyance started on Monday for Boston and returning arrived at Ports- mouth on Friday. An advertisement announcing the enterprise reads : " It will be contrived to carry four persons beside the driv- er. In case only two persons go, they may be accommodated to carry things of bulk or value to make a third or fourth person." After one month's successful service, public notice was given "that five passengers would be carried," leaving Portsmouth on Tuesday, " and arrive back Saturday night."
In May, 1763, " The Portsmouth Flying Stage Coach," with four or six horses according to the condition of the roads, started from the " Earl of Halifax" inn, kept by John Stavers, on Queen, now State street, near the easterly end, toward the Pis- cataqua river. The new " Earl of Halifax" hotel was first oc- cupied about 1770, and was a commodious three-storied wooden structure, situated on the corner of Pitt (changed to Court) and Atkinson streets, and is now occupied as a tenement house. The stable, a very large and spacious building which sheltered the horses belonging to the " Flying Stage Coach," as well as those of travellers, is on the corner of Atkinson and Jefferson streets, and in the rear of the public-house. The inns had been respectively named, first " Earl of Halifax," and afterward " William Pitt," and had furnished comfortable quarters for Washington, Lafay- ette, Hancock, Gerry, Knox, Sullivan, Rutledge, Louis Philippe, and many other illustrious personages. The driver attached to the " Flying Stage Coach" was Bartholomew Stavers, undoubt- edly the first regular stage driver north of Boston, if not in the country.
One of the earliest mail pouches, if not the first in use on the
f
NAVY YARD
From Three Bridges
VIEW OF PORTSMOUTH HARBOR.
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route, and of not greater capacity than a common hand satchel, is preserved among the curiosities at the Portsmouth Athen- æum.
Eleazer Russell, a great-grandson of John Cutt, the first presi- dent of the Province, held several government positions. At one time he was naval officer of the port, and also the sole postmas- ter of the Province of New Hampshire, and was distinguished as the first postmaster in the State. All letters addressed to New Hampshire were deposited in his office, and remained there un- til sent for from other towns. Mr. Brewster, in his " Rambles " numbered forty-seven, gives quite an interesting account of this very precise and dignified public functionary, with " cock hat and wig, a light coat with full skirts, a long vest with pocket pads, light small clothes, with bright knee buckles, and more ponder- ous buckles on his shoes." For several years Portsmouth had the only post-office in the Province of New Hampshire, and Elea- zer Russell filled most acceptably the office of postmaster as well as naval officer. His residence, which was the custom house as well as the first post-office, was located near the old ferry ways where the stone store now stands, opposite the intersection of Russell with Market street.
In the Committee of Safety, at Exeter, July 27, 1781, pursu- ant to a vote of the General Assembly of June 27, 1781, author- izing the establishment of a post to ride from Portsmouth to the western part of New Hampshire, John Balch, of Keene, was ap- pointed post-rider for three months, at the compensation of sev- enty dollars in hard money for the entire service. The route was from Portsmouth via Concord and Plymouth to Haverhill ; thence down the Connecticut river through Charlestown and Keene to Portsmouth ; the trip to be performed in each and every fourteen days, the committee reserving the right to alter the route if the public good or convenience should require any change.
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