USA > New Hampshire > Gazetteer of the state of New-Hampshire > Part 6
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1627-Mr. Allerton of the Plymouth company went to En- gland to procure 2 patent for a trading place on the Kenne- bec river, the planters at Piscataqua having threatened to ob- 'tain an exclusive patent for the same ground.
1629-Some of the planters who were scattered over Mas- sachusetts, wishing to make a settlement in the neighbour- hood of the Piscataqua, and imitating the example of those at Plymouth, who had purchased their lands of the Indians, (as they conscientiously thought this necessary to give them a just title) procured a general assembly of the Indians at Swamscot Falls, (now Exeter) where a deed was obtained from four Sycamores.
1631-The whole plantation of New-Hampshire was this year divided into two parts. Capt. Thomas Wiggin was ap- pointed agent for the upper and Capt. Walter Neal for the lower. The former of these divisions contained what is now
51
GENERAL VIEW.
called Dover, Durham, &c. and the latter contained Ports- mouth, Rye, Newcastle, Newington, and a part of Green- land. A house was this year erected at Strawberry Bank, called the Great House. Humphrey Chadbourne had the care of the saw mills at the upper plantations : the descend- ants of this man are to the present day persons of considerable note.
The proprietors this year sent over from England several pie- ces of cannon which they directed their agents to mount at some place most convenient for a fort. They accordingly stationed them on the northwest point of the great island which lies at the mouth of the Piscataqua harbour, and laid out the ground about a "bow shot" distance from the water side to a high rock, on which, it was contemplated to build the principal fort. 1632-During this year the coast was alarmed by reports of a pirate, one Dixy Bull, who with a company of fifteen, being employed in the Indian trade at the eastward, had taken sever- al boats and dismantled the fort at Pemaquid : Capt. Neal, col- lecting a small band, equipped four pinnaces and shallops from the Piscataqua and manned them with forty men, which was all the force that could be spared from the plantations ; this fleet, after uniting with a barge containing twenty men from Boston, sailed for Pemaquid, but were forced by contrary winds and bad weather to return without meeting with the enemy. This was the first naval armament equipped from New-Hampshire. The pirates having proceeded further eastward, arrived after- wards in England, where Bull met with his just punishment.
1633-Neal and Wiggin joined in surveying their respective plantations, and in laying out the towns of Portsmouth and Northam, and another, which was afterwards called Hampton, although at this place no settlement had as yet been made.
1634-By this time Mason and Georges had become, either by purchase or common consent, the principal, if not the sole proprietors of this territory. These gentlemen, perceiving that as yet only five or six houses had been erected in both planta- tions, renewed their exertions and sent over a fresh supply of labourers and materials for carrying on the settlement. They appointed Francis Williams the FIRST GOVERNOR. He was a gentleman of sound sense and discretion, and so acceptable to the people, that when they afterwards united in a body politic, they unanimously continued him their ruler. A meeting house was this year erected at Dover Neck, which was the first edi- . fice of the kind in New Hampshire.
1635-Sir Ferdinand Georges and Capt. Mason, having be- stowed upon these settlements more pains and expense than the other members of the grand council of Plymouth, and seeing no
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GENERAL VIEW.
prospect of any equivalent reward, fearing also from the great . clamour in England against monopolies, that they should soon be forced to resign their charter, entered this year upon a new project, which was to procure a general governor for the whole territory of New-England, to be immediately sent over, and to have jurisdiction from St. Croix to Maryland. In this plan however they did not succeed.
1636-This year one Burdet who had been a minister of Yarmouth in England, came over to Dover, and continued for some time in high estimation with the people, until by artful in- sinuations he excited such a jealousy against Wiggin, the gov- ernor of the place, that they deprived the latter of his office and elected Burdet in his stead, who was in reality, a vicious and profane man.
1637-Several eminently pious persons this year removed in- to this colony from Massachusetts. That religious persecu- tion was the cause of their removal, is evident not only from Mrs. Hutchinson, but it appears from other public proceed- ings, that inquisition had been enforced over their private opin- ions as well as over their declarations and conduct, Toleration in rulers, had been preached against as a sin, which would bring down the judgments of heaven upon the land.
1638-This year John Wheelwright commenced his settle- ment at Exeter. His followers immediately formed them- selves into a church, and decreeing themselves beyond the ju- risdiction of- Massachusetts, they formed a separate political body, and made choice of Nicholas Needham, Isaac Grosse, and Thomas Wilson as their rulers for the first year. The laws were enacted by a popular assembly and formally sanctioned . by the rulers. Treason against the country or the king, (who was styled the Lord's-anointed !) were made capital crimes, and sedition was punished by a fine of ten pounds.' This asso- ciation lasted about three years. At this time a settlement was formed at Winnecumet, which was afterwards called Hampton. The first house in this place was built by Nicholas Easton, and was called the bound-house, (See Hampton) Nicholas Easton afterwards removed to Rhode-Island, and erected the first house in Newport. . Oxen were at this time sold at Hampton for twenty-five pounds sterling per head. This year was made memorable by a remarkable earthquake, which happened on the 2d day of June. Its approach was announced by a low rum- bling noise, similar to that of distant thunder. Its passage was from the northward to the eastward. As the sound increased, the earth began to shake so violently as to drive people from - the houses, nor could they stand without supporting themselves by posts and fences. About half an hour after this, another
und Earthquake
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GENERAL VIEW.
shock commenced, was not so violent as the first, which was felt even a great distance at sea.
1639-This year Capt. John Underhill' was made governor at Dover. As soon as he was fixed in authority, he proceeded to gather a church, over which Hanserd Knolleys was appoint- ed minister. He was a baptist of the antinomian order, and like the governor his patron, was a man of bad character. Be- fore the end of the year, Underhill was displaced and one Rob- erts was appointed in his stead.
1640-During this year the troubles at Dover increased. One Larkeham, a native of Lime in England, and formerly minis- ter at Barnstead, came over ; possessing good talents as a preach- er, he eclipsed Knolleys and was chosen in his place. On this occasion a council was called, composed of Simon Broadstreet, Esq. of Boston, the celebrated Hugh Peters minister of Salem, and Timothy Dalton, minister of Hampton. They travelled on foot to Dover but did not succeed in effecting a permanent ar- rangement. Underhill, Knolleys, and Larkeham removed out of the colony.
During all this period the people of Portsmouth, Dover, &c. had no right of self government delegated from the British crown, but finding the necessity of some more determinate form than they had as yet enjoyed, they combined themselves in sep- arate bodies politic, after the example of their neighbours at Ex- eter. The inhabitants of Dover, by a written instrument, sub- scribed by forty persons, agreed to submit to the laws of England and to such other regulations as should be formed by a majority of their number, until the pleasure of the king should be known. The date of a similar association at Portsmouth is not known.
Mr. Hutchinson supposed the whole number of neat cattle in the colony of Massachusetts in 1640, to be 12,000, and the sheep about 4000, and he says, that "a cow, sold two years ago for 30/. may now be purchased for 5 or 6l." It is proba- ble that there were in New-Hampshire at this time, about 1200 neat cattle and 300 sheep.
1641-At this time, all the settlements by a voluntary act submitted to Massachusetts and were comprehended in the county of Norfolk, which extended from the Merrimack to the Piscataqua. By a subsequent order, a very extraordinary concession was made to the towns of Portsmouth and Dover, which indicated a strong anxiety on the part of the govern- ment to retain these towns under their controul. The test, which had been established by law, was dispensed with in their favour. Their freemen were allowed to vote in town affairs, and their deputies to sit in the general court, although they were not church members. (Sept. 28ths)
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GENERAL VIEW.
1643-About this time, several persons at Boston were whip- ped, fined and banished for the crime of what was then called heresy. In this year also, Boston castle was built. The church at Boston refused the church at Exeter the privilege of set- tling a minister. Mr. Belknap remarks, that this stretch of pow- er, which would now be regarded as an infringement of christian liberty, was then agreeable to most of the fathers of New-England.
1645-An union having now been formed between the set- tlements on the Piscataqua and the colony of Massachusetts, their history for the succeeding forty years is of course in a great measure identified. In the year 1646, Mr. Winthrop was chosen governor, and Mr. Dudley, lieutenant governor. In 1647, an epidemic sickness passed through the continent. En- glish, French, Dutch, and Indians were indiscriminately the vic- tims of it. It was attended with a slight fever. Those, who resorted to bleeding or who used cooling medicines general- ly died. Its ravages extended to the West-Indies, where 5 or 6000 were destroyed by it. A similar contagion has passed over the country at several successive periods.
1648-This year, Rhode-Island requested admission into the New-England confederacy, but she was not received.
The first instance of an execution for witchcraft, was in June, 1748. Margaret Jones of Charlestown, was indicted as a witch, condemned and hung. She was charged with having such a malignant touch, that if she laid her hands upon any person in anger, the person was immediately seized with deaf- ness, vomiting or some other violent affection. After the exe- cution of this woman, her husband took passage for Barba- does in a ship which was well ballasted, and which had eighty horses on board. The vessel happening to roll on a sudden, in an alarming manner, an officer was ordered to apprehend this man and put him in confinement ; the ship was then said to roll no more. Such was the wonderful credulity and infatu- ation of that day. Happy would it have been for New- England if this had been the only specimen of those fol- lies.
1649-Early in this year died Gov. Winthrop, one of the fa- thers of New-England. He was succeeded by Endicot. Mr. Dudley remained deputy governor. It is asserted by some writers, that when Gov. Winthrop was on his death-bed, he was solicited by Mr. Dudley to sign a warrant for the banishment of one of those persons then called heretics. Winthrop refused, and observed that "he had done toe much of that work al- ready."
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GENERAL VIEW.
In every age, many actions indifferent in their nature, have been regarded as sinful and been classed among the greatest enormities. The text in the Apostle's epistle to the Corinthi- ans against wearing long hair, led our ancestors to suppose that this of course must be a sin in all ages and nations. They treated long hair therefore as one of the enormities.
It is wonderful, that a certain text in Leviticus, " ye shall not round the corners of your head," was never urged the custom of short hair. It was the regulation at this period in New-England, that the hair should not be worn below the ears. This regulation was enforced with peculiar rigour upon clergymen. They were especially required to appear, "paten- tibus auribus." A few years before this, the use of tobacco was prohibited by a heavy penalty. Some of the writers of that day compare the smoke of it to the smoke of the bottom- less pit. Some of the clergymen however, yielded to the sin of smoking, and tobacco was accordingly set at liberty by an act of the legislature. Beards as well as wigs were also prohibited by authority.
1650-Capt. Wiggins and Edward Gibbens were added to the council, and Mr. Endicot was chosen governor for the years 1651-3, and Mr. Dudley, lieutenant governor. It was in this year, that the new District of Maine fell into the ju-, risdiction of Massachusetts.
1652-This year a mint was established in Boston for coin- ing shillings, six-pences, and three-pences. The first pieces be- ing struck in 1652, the same date was continued upon all money for thirty years after. The court ordered, that all the coins should have a double ring, with the inscription of the word " Massachusetts," with a tree in the centre on one side, and New-England and the date of the year on the other. No oth- er colony in this country ever presumed to coin money.
1656-In this year, began, what is generally and properly termed, the persecution of the quakers. A fine of ten pounds was inflicted on any person, who harboured a quaker. In October of this year, eleven of the sect, received sentence of banishment ; and the master of the ship, which brought them from England, was required to bind himself with sureties to the amount of 500/. to carry them all out of the country. (See Hutch. Vol. . I p. 97.) Mr. Hutchinson observes, that " he could not find what law they had for this."
In this month also, an act passed imposing a fine of 100l. upon any master of a vessel, who should bring a quaker inte the colony, and that if a quaker should arrive, he should be immediately sent to the house of correction, receive twenty stripes, and be confined to hard labour until he could be
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GENERAL VIEW.
transported. At the next session, an act passed, by which all persons were liable to a fine of forty shillings for harbouring a quaker one hour. After the first conviction under this act, the offender, if a man, was to lose one ear, and upon the third conviction, the other ; if a woman, she was for each offence to be whipped, and upon the fourth conviction, the offender, whether man or woman was to have the tongue bored through with a hot iron. In May, 1658, a penalty was inflicted upon every person, who should attend a quaker meeting. Under this act, a child only eleven years old, by the name of Pa- tience Scott, was tried and imprisoned. The imprisonment of such a child was as strange as any further severity would have been horrible.
1660-Two quakers, by the names of William Robertson and Marmaduke Stevenson, were executed on the 27th of Oc- tober. Several persons were fined to the amount of 10/. for entertaining quakers at their houses, and one man, of the name of Wharton, for pilotting them from one port to another, was ordered to receive twenty stripes. Several others were executed, banished or whipped. Bishop says," they cut off the ears of Holden, Capeland, and Rouse in prison, and that others were whipped and banished upon pain of death."
In this inquisitorial persecution, the clergy were the most active .* The sufferings of the victims excited the compassion of the people, many of whom resorted to the prisons by day and night, so that the keepers were forced to establish a constant guard to restrain them. Wendlock Christopherson among oth- ers was sentenced to die. This man implored the court to con- sider, whether they gained any thing by the persecution. For the last man, said he, that was put to death, five rose up in his stead ; and although you have power to take my life, God can inspire the same principles into ten more of his servants and send them among you, that you may have torment upon tor- ment. This man was executed June 13th, 1660. Some of his persecuted companions were tried at Hampton. May those unhappy days never return, when men suppose they are doing God service by sporting with the lives of his children.
1662-On the 26th of January of this year, there were two shocks of an earthquake, and on the 28th a third.
1664-The people of New-England were this year alarm- ed by the appearance of a very large comet, which continued
* The pillory served George Fox for his pulpit. From this he harangued the populace. Inflamed by his eloquence, they raised a mob and released him, and set in the same pillory a certain clergyman, who had been instrumental in the imprisonment of Fox.
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GENERAL VIEW.
from the 17th of November, to the 4th of February. When it first appeared in the east it was without its tail. This ap- pendage however became visible when the comet was in the west.
1665-The first persecution of the anabaptists, found on re- cord, was in 1665. William Turner, Thomas Gould, Edward Drinker, and several others were accused before the governor and magistrates of the crime of " gathering themselves into the form of a church, in opposition to the church of Christ estab- lished in the colony, and with intermeddling with those holy appointments of the Lord Jesus, which belong only to office trust." Several of these men were afterwards imprisoned and banished. In this case, like all others, the severity against the sect made new converts to it, and it was therefore thought ex- pedient to desist from the persecution. These were not the first appearances of antipedo-baptism in the colony. Mr. Dun- stan, the president of the college joined that profession, and was on that account expelled from his office. Mr. Chaney his successor believed in the necessity of immersion. In Mr. Hooker's time it appeared that the doctrine was gaining ground, and he expresses his belief that the converts to it would in- crease in number.
1666-In the course of this year the small-pox made its appearance in the colony.
The commissioners, sent over this year by the king prevail- ed on some of the people of New-Hampshire to sign a petition · and complaint to his majesty of the wrongs they had suffered from Massachusetts in the usurpation of government, which that state had exercised over them. The inhabitants however, of Dover, Portsmouth, and Exeter, assembled in their town meetings, rejected this proposal and expressed their wish to be continued as they had been for many years, a part of Massa- chusetts colony.
1669-New-Hampshire had now remained in a quiet and peaceable condition ever since the year 1641, and were heart- ily united in all their civil and religious concerns, with their sister colony.
1675-In September of this year the Indians made their first predatory incursion against New-Hampshire. They at- tacked the plantations on Piscataqua river, now constituting Durham, and here killed two men. This species of hostility continued till the year 1678, when a treaty. was made with Squando and other chiefs at Durham. (For particulars of this war see Durham.)
1680-This year, a royal government was established in New-Hampshire by commission from Charles 2d. The com- 8
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GENERAL VIEW.
mission arrived at Portsmouth on the first day of January. John Cutts was appointed president for the first year, and Rich- ard Martin, William Vaughn, Thomas Daniel of Portsmouth, John Gilman of Exeter, Christopher Hussey of Hampton, and Richard Waldron of Dover, esquires, were appointed counsel- lors. A code of laws was then established, the first of which was of a character becoming freemen; and it provided, that " no act, imposition orordinance should be made or imposed upon them but such as should be framed by the assembly, and approved by the president and council." The president, council, and as- sembly were constituted a supreme court of judicature. A jury was called whenever desired by the parties. Inferior courts were established at Dover, Portsmouth, and Hampton. The military arrangement consisted of one foot company in each town, one company of artillery at the fort, and one troop of horse, all under the command of major Waldron.
A remarkable comet made its appearance in November of this year, and disappeared sometime in the next February. Another appeared in August and continued until September.
From June, 1680, to April, 1681, there were entered at Portsmouth twenty-two ships, eighteen ketches, one shallop, and one fly-boat. In 1682, there were eleven six-pounders at - the fort, and five more at the upper part of Portsmouth, not mounted, the property of private individuals.
From 1680, to 1685, Edward Cranfield was governor and Walter Barefoot deputy governor.
1686-A general government was this year established by James 2d, over the whole territory, called New-England, Jo- seph Dudley was made first president.
1687-Sir Edmund Androse was afterwards appointed gov- ernor of New-England, but he was for some reason apprehend- ed at Boston, and sent home a state prisoner .-
1689-New-Hampshire by a voluntary act became again united to Massachusetts under the old charter. A war with the French and Indians returned this year with all its horrors. On the 27th of June, Dover was cut off and Waldron slain, This war continued until 1693.
1692-The delusion of witchcraft at this time overspread a large part of New-England. Large numbers were executed, and many were imprisoned. John Usher brought over the commission of Samuel Allen as governor, and he officiated him- self as lieutenant governor.
1699-Richard, Earl of Bellmont, governor of New-York and Massachusetts, this year opened his commission in New- Hampshire, under whom William Partridge acted as lieuten- ant governor.
L
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GENERAL VIEW.
1700-New-Hampshire was required to furnish their quota of force to assist in the defence of New-York, in case of an in- vasion. This the people thought very unjust, as they had nev- or received any assistance from that colony.
1701-In the course of this year Lord Bellmont died at New- York, and Joseph Dudley was appointed governor.
1702 *_ There were at this period, seven incorporated towns in New-Hampshire, and four ordained ministers.
1703-Louis 14th, proclaimed the pretender king of Great Britain, which circumstance rendered a war with France inev- itable. King William died early in this year and Queen Anne succeeded him. The French and Indian war (commonly called Queen Anne's war) now commenced in New-England. On the 10th of, August a body of French and Indians, consisting of five-hundred, separated themselves into several parties, at- tacked all the settlements from Casco to Wells, and either kill- ed or captured 130 people. On their march they burned and ravaged every thing before them. On the 17th of the same month several people were killed at Hampton.
1704-This year Deerfield in Massachusetts was surprised by the French and Indians, who there killed 40 or 50persons, and took more than 100 prisoners. On the 25th of April several people were killed at Durham.
1705-There was in the course of this year a partial cessa- tion of hostilities, and Queen Anne informed governor Dudley that she was projecting an expedition against Canada. The governor and council thought it therefore a good season to ne- gociate the exchange and redemption of prisoners. The sum- mer was accordingly chiefly occupied in this business, and in re- pairing the fort on Great Island, and the line of pickets at Portsmouth. A nightly parole was established along the shore from Portsmouth to Hampton to prevent any surprise by sea, as the coast was at this period infested by French privateers.
1706-In April of this year, the enemy appeared again in New-Hampshire, extending their work of bloodshed and de- struction to the towns of Durham, Dunstable, Kingston, Exe- ter, Dover, &c. (See these towns in the Gazetteer.)
* The whole number of inhabitants in the American colonies, at the com- mencement of this century was 262,000, viz.
Massachusetts,
70,000 Pennsylvania,
- 20,000
Connecticut,
30,000
Maryland,
- 25,000
Rhode-Island, -
10,000
Virginia, .
· 40,000
New-Hampshire, -
10,000
North Carolina,
. 5,000
New-York, - New-Jersey,
30,000
South Carolina,
7,000
15,000
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GENERAL VIEW.
1707-On the 15th of September of this year, the Indians committed some depredations at Exeter, and on the 17th, sev- eràì persons were killed at Durham.
1708-At this time a large army was prepared at Canada against the frontiers of New-England ; and New-Hampshire was put in the best possible state of defence. A troop under the command of Capt. Coffin, patroled from Kingston to Co- checho, and scouts were continually kept on the lookout. No important occurrence however took place.
1709-This year several persons were killed at Oyster river, Exeter, &c. (which see.) General Nicholson marched against the French and Indians as far as to a place called Wood Creek, but obtaining no assistance from England, and his men not be- ing paid, for the two former years, his whole army was dis- banded.
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