USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Haverhill > Haverhill's historic highlights > Part 4
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Their first thought was that maybe they had killed an animal belonging to hostile Indians who might capture them. Finally they decided to have one man swim the river and reconnoiter. He reported an English settlement. A boat was brought to bring the entire party to the Ox-bow, where they were well received. This incident gave the name "Horse Meadow" to the area where the county farm buildings are now located.
Mr. Powers is responsible for an incredible story which he narrates as authentic. It is that John Hurd, one of the early settlers of Haverhill, came from Portsmouth and settled on Horse Meadow. He came by way of Charlestown, about 95 miles, and then up the river about 70 miles. He brought a valuable cow with him and pastured her on the meadow. After a few weeks she disappeared. A thorough search was made in vain. Indian runners were engaged to pursue her. After a week they returned without the cow but reported they had trailed her through Coventry (Benton). Mr. Hurd quite naturally gave her up as lost. That fall a man came to Haverhill from Portsmouth with letters to friends, and one of these letters told the incredible story that this identical cow was found in the same barnyard at Portsmouth
*Grant Powers came from Hollis, N. H., graduated from Dartmouth College, Class of 1810, studied for the ministry with Rev. Dr. Benton at Thetford, Vt. He was ordained January 14, 1815 and served the parish until April 28, 1829, a period of 14 years and 3 months, longest in history of church until A. T. Boland who served from 1916 to 19(?). Grant Powers was a grandson of Captain Peter Powers, the pioneer explorer of the Coos region who came here from Hollis, N.H. in 1754, and was a nephew of Rev. Peter Powers, who was the first minister in this Coos region. 1765-1783.
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from which she had been taken several months earlier. Her return by what- ever route she took was over 100 miles. This yarn about cow's instinct is worthy of one of Ripley's "Believe It or Not" stories.
In Bittinger's history of Haverhill (1888) the naming of Horse Meadow is again narrated. Also an incident is told which took place a century later when a man and woman drove along the road near the present county farm buildings and inquired what place it was. When told it was Horse Meadow, he asked the origin of such a name. The story as related by Mr. Powers was told him. Then he surprised the local farmer by exclaiming, "My grandfather was one of the party that ate that horse. I've heard the story many times but never expected to see the place."
HAZEN THE FOUNDER
(1731-1774)
John Hazen (Hazzen-early spelling) was born in Haverhill, Massachu- setts August 11, 1731. Little is known of his early life except that he was very energetic and of high character. He was active in the settlement of the Town of Hampstead, New Hampshire, and later enrolled in the New Hampshire Militia from the Town of Plaistow. He had a fine military record as a young man, first in the French and Indian War, then in 1757 as a lieutenant in the Company of Captain Jacob Bayley in the Crown Point Expedition.
In 1760, as Captain, he commanded a company in the invasion of Canada and was present at the surrender of Montreal. On his return with Col. Bayley he passed through the Coos region and became favorably impressed. They spent several days carefully exploring the area. Lt. Jacob Kent and Lt. Timothy Bedel were with them on the return from Montreal. Bayley and Kent later settled in Newbury; Hazen and Bedel in Haverhill. All four were grantees in both Haverhill and Newbury charters.
Upon his return to his home in Haverhill, Massachusetts Hazen gained favor with the New Hampshire authorities at Portsmouth. He and Jacob Bayley pooled their efforts and energies to advance the settlement of this area, which later became Haverhill and Newbury. Hazen sent the first men here to actually take possession of land on the New Hampshire side of the river in 1761. Michael Johnston, Abraham Webb and John Pattie, all of Haverhill, Massachusetts, came by way of No. 4 (Charlestown) and brought some cattle with them. They built shelters for themselves and the animals. They cut sufficient grass to winter the livestock from the intervales which clearly had
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THE JOHN HAZEN HOUSE, NORTH HAVERHILL N.H. 1765
been cultivated by Indians for raising corn in earlier years. There were friendly Indians in the vicinity at that time.
Early in the spring of 1762 Hazen and a number of men came to Coos with material which he used to build a saw mill and a grist mill. One of these was probably north of the present bridge on Depot Street in North Haverhill.
Probably Hazen and Bayley both returned to Haverhill and Newbury, Massachusetts in the fall of 1762 to see the authorities about getting charters here. Grant Powers tells of one Oliver Willard, who tried to get a charter of the Haverhill area and even sent a man by name of Chamberlin to try to upset the Hazen settlers. However the Governor recognized Hazen and Bayley, and Willard failed. The charter was dated May 18, 1763.
In the Haverhill charter John Hazen was the first named, Bayley was second (The Newbury charter has the two names in reverse order at the top of the list). Two brothers of John Hazen were grantees in the Haverhill charter -Willam and Moses-but they did not actually settle here. Also John Hazen, Jr., a son of John Hazen and only seven years old, was a grantee.
Captain Hazen took a very important part in the early settlement. He became one of the big landowners. He was the first moderator of the town, being elected at the first town meeting held in Plaistow in June, 1763. Bayley
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was elected a selectman. At the next meeting Bayley was elected moderator, and Hazen, town treasurer. Hazen held many town offices until his death on September 23, 1774, during all of which time he was clearly a leading spirit among the proprietors. It is believed that Hazen was buried in the Ox-bow Cemetery on the Newbury side of the river. The grave is unmarked and its location unknown.
He was married in Haverhill, Massachusetts to Anne Swett whose father, John Swett, was a grantee in the Haverhill charter. They had three children of which one was John, Jr. She died in 1765 at Haverhill, New Hampshire. Hazen later married for his second wife one Abigail Cotton in 1766. To this union one child, Anna, was born in 1768.
John Hazen is frequently confused with his brother, Moses, who also served in the Canadian invasion. Moses married a French lady and settled at St. John, Canada. When the Revolutionary War broke out, he sacrificed his Canadian land and supported the Colonies. Before the close of the war he was commissioned brigadier-general. He cut a military road in Vermont from Wells River through Peacham to Montgomery through a mountain notch, which road and notch still bear his name. Moses Hazen was a grantee of both Haverhill and Newbury but was never active in their affairs.
Abigail Hazen, widow of John Hazen, later married Henry Hancock (January, 1775), one of the first settlers of Lyman, New Hampshire. They lived in Haverhill and Bath. Their son was Thomas Hancock, and his son was Samuel R. Hancock, who lived on the Hancock farm just over the Bath- Haverhill line. Sam is still remembered by older residents. His estate still owns some land in this vicinity, and his descendants are mostly residents of California, where he lived for many years.
Sarah Hazen was the first child of John Hazen and his first wife. She was born March 12, 1753 at Hampstead, New Hampshire, and moved to Haverhill with her parents, probably in 1762 or 1763. Her mother died in 1765. Sarah married Nathaniel Merrill on June 22, 1771, when she was 18 years old. Her husband was a grantee named in both Haverhill and Newbury charters. He served as Selectman of Haverhill from 1784 to 1806 and served in the New Hampshire Legislature four times. He moved to Piermont in 1816 where he died in 1825. They had 13 children, all born in Haverhill and Newbury, Vermont. Twelve were daughters. One, Ann Nancy, married Obadiah Swasey, and their daughter, Mary Ann, became the wife of John L. Woods, for whom Woodsville was named. Another, Hannah, married John Page in 1812. They had nine children. He later became Governor of New Hampshire. Thus we know John Hazen has many descendants, but the name of Hazen seems to have dropped out of sight.
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John Hazen is mentioned in the charter of Haverhill as the one to call the first town meeting, and was appointed by Governor Benning Wentworth to serve as moderator of that first meeting. It was held on the second Tuesday of June, 1763, at Plaistow as were the second and third meetings. Then the fourth was called in Hampstead and adjourned to meet at the house of John Hazen in Haverhill, the first official meeting in the town. After that meeting, 10 town meetings were held at Hazen's in Haverhill. The dates of these meet- ings indicate several were really adjourned meetings, and it is apparent that the charter was disregarded. It specifies that annual meetings shall be on the second Tuesday of March. Town meeting, for all towns in New Hampshire, is still held on that date. The 17th town meeting was held at Hazen's House, August 16, 1773.
Before his death in 1774 at 43 years of age, Hazen had seen his town progress from the beautiful spot in the wilderness he first saw in 1760, to a fully established town. A church had been established. Haverhill was the shire town of Grafton County. A court house and a jail had been erected. Schools had been organized. Mills had been put in operation, frame houses began to replace log cabins. Town government was functioning smoothly with much progress in road building.
The population had grown to a total of 387. Taverns had been opened. Much land had been cleared and was under cultivation. Surveyors of lumber and highways, fence viewers, sealers of weights and measures, hog reeves and deer reeves were functioning effectively.
It is abundantly clear that John Hazen was a true pioneer, a brave soldier, and a man of great capacity and vision. He was a tireless worker for the development of this new town, and for its welfare. Certainly no other man is as deserving of the honor of being hailed as the "Founder of Haverhill."
Some men are born leaders while many more are followers. A natural leader will assert himself in any group. Such a man was John Hazen, and so was Jacob Bayley-both were the early leaders in Haverhill and Newbury res- pectively, and so was Col. Charles Johnston who followed Hazen as the leader in Haverhill.
After May 18, 1963 it will be correct for the first time to refer to the founding of Haverhill by John Hazen and others as "over 200 years ago." Only a very small percentage of the 175,000 towns in the United States can make that statement. Few towns, regardless of their age, have a more com- plete record of the events pertaining to their founding and none had a more courageous, outstanding pioneer and founder than John Hazen.
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TIMOTHY AND MOODY BEDEL
No father and son had greater interest or influence in the founding and early growth of Haverhill than did Timothy Bedel and his famous son, Moody.
When Timothy Bedel returned from the Fall of Montreal in the autumn of 1760 (described elsewhere) he was only 20 years old, yet he already had been through seven years of war experience. He was born in Salem, Mass. in 1740. He first saw the Connecticut Valley in 1760 and came to Haverhill in 1762 or 1763 to help his friend, J. Hazen, settle Haverhill. By his first wife, Elizabeth Merrill, he had seven children, the third being a son named Moody, who was born in Salem May 12, 1764 and is believed to have moved to Haver- hill the same year with his mother and older brother Cyrus, and sister Ruth, who later married Jacob Bayley, son of the famous General Jacob Bayley of Newbury, Vermont.
After the death of his first wife, Timothy Bedel married Mary Johnson (often called Polly) who was born in Charlestown, New Hampshire December 8, 1752, taken captive with her parents in August 1754 when less than two years old, carried to Canada, and from there to England. She was later re- deemed, with her mother, and brought back to New Hampshire in 1757. She and Timothy had two children, born at Haverhill in 1785 and 1786.
It has been claimed that Timothy Bedel came to Haverhill in 1762, but there is good proof he was with the Royal Provincials during the six weeks siege and capture of Havana, Cuba that year. He was commissioned captain in April, 1762 and remained in the service until 1763. He brought his family to Haverhill in 1764, which was his home for twenty-three years.
Timothy Bedel served the town of Haverhill as moderator five times, town clerk one year, selectman four times and one term in the Legislature (1784). He died in 1787 at the age of 47 and is buried in Ladd Street Ceme- tery. A large granite boulder with plaque marks his grave.
At the start of the Revolutionary War (1775) he raised a regiment and served under General Montgomery at the siege of St. Johns. In 1776 New Hampshire was requested to raise three regiments. Timothy Bedel applied for command of one for the northern part. William Stark, his former captain and a brother of John Stark, also applied. Timothy Bedel was appointed colonel through the recommendation of General George Washington, then at Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. Colonel Bedel raised this regiment and was ordered to go to Montreal where Colonel Arnold placed him in command of a place
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COL TIMOTHY BEDEL 1740 - 1787 SOLDIER - PIONEER - PATRIOT 1758 - 60 LIEUT IN FRENCH WAR 1775 CAPT GOD'S COUNTRY RANGER 1773 GOL TUT N H RECT NORTHERN ARM 1777 -78 CORECT FOR DEFENSE OF FRONTIERS ERECTED BY KANNAN WORBILL WHICHER CHAPTER
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
called "The Cedars." Through some misunderstanding of orders, Bedel went to Montreal, then under command of Benedict Arnold, to ask for reinforce- ments. While absent from his post it was surrendered by a Major Butterfield. Colonel Bedel was dismissed from service August 1, 1776 on evidence of Colonel Benedict Arnold as to his verbal orders. Timothy Bedel protested his complete innocence and claimed he had followed orders and done only his duty. In 1777 he volunteered as a private to resist General Burgoyne. New Hampshire paid him as a lieutenant in the militia. He was such an outstanding soldier that on November 10, 1777 the Continental Congress recommissioned him a colonel to serve under General John Stark, and General Lafayette. His commission was signed by Henry Laurens, President of Congress and counter- signed by Major General Horatio Gates, the same officer who approved his court-martial in 1776.
Moody Bedel probably was the youngest person to come to Haverhill in the early days, he being about six months old. Like his father, he had a compelling ambition to be a soldier. At twelve he served as a drummer boy when his father led an expedition into Canada (1776). He enlisted April 1, 1778 in Captain Ladd's Company of his father's regiment and served to May, 1779 in the Commissary Department.
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Of his varied military career suffice it to record here that he served through grades from 2nd lieutenant to brigadier general in 1806. He resigned this commission in 1812 to accept a lieutenant colonel commission in the regular army. His superiors recognized his ability, energy and qualities of leadership and promoted him to colonel.
As an active citizen in Haverhill, he served as moderator several times, as town clerk three years, as selectman three times, as representative five times and in many other positions of trust. He once lived in the old Toll House at the foot of Powder House Hill on the road leading to the Bedel Ferry and later the Bedel Bridge.
During his life time he acquired large land holdings in Haverhill and Bath, also in Burlington, Vermont and in Plattsburg, New York. He became involved in 1798 in the purchase of a very big area from the St. Francis Indians known as the "Philip Grant," because an Indian King Philip signed the deed. He moved there to start a settlement in the wilderness called "Indian Stream Settlement." The New Hampshire Legislature in 1812 declined to recognize his title to this area and Moody lost his wealth and died a poor man in January, 1841. He was buried in the village cemetery at Bath.
During his years in the town of Haverhill, Moody Bedel operated a ferry across the Connecticut River between Haverhill Corner and South Newbury. He sold his rights for $900.00 to a corporation to build a bridge at this point. In 1805 an open bridge resting on wooden piers was built for $2,700.00 by one Avery Sanders (Whitcher 258). This bridge was destroyed by high water at least four times from 1805 until 1866 when the present covered bridge was built. The bridge at this location has always been known as the "Bedel Bridge." It was a toll bridge until 1916, when the two towns bought all the stock and freed it.
Colonel Moody Bedel was married twice, first to Ruth Hutchins, on August 27, 1783 and second to Mary Hunt of Bath, March 1, 1808. He had nine children by each wife. On August 23, 1820 Anagusta E. was born. She married Ebenezer R. Deming, January 7, 1847. Percy, the youngest of their five children was born January 28, 1861, and married Ellen Child Lang. They had three children, Henry, Elizabeth and Frances, the latter now Mrs. Wilfred J. Larty, a direct descendant of Timothy and Moody Bedel. She lives in Woodsville and is a valued member and secretary of the Haverhill Bicenten- nial Committee.
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CAPTAIN EBENEZER MACKINTOSH-"THE RIOTER"
In the History of Haverhill by Reverend J. Q. Bittinger, published in 1888 (see pages 371-73) is a brief account of one who came to Haverhill be- fore the Revolution, and who remained a mysterious character until his death here in 1816, at the age of 79. Tradition has it that this man was a leader of the Boston Tea Party which threw the British tea overboard into Boston Har- bor in 1773.
The following information about this man is found in a book published in Boston in 1884, entitled "Tea Leaves" by Francis S. Drake:
"CAPTAIN MACKINTOSH was a tradesman of Boston, who acquired great prominence in the local disturbances of the town, prior to the outbreak of the Revolution, but who disappears from her history after that period. He first came into notice as the leader of the South End party in the Celebration of Pope Day which took place on the 5th of November in commemoration of the discovery of the gunpowder plot. In 1765 the two factions of the North and South Ends harmonized, and after a friendly meeting in King, now State Street, marched together to Liberty Tree. The leaders, Mackintosh of the South, and Swift of the North End, appeared in military habits, with small canes resting on their left arms, having music in front and flank. All the property used on such occasions was afterwards burnt on Copps Hill. Mackin- tosh was a ringleader in the riot of August 26, 1765, when Lieut-Gov. Hutch- inson's house was destroyed, and was arrested in King Street next day, but was immediately released by the sheriff, on the demand of a number of mer- chants and other persons of character and property.
"From the diary and letters of Thomas Hutchinson, we take the follow- ing passage:
" 'The Governor had even moved a council, the day after the riot. The sheriff attended, and upon inquiry, it appeared that one Mackintosh, a shoe- maker, was among the most active in destroying the Lieut-Governor's house and furniture. A warrant was given to the sheriff to apprehend him by name, with divers others. Mackintosh appeared in King Street, and the sheriff took him, but soon discharged him and returned to the council-chamber, where he gave an account of his taking him, and that Mr. Nathaniel Coffin and several other gentlemen came to him and told him that it had been agreed that the Cadets and many other persons should appear in arms the next evening as a guard to security against a fish riot, which was feared and said to have been
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threatened, but not a man would appear, unless Mackintosh was discharged. The Lieut .- Governor asked, "But did you discharge him?" "Yes." "Then you have not done your duty." And this was all the notice taken of the discharge. The true reason of thus distinguishing Mackintosh was that he could discover who employed him, whereas the other persons apprehended were such as had collected together without knowing of any previous plan.' "
Mackintosh was known as the first Captain-General of Liberty Tree and had charge of illuminations, hanging at effigies, etc. In later years his favorite reference to the tea party was, "It was my chickens that did the job!" Bit- tinger gives further information about Mackintosh obtained from one Schul- yer Merrill, a long-time resident of Haverhill who died here August 7, 1892, in his 90th year. Merrill heard Mackintosh tell about his chickens on many occasions, and wondered how chickens could have anything to do with a tea party. He described Mackintosh as of slight build, sandy complexion, and a very nervous temperament. He reports Mackintosh died in North Haverhill about 1816, when he, Schulyer Merrill, was a boy of 16 years. Mr. Merrill always claimed he could point out the unmarked grave of this mysterious character.
From an article published in 1924 by George Pomeroy Anderson- "Ebenezer Mackintosh, Stamp Act Rioter and Patriot" -- all the above in- formation is confirmed. In addition it appears that Ebenezer Mackintosh was a son of Moses Mackintosh, a grandson of William Mackintosh, who was a second generation descendant of John Mackintosh one of the 272 Scotch prisoners sent to New England in 1651 and 1652 by Oliver Cromwell. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Frank Sweet Black, Governor of New York, and William Claflin, Governor of Massachusetts 1866 to 1869, are among the more famous descendants of these Scotch immigrants.
Little is known about Moses Mackintosh, except that he married one Lydia Jones in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1734. They had two children, Lydia, born in 1735, and a son, Ebenezer, born in Boston on June 20, 1737. His mother died in 1751 when he was 14 years old. Within two years his father, Moses, was warned out of Boston (a practice of that time to relieve the town of supporting the poor). Ebenezer appears to have remained in Bos- ton where he became a shoemaker. His schooling presumably ended soon after his mother's death. He became a very self-reliant young man. In 1758 he enlisted as a private and was at the battle of Ticonderoga July 5, 1758. His captain was killed there and Ephraim Wesson took command. Wesson was also a later resident of Haverhill, several times elected moderator and select- man (Bittinger's History, p. 73). Ebenezer Mackintosh returned safely to Boston in November, 1758. Next he became a member of the fire department,
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as engineman for Engine No. 9, in 1760, and as such was exempt from further military service.
As an engineman he became identified with the South End, at the corner of what is now Essex and Washington Streets where stood a big Elm known as the Liberty Tree. Ebenezer Mackintosh made shoes for this section of the city. In 1764 the South End and North End had a spirited fight in which the South End won. In it a five year old boy was killed. Ebenezer Mackintosh was taken to court but there is no record of the decision. It was probably a charge of disturbing the peace and perhaps a small fine was paid. This ap- parently established Ebenezer Mackintosh as leader of the South End Gang, and thereafter he was known as "Captain."
In 1765 he was elected as one of five sealers of leather, and his duty was to pass upon all leather coming into Boston and prevent the use of any un- sealed leather. In April, 1765, Boston received news of the Stamp Act passing in England. All citizens of Boston, including Ebenezer Mackintosh, disliked this law. In August of 1765 several buildings were burned in riots against this stamp act, including the home of one Hutchinson, Lieut .- Governor of the Colony. This was the occasion for the arrest and later release of Ebenezer Mackintosh. A reward of 300 pounds was offered but no one claimed it and Ebenezer Mackintosh went about unmolested. On August 7, 1766, nearly a year after the destruction of the Hutchinson House, Ebenezer Mackintosh married Elizabeth Maverick of a very respectable North End family. They had two children, Elizabeth, born in 1767, and Paschal Paoli, born in 1769. No reference is made of Ebenezer Mackintosh in any of the many riots be- tween 1766 and 1773. This is perhaps due to the restraining influence of his good wife, Elizabeth. During this period the Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, and one of the victims was Samuel Maverick, a half-brother of Elizabeth. It is quite certain that Ebenezer Mackintosh did not participate in the Massacre but the loss of his own brother-in-law in it very definitely embittered him more against the British. Family tradition has confirmed that Ebenezer Mackintosh took an active part in the Boston Tea Party on Decem- ber 16, 1773, and that a reward was offered by the British for him dead or alive. He left Boston soon afterwards and never returned.
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