USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Haverhill > Haverhill's historic highlights > Part 6
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Rev. Grant Powers served the Haverhill South Parish faithfully for 14 years. Because of his strong mind and real Christian character he made a real contribution to the church and community. Church records indicate he added 119 members and baptized 35 adults and 156 infants; 12 were excommuni- cated. He found only 12 members in 1815 and left 93 in 1829, which is some evidence of his devotion and love for his church.
Rev. Grant Powers published a 240-page book entitled, "Historical Sketches of the discovery, settlement and progress of events in the Coos Coun- try between 1754 and 1785." It was copyrighted in March, 1840 in Con- necticut where he was then living. It was published in Haverhill by J.F.C. Hayes, who was editor of "The Wing and Aegis" in 1841. This book has
*Dunstable was the earlier name of the town of Hollis.
*Ordained in 1756 and died in 1800, therefore his actual years of ministry were 44.
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preserved for all time much valuable information about Haverhill immediately before and after its charter was granted. It may be assumed that much of this would not be known today had not these historical sketches been so preserved.
In the preface he describes how he gathered much of the material from survivors of the early settlers in the Coos Country. In conclusion he made a few suggestions of importance to every family and to every town which are equally valuable today. Perhaps more people have an apathy or indifference toward the history of their locality and of their family today than in the period of which he wrote.
He suggested that every family obtain the best possible record of their ancestory and every child make a copy with additions to complete that record. Also he recommended that every town have a historian who would collect facts from the aged and record that information with the Town Clerk.
Preservation of such records should be given serious consideration today, which is one reason for the Haverhill Bicentennial of 1963.
The Powers influence in this region was of long duration and of vital importance to its exploration, settlement and development. Captain Peter Powers explored, Rev. Peter Powers settled and brought the gospel, and Rev. Grant Powers developed and recorded. Thus from 1754 to 1841 there was a "Powers" influence in Haverhill. In fact down to the present the "Historical Sketches" have influenced our thinking.
The sixth child of Rev. Peter Powers was Samuel P. whose daughter, Anna, married one John H. Carbee (1791-1877) and one of their 10 children was Milo Carbee (1831-1904) who had a daughter, Annie, 1869, who became the second wife of Walter Burbeck on February 12, 1919.
Another child of John H. Carbee and Anna Powers Carbee was Dr. Samuel Powers Carbee whose widow was N. Della Carbee.
Another son of John and Anna P. Carbee was Henry C. Carbee, 1829, a life-long resident of Bath, on the farm where his father, John Carbee, had also lived on the Monroe road. Henry C. Carbee had six children of whom Jennie Carbee Franklin and Ellen Carbee Flanders survived him.
Many present residents of Haverhill, including the author of this article, knew Annie Carbee Burbeck, N. Della Carbee, Henry C. Carbee, Jennie Car- bee Franklin and Ellen Carbee Flanders as their contemporaries.
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HAVERHILL-PIERMONT BOUNDARY DISPUTE
The southern boundary of the town of Haverhill as described in the charter was an unbroken straight line running in a southeasterly direction nearly parallel with the north line. A map of the town today has a jog over two lots in width about one-half the distance from west to east on the south side. This irregularity in the southern boundary of the town resulted from the settlement of a 16-year controversy between the towns of Haverhill and Piermont.
To explain this dispute it is necessary to begin in 1760 when New Hamp- shire ordered a survey of the Connecticut River from Charlestown, N. H. (then known as No. 4) up the river, marking a tree or setting a boundary every six miles in a straight line on each side of the river to establish town lines. This survey was made in March, 1760 on the ice and ended at the mouth of the Ammonoosuc River, which point later became the northwest corner of Haverhill.
One Thomas Blanchard made this survey and established the northerly boundary of the eighth pair of towns, now Piermont, N. H. and Bradford, Vt., at a point about one rod south of the present location of the bridge over the Connecticut River at South Newbury. This is known as Bedel's bridge. This made the west boundary of Haverhill about seven miles in a straight line, as stated in the charters of both Haverhill and Newbury.
On May 18, 1763 the charter of Haverhill was granted by Governor Ben- ning Wentworth. That year two surveyors named Willard and Whiting were engaged to survey the boundaries of Haverhill and also of Newbury, Vt. They disregarded the boundary established by Blanchard in 1860 (near Bedel's Bridge built in 1796) and set the southern boundary of both Haverhill and Newbury a mile and sixty-eight rods farther south in unsettled and ungranted land. The Piermont charter was granted in 1764.
An explanation, without supporting evidence, of this difference between the survey of 1760 and in 1763 is of interest. When Governor Wentworth promised charters of Haverhill and Newbury to John Hazen and Jacob Bay- ley and their friends it was as a reward for their outstanding services in the Colonial Wars. Also they had begun the settlement before the date of the charters. When Governor Wentworth was ready to issue these charters he added twenty names to the list of sixty prepared by Hazen and Bayley. This meant a division of the land between eighty instead of sixty.
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It was resisted by Hazen and Bayley, who claimed they had been to great expense exploring the town, cutting roads, and actually beginning the settle- ment. But the Governor insisted on adding his twenty friends to the list and is reported to have told Hazen and Bayley they could take enough land to make up for the twenty additional shares from the ungranted lands at the south.
While this explains why the strip a mile and sixty-eight rods wide was taken by Hazen and Bayley, the grantees of Piermont and Bradford would not admit its validity.
During the next six years, 1763-1769, settlement began on some lots in the disputed area. At a meeting of lot owners March 30, 1769 a committee reported on running out the boundary line between Haverhill and Piermont and told of the serious dispute which had arisen with Piermont Proprietors.
Colonel James Bayley was appointed to interview the Governor and Council and to petition them to settle and determine the bounds between the towns of Haverhill and Piermont. Three others were chosen including John Hazen to instruct Colonel Bayley "as they shall think proper in this matter."
The controversy was long and expensive. Suits of ejectment were brought against settlers in the disputed area by the town of Piermont. The town of Haverhill voted to aid the distressed occupants of the disputed territory by defending them in court actions brought by the Proprietors of Piermont. The question of submitting this boundary dispute to referees was proposed at pro- prietors' meetings and promptly voted down. Suits in court continued to arise.
After four years a committee was appointed with full powers to act with a committee from Piermont to settle the disputed boundary "either by them- selves or by leaving it out to men." Little progress apparently resulted from this action since at a meeting in 1779 a committee of five was appointed to meet with others from Piermont at Colonel Webster's in Plymouth "to come into some agreement to settle the boundary line between Haverhill and Pier- mont." Apparently nothing was accomplished at the Plymouth conference as another committee was chosen in 1781 and a final settlement actually reached on September 18, 1781.
The agreement was accepted by a proprietors' meeting October 11, 1781. The conditions of the agreement are: "All the meadow-lots, all the house lots, and all the first division of 100 acre lots as laid out and bounded by the said Proprietors of Haverhill, shall be and remain unto the said township and Pro- prietors of Haverhill, and that all suits at law already commenced relative to the premises, and now pending, shall cease and be no further prosecuted than
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is necessary to carry this argument into execution." The eastern line of the 100 acre lots is near the Union school house on Porter Hill.
When this boundary dispute was settled many people felt that the most valuable part had been gained by Haverhill due to the wide interval near the river of valuable land. It later developed, however, that the whetstone ledges in the disputed territory given to Piermont produced far greater dividends than the rich meadows.
Another difficulty was solved by giving lot owners in the town of Haver- hill other lands to replace and reimburse them for lands lost in this settlement. The final division of the lots to carry out this program was not completed by the town of Haverhill until 1808.
Editor's Note: See map on Page 34.
JAMES WOODWARD
Among the young men whom John Hazen persuaded to become an early settler in the town of Haverhill was one James Woodward who is reported to have arrived in 1763, the year the charter was granted. He was the sixth child of Jacob Woodward, who had moved from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Hav- erhill, Massachusetts, in 1734. James Woodward was born in Haverhill, Mass. on March 27, 1741. In 1749 the Massachusetts boundary line was relocated and the Woodwards were in that part which became a part of Hampstead, New Hampshire.
It was from Hampstead, New Hampshire that James Woodward came to Haverhill at the age of 22. He purchased a 100 acre lot on the meadow west of Ladd Street, which was a part of the right of William Page. He built his first house of logs on the river bank, and lived there alone for three years. During this time he was very busy clearing his land and looking for a life mate to share the home with him.
In those early days desirable young women were not numerous in this locality. However, one Ezekiel Ladd moved into town a year after James Woodward arrived and brought with him a young Miss Hannah Clark, 15 years old. She attracted the attention of James Woodward who was courting her when the Ladd family forbid him to call there any more.
True love was not to be so easily thwarted. From the Grant Powers History we are told that Hannah planned a secret rendezvous with her lover at his house one afternoon. She took a walk with a friend down a path toward the river. At Woodward's house a clergyman, Rev. Peter Powers, from New- bury, and other friends of the happy lovers were awaiting her arrival.
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A marriage ceremony was immediately performed. Grant Powers says it was the first in this town. The date was December 30, 1766. Whitcher says that one John Page was married twelve days earlier. At least it was one of the first such ceremonies in Haverhill's history.
The story goes that Hannah returned at once after the ceremony to her work in the Ladd household. For some time it was kept a secret between the contracting parties. When the news got out, Mrs. Ladd told Hannah she might go to live with her husband in his little log house on the river bank. They lived by the river until the flood of 1771 drove them to higher ground. His second house was built on Ladd Street, where he lived until 1821, when he died in his 80th year.
To this happy union were born twelve children. Hannah died October 21, 1805, at the age of 56. Judge James Woodward remarried in 1808 to Eliza- beth Poole, who survived him. They had no children.
James Woodward became an outstanding citizen of the town and county. He was elected the first representative from Haverhill to the legislature in 1783. After the war he was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas, which office he held for many years. He also served five terms as selectman of the town: 1769-1777, 1781-1782, and 1783. It can be said that Judge James Woodward was a man of fine character and great influence in the locality. He was highly respected by all with whom he associated.
It is of particular interest to record here that the seventh son of Judge James Woodward was Jesse, and his eldest child was Joshua B. F. Wood- ward, both of whom continued to live in the James Woodward homestead on Ladd Street.
The third child of Joshua B. F. Woodward was also born in the Judge James Woodward homestead on Ladd Street. She was Mary Grace Woodward, born October 29, 1856. This great-granddaughter of Judge James Woodward became a teacher in Haverhill Academy in 1880, where she remained several years. She later taught in Bradford Academy. She is the author of the "Auto- biography of a Bell," referred to in the "Ladd Street Bell" story.
During the twelve years of teaching in Haverhill Academy and Bradford Academy, Miss Woodward established an enviable reputation, both as an in- structor and a disciplinarian. Circumstances over which she had no control obliged her to answer a call to her sister's home at once.
She resigned her teaching position and assumed the care of her sister's home in West Newton, Mass. At the time of her sister's death, and by her dying request, Miss Grace Woodward assumed, with the consent and co- operation of the bereaved husband, the joint upbringing of her sister's young daughter, Josephine Wilson.
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This work has been faithfully carried out for nearly sixty years, years filled with adventures, hard work, travel in the United States and abroad, mingled with attractive dwelling places in Montana, Oregon, Florida, and New Hampshire, until she and her niece, have finally settled down in the con- genial quiet and beautiful Maine town of Kennebunk, in an attractive home of their own, where we now can find these much traveled, and somewhat wearied ladies .*
A letter from this charming lady, who is one of the few direct descendants of the earliest settlers still having the family name, was written to the author on her 93rd birthday. I quote from her letter: "Here, on my ninety-third birthday, I can continue, maybe, to live out the balance of my days with the same quiet activity that I now possess-alert, and forward-looking for what- ever awaits me. I do not perhaps need to add that Haverhill, N. H. has been and always will be the dearest spot on earth to me. There I was born and there I will sleep along with my ancestors in the lofty cemetery on the hill overlooking the beautiful Connecticut Valley. There sleep James Woodward; his romantic little wife, Hannah; their son, Jesse, and his wife, Mary; J. B. F. Woodward and his wife, Susan. There still remains a place for myself and niece."
Her closing remark shows her loyalty to this town, a sentiment which it is hoped these articles will instill in many others: "I am proud of Haverhill."
*Grace Woodward died in her 99th year and was buried in Ladd Street Cemetery.
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DARTMOUTH AT HAVERHILL
An interesting bit of early history of Haverhill has to do with its very serious consideration as a suitable location for Dartmouth College.
Rev. Eleazer Wheelock for several years had maintained an Indian Char- ity School at Lebanon, Connecticut. When considering enlargement of his school to become an academy or a college, the attention of Dr. Wheelock was directed to the Coos Country in New Hampshire as early as 1767.
Among several letters known to have been sent from Connecticut Valley towns to Wheelock was one in January, 1768 written by Rev. Peter Powers, recommending this region as the best in the Connecticut Valley. A quotation from this letter indicates that he held little hope of helping the Indians of the locality. He wrote, "The Indians who came here are a miserable, abandoned, drunken, frenchified, popish crew, so effectually prejudiced against religion that there seems little hope of doing them any good, though perhaps some of their posterity may be reclaimed; but the school may be of advantage to about a hundred new townships in this part of the country."
That summer Wheelock sent Rev. Ebenezer Cleveland to investigate and report on desirable locations for a college in New Hampshire. In his report Cleveland said, "Several places were more especially set up, namely, Haver- hill, Piermont, Orford, Lebanon, Plainfield, Claremont, Charlestown and Wal- pole, those in which it appeared the greatest donations would centre. . . . Large subscriptions have been made and are still making which centre in par- ticular towns, the principal of which were Haverhill and Orford. Their situa- tion is very pleasant, and their soil very fertile-their lands so much improved and so fertile that there is already a sufficient supply of provisions for the school. At Haverhill is a farm of about 600 acres of excellent land, about 150 of which are under good improvements-all within two bows of the river, which is a sufficient outside fence; and it is otherwise suitably divided and secured by good fences, has on it a large and well finished barn on one bow and also a good cornbarn on the other bow; also a good grist mill and saw mill, and something for a house. It is beautifully situated in the centre of the town and other lands may be had to accommodate it here, 5,600 acres are already subscribed for that end."
On April 3, 1769 Lord Dartmouth, a financial backer of Wheelock, wrote from London, "We are unanimously of the opinion that the most advantageous situation for carrying on the great purposes of your school will be in one of
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the townships belonging to the district of Cowass in the government of New Hampshire, agreeably to the proposal of Governor Wentworth and the gentle- men who have generously expressed their intention of contributing to that de- sign; but whether Haverhill or Orford may be the most eligible for this pur- pose, we must leave to your judgment to determine. According to the best information we can procure of the state of those towns, we think you may give the preference to the former, especially if the farm which you mention as very convenient for an immediate supply of provisions can be procured upon reasonable terms."
On December 30, 1769 a charter was granted for a college. Governor Wentworth wrote Wheelock on January 29, 1770: "Upon the whole I consent to Bath, Landaff or Haverhill, the college to have at least one hundred acres adjoining, and to stand not less than a mile from the river." Col. Israel Morey of Orford wrote Dr. Wheelock that his judgment favored the selection of Haverhill.
On the very next day and certainly before a letter from New Hampshire could have reached Connecticut, Wheelock wrote, "three towns are bidding for it, Haverhill, Orford and Hanover." This is the first mention of Hanover in any official correspondence but in September, 1769, Dr. Edward Freeman of Mansfield, Conn., in writing to his son, Jonathan, who had settled in Han- over said, concerning the location of the college, "I have heard transiently that Dr. Wheelock thinks likely in Hanover, or in Orford, or in another town. I know not the name. The doctor, as I hear, says Hanover is settled with the most serious, steady inhabitants." Hanover and Lebanon, so far as they had been settled at all, had been settled from Connecticut, a fact not without sig- nificance.
Also on January 30, 1770 Col. Alexander Phelps, son-in-law of Dr. Wheelock and his agent in securing the New Hampshire charter, left Ports- mouth for Coos expecting to meet Wheelock there. He spent February and part of March in Coos. After a thorough examination of the offers made, he selected Haverhill and made contracts for the purchase of materials and the erection of the buildings. The site determined upon as shown by a plan pre- served in Chase's History of Dartmouth College, was just above the village of North Haverhill opposite the Great Ox-bow, on the plain which was then the principal settlement of the town, and a part of which was later taken as a site for the Grafton County buildings. No more beautiful location could be imagined.
The following is a quotation from Chase's History of Dartmouth College, pages 130-131: "Deeds of neighboring lands, partly given and partly pur- chased, on both sides of the river, including some of the best of the Great
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Meadow were executed (some to the College and some to Wheelock) and de- posited in the hands of Colonel Bailey, Colonel Porter and Mr. Coleman, awaiting Wheelock's acceptance. Of five thousand acres lying in Haverhill. Newbury and Bath, the subscriptions are preserved, running four-fifths to the college and one-fifth to Wheelock. Besides outlying lands, there were given 180 acres on and near the Great Ox-bow, and 165 acres of adjoining high Lands for business purposes. The plan exhibits but a part of it. There was a barn 45 feet by 30 completely finished and a small house 16x16, finished on the outside. There were also subscriptions for money, materials and labor (even down to the 'macking two pear of lethern briches') for which notes were to be given by June 1st, payable by October 1st with interest: and contracts were made for other materials and buildings."
In the warrant for a meeting of the Haverhill proprietors to be held April 6, 1770, there was an article: "to see if the proprietors would give anything to Dartmouth College, Dr. Wheelock, or Colonel Phelps, or either of them, as an 'incouragement' for said college being fixed in said township." The proprietors made generous response. They "voted to give to Rev. 'Elitzer' Wheelock. D.D., fifty acres of land in Haverhill lying on Capt. John Hazen's Mill Brook (Poole Brook) where there is a convenient waterfall for a mill and to be laid out in a convenient form for a mill, provided Dartmouth College should be located in Haverhill." These fifty acres would be near, if not indeed adjoining, the site selected by Colonel Phelps for the college, and were of the greatest possible value, in connection with the saw mill privilege, to aid in the erection of buildings.
Apparently Col. Phelps thought he had authority from Wheelock to select the location of the college. However, Wheelock visited the region in May and early June, 1770 and from Plymouth wrote his wife on June 25, "Tomorrow I meet the gentlemen and hope to convince them that what they propose is impractical." His mind must have been made up to locate at Han- over by that time. The choice was soon made and Wheelock is reported as living "in his hut in the wilderness" in Hanover probably before Haverhill learned that they had lost a college.
The only remaining thought on the subject is, "It might have been- Dartmouth at Haverhill instead of at Hanover and it almost was! ! "
Another little known historical fact concerning Dartmouth and Haver- hill is that the famous and important Dartmouth College case had its first hearing in the Haverhill Court House in May, 1817. Jerimiah Smith appeared as lawyer for the college. Daniel Webster came into the case later and won it in the U. S. Supreme Court.
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THE COUNTY SEAT
A clipping from the Massachusetts Gazette of January 20, 1774 gives the following information about the appointment of the first judge of probate, the first register of probate, the first jail and the first court room.
A Court of Wills and Probate for County of Grafton, in New Hampshire is to be held at Plymouth on the 24th Instant, and at Haverhill on the 25th of April next; of which Court the Hon. John Fenton, esq .; appt'd. Judge, and Jonathan Mitchel Sewall, Esq .; late of Salem, Register.
In the above mentioned Town of Haverhill was raised, about 7 Weeks since, a Frame for a County-House of the Dimensions of 48 Feet by 38; the heaviest and stoutest timber'd Building perhaps in New-Hampshire. The lower part of the House being a story of 9 Feet, is designed, one half for a Prison, and the other half for the Prison-Keeper's Dwelling. The second story, 14 feet in height, and which will admit of a Room of 36 Feet square, with two Lobbies, to be appropriated for the Use of the Courts of Justice.
It is worthy Remark, that this growing Township of Haverhill has been chartered but little more than ten Years; that 12 or 13 Years past there was not in the whole County one single Family, which is now computed to contain near 600 Families; and that the principal Increase has been under the Auspices, and by the Encouragement of his Excellency the present Governor Wentworth.
It is almost unbelievable that in nearly 200 years since the creation of the town of Haverhill as shire town of Grafton County, that no one has pre- pared a complete list of the people who have been appointed or elected to the county offices of register of probate, judge of probate and register of deeds. With the assistance of the present register of probate, Anna D. Proctor, a list of judges and registers of probate has been prepared, which is believed to be complete from 1774 to 1962, also a list of the registers of deeds has been pre- pared with the assistance of Charles Wood, the present register.
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