USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Historical sketches of the discovery, settlement, and progress of events in the Coos country and vicinity, principally included between the years 1754 and 1785 > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
61
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
she thought she should die, and would have given any thing could she have formed some acquaintance with those who were to be her female neighbors," but they were actually afraid of her, and each sat, or stood, at a proper distance, lest they should soil her dress. On their return home, she told her husband she had learned one lesson, and that was, When among Romans, conform to Romans. The next Sab- bath she appeared in a clean check-linen gown, and other articles in accordance, and she found very so- ciable and warm-hearted friends.
But their worship was destined to interruptions in the summer of 1765. I have already spoken of Sam'l Sleeper, the first settler in Newbury, in 1762 ; that he was a Quaker preacher, and that he came on to take possession for Gen. Bailey. We do not hear of any irregularities practised by Sleeper until after the set- tlement of Mr. Powers. Then he claimed the right to hold forth at any time, and on all occasions, when the Spirit moved him ; and while Mr. Powers was speaking, he would sometimes say-" Thee lies, friend Peter." And at other times he would vociferate- " False doctrines ! false doctrines !" Then again- " Glorious truths ! glorious truths !" The principal men used all means to dissuade him from such a course of conduct ; but he grew more insolent and
62
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
boisterous, and they at length incarcerated him in a cellar on Musquash Meadow ; but as soon as Sleeper was disposed of, one Benoni Wright, a convert and pupil of Sleeper, volunteered to fill the vacated seat of his master, and if Sleeper had chastised the sin- ners with whips, Wright would do it with scorpions. He permitted his beard to grow at full length, and by this, he became a professed prophet of the Lord, and delivered his messages in the most boisterous and frantic manner. But he gained no converts, and as he resisted every remonstrance of the people, they adopted a summary course with him. The elders of the people in both settlements took him on to the meadow, near where Sleeper was in duress, held a court upon him, convicted him, and doomed him to receive "ten lashes, well laid on." Wright was stripped and received the judgment of the court upon the spot, and the same self-constituted court passed a decree, and sent it to Sleeper, that if he appeared again after confinement, to make the least disturb- ance, he should receive thirty lashes in full tale. This was decisive, and these prophets concluded to sacrifice their consciences at the shrine of their bodies. Peace and order were restored.
But the next season, 1766, Sleeper and Wright left the settlement in Newbury, and removed into Brad-
63
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
ford, and settled on the meadow, north of Mr. Hun- kins, and east of what was Johnson's tavern, in the north of Bradford. Here Wright undertook to sus- tain a fast of forty days, and withdrew to a cave in a mountain, at the north-west part of Bradford. And that he might gird himself for his conflict with hun- ger and the Prince of the power of the air, he pro- cured him a strap with forty holes in it, and was to buckle himself up one hole each day; but long be- fore he had attained to a "good degree," he was so pressed upon by hunger, that he concluded to return home to his wife, and get her to prepare him a good supper. She did so, and just as Wright was sitting down to his repast, in bolted Sleeper, who exclaimed, " Friend Wright, dost thou break thy fast ?" Wright was moon-struck for a time ; but his appetite prevailed, and he returned not to the mountain, which has from that time borne his name, Wright's Mountain. From this time these two men wholly disappear from our history.
Col. Joshua Howard related to me in 1824, and confirmed the same in 1832, that the origin of Sleep- er's opposition was this :- Gen. Bailey found it some- what difficult to procure a man to come on and take possession of that land amidst the Indians, who would not like as well to take possession for himself,
64
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
as for another ; and such a man he did not want. He at length came across Sleeper, who promised he would go on, provided he might become their Quaker preacher, when they had obtained their grant, and had formed a Christian society. Bailey, willing to indulge his whim, said to him pleasantly, "O; yes, Sleeper, you shall be our minister." Sleeper took it all for specie, and in process of time, Bailey found there was more of Quakerism than poetry in Sleeper.
In the fall of this year, 1765, Judge Woodward was married to Hannah Clark, and it was the first marriage ceremony ever performed in the county of Grafton ; and as there were some things attending it out of the ordinary course, and as I had the particu- lars from the judge himself, I will relate them, as they will serve to show that some things could be done then, as well as at this time. I have stated that Judge Woodward came into Haverhill in 1763, and bought his meadow farm. He built his first tent upon the meadow, as nearly all the first settlers did in Newbury, and some in Haverhill, not knowing that they would be in danger from floods ; but being driven off by a flood in 1771, they afterwards built upon more elevated ground. But Woodward was now enjoying single blessedness in his tent. He felled trees by day, went to the Dow farm for his
65
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
meals, and slept on the meadow at night. And al- though he sometimes dreamed of fairy forms, of sparkling eyes, and ruby lips, yet he knew not that Providence had any thing of this kind in reserve for him, and if he had, he knew not where it might be found ; for young females, in those days, were duly appreciated. But the next year, when Judge Ladd came on, he brought with him a blooming little maid, Hannah Clark, of fifteen, to live in his family a year or two, and then, in the mind of Judge Ladd and wife, she would become the wife of John Ladd, a brother of Judge Ladd. Woodward went to see his neighbor Ladd, and there he saw the object, which took, at once, full possession of his soul ; and he could not see why he might not enjoy it, as well as John Ladd ; and from that moment, he resolved to secure Hannah Clark for his wife, if it was in his power. He called at Judge Ladd's occasionally, and had some brief opportunities for conversation with Hannah, enough to satisfy him that his views and feelings were reciprocated, before Judge Ladd or his wife suspected the choice or intention of either ; but as soon as their suspicions were awakened, Woodward was prohibited the privilege of visiting at the house, and a strict watch was maintained over this little blushing girl. But after all, they had their friends,
66
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
and billets, and flowers, and compliments passed be- tween them ; and occasionally an interview was ob- tained through the intervention of friends. This kind of innocent conspiracy was carried on against Judge Ladd and wife one full year, and then the parties thought seriously of deciding the controversy by a clandestine marriage. The plan was laid and executed in the following manner : -
Woodward went to Newbury, and told all his heart to Ephraim Bailey, son of Gen. Bailey, and brought him to espouse his cause, and to co-operate with him. Woodward told Bailey they must have one female en- listed in their interests. Bailey said he believed he could find one that would sustain that part. He was then paying his addresses to a young girl by the name of Hannah Fellows, and he could initiate her into the secret, and secure her aid. It was accordingly con- fided to her, and it was so arranged that Hannah Fellows was to pass over to Haverhill, and spend the afternoon in visiting Hannah Clark, tell her what was expected of her, and the sun about an hour high, she was to solicit the favor of Mrs. Ladd to have Hannah Clark walk with her as far as the river on her return to Newbury. In the mean time, the Rev. Mr. Pow- ers was to be requested to be upon the west bank of the river precisely at such an hour, and Ephraim
67
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
Bailey was to set him across in the canoe, and then all were to step into Woodward's tent, and the mar- riage ceremony be performed. . Woodward had al- ready taken out license from under the king to au- thorize his being married without publishment, and every thing succeeded according to previous arrange- ment. The moment the two Hannahs came on to the meadow, Mr. Powers and Ephraim Bailey were seen coming up from the river. They all entered in- to Woodward's tent, and in a short time Woodward and Hannah Clark were joined in lawful marriage. Those who belonged to Newbury returned forthwith and Hannah Clark, now Hannah Woodward, ran for Judge Ladd's. She had not been absent long enough to excite suspicion in the mind of any one. Hannah continued to do for Judge Ladd as heretofore, and Woodward labored on the meadow.
At length, it was reported by Mr. Powers, that he had married Woodward to Hannah Clark, not know- ing that there was any secret to be kept. After some little time, a woman came over to pay a visit to Mrs. Ladd, and told her what kind of a story was going the rounds in Newbury, that James Woodward was married to Hannah Clark. Mrs. Ladd told her, " There was not a word of truth in the story ; that Woodward had been endeavoring to court Hannah,
68
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
but they would not hear to it." The woman replied, " It was a little extraordinary that such a story should be made from nothing, and she had understood that it came from Mr. Powers. And do you know," said she, " that it is not true ?" " Why, yes," said she, "it cannot be true." At that moment she paused and reflected, as though Hannah's walk with Hannah Fellows had just streaked across her mental horizon. " But," said she, "if I don't know, I will," rising up at the same time, and making for the kitchen, where Hannah was carding wool or tow : " Hannah," said she, " they say you are married to James Wood- ward ; is it true ?" " Yes, ma'am," said Hannah. " Then I have nothing more for you to do," replied Mrs. Ladd ; " I shall not part man and wife." Han- nah put her cards together, laid them into her basket rose up, and ran for the meadow, and lived happily with her husband forty years, and departed this life Oct. 21, 1805. Hon. James Woodward lived to the advanced age of eighty, and departed this life 1821.
I perceive that Thompson, in his Gazetteer of Vermont, states that the crank for the first saw-mill in Newbury was drawn upon a hand-sled from Con- cord, N. H., to Newbury, Vt. Distance seventy miles. I suppose it could not have been much less than seventy miles from Concord to Newbury, since
69
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
it is seventy-two miles from Haverhill Corner direct to Concord. They would have been much nearer the true distance at that time, had they stated it at eighty miles. But the whole of this tour I have in minutes from the lips of two of the adventurers themselves, Judge Woodward and John Page. I do not know the precise number of men who went for the Irons, but I think as many as six. They prepared a rude hand sleigh, I do not recollect the technical name for it. They split a hard wood sapling, and shaved the two flat sides, as the cooper would do a hoop for a hogshead. The flat and wide side was the bottom of the runner, and it was bent up forward, and the end being shaved down small, it entered a hole in a thick ribbon ; and the runner and ribbon were supported apart by studs entering the runner and ribbon, or nave, at short distances from each other, from end to end. The cross-bars rested upon the ribbons. This vehicle secured several advantages. It was light ; the runners were wide, and would not readily cut through the snow ; the beams were high from the ground, so that rocks and stubs were not likely to strike the cross-beams. Being thus equipped, they took in their provisions and set sail with light hearts. There was more sport, however, in going to
70
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Concord with an empty sled, than in returning with a ponderous freight.
facilis descensus Averni : Sed revocare gradum, .. Hoc opus, hic labor est.
The snow was deep, and it proved to be a very cold week, and before one half the distance was gained on their return voyage, they felt themselves exhausted by fatigue, and benumbed with the cold. They came through Hebron, and came on to Newfound Pond, because the way was more level, yet the cold more severe, for they had not the forest to break the force of the wind. Having gained somewhat more than mid way of the pond, which is six miles in length, they made a halt, and took their seats upon their sled for rest. Page arose and went some little dis- tance to a glade, or opening in the ice, to drink, and when he returned, he found all his companions sink- ing down into a sleep, from which, if it had been in- dulged, no power short of Omnipotence could have aroused them. Page was not lost to a sense of his or their danger ; the thought of which proved the nec- essary stimulus to excite him to effort in redeeming them from death. He cried out to them that they were all dead men, if they did not instantly awake, and bestir themselves. He seized them by their
71
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
shoulders, shook them, and made them stand up ; and he so preached terror to their auditory nerves, that they revived, and resolved to make every possi- ble effort to reach a camp in the woods ; and they were successful, and thus saved themselves alive.
I speak of their reaching a camp. It may be proper for me to state in this place, that our fathers had taken the precaution to build camps on the route from Haverhill to Salisbury, one camp in every twelve or fifteen miles, and each was supplied with fireworks and fuel, so that a traveller could soon kin- dle him a fire ; and he had the boughs of the hem- lock for his bed.
But this same party came near perishing when they had arrived in sight of Haverhill, in the north-east part of Piermont ; and had it not been for Woodward to perform for Page, in that instance, what Page had done for them upon the pond, they would have given up the ghost. But they were told it required but one effort more, and all danger was past ; but if they gave way to sleep for a few minutes, as one of them proposed, they never would awake in the body. They were induced to persevere, and they came into Haverhill, where they found the blessings of a fire- side, of food, comfortable lodgings, and anxious friends to sympathize with them. -ver-
72
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
This saw-mill crank was the one which was so long in use at Atwood's mills in Newbury, but I know not its location or its use at this time. But what hard- ships were these above related ! How unlike the con- dition of their children and grand-children ! How unequal are their descendants to such services ! Many of our young men would now groan under the task of travelling on foot from Haverhill to Plymouth, a distance of thirty-two miles, on a road which may be passed over in safety, by horse and carriage, at the rate of ten miles per hour. But the memory of one man will carry him back to a different generation. There he will see a hardy race, minds trained to deeds of daring, and muscular powers, seldom, if ever, surpassed. And these qualities did not apper- tain to the first settlers of Coos exclusively, but they characterized those several generations which felled our forests, subdued our soil, conquered savage men, destroyed the beasts of prey, made roads, built habi- tations, mills, school-houses, churches, supported the gospel, founded colleges and academies, sustained a war of eleven years with the combined forces of French and Indians, and finally gained our national independence. They had a great work assigned them, and Providence fitted them, in an eminent de- and te for the discharge of their duties.
73
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
I will here mention, that roads direct from Haver- hill to Boston were not opened until after the war of the revolution-I mean such as would admit the passing of heavy teams, and until then, the freight of goods from our seaports was very expensive. Heavy articles which were not brought up from Charlestown upon the ice, in winter, were brought on pack-horses from Concord through the woods, and ten bushels of wheat have been exchanged for one of salt. The glass for Col. Thomas Johnson's house was brought across the woods in this manner ; and Col. Robert Johnson, who opened the first tavern in Newbury, in a house a little south of where his son Robert now lives, supplied his bar with spirits im- ported in the same way. This being the state of things in respect to roads, we shall readily conceive that the means of communicating between this isola- ted settlement and the eastern part of the state were very limited, and were not an every day occurrence. A passenger arriving in the settlement with packages direct from friends in the east created a more lively interest in the settlers, than the arrival of the British Queen steamer now does in the great emporium of this nation. I will give an anecdote from Mr. Perry's sketches, illustrative of the state of things in these respects. The story comes from Richard Chamber- lain, one of the first settlers. 4
74
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Early in the settlement of the Coos, it so happened that the annual Thanksgiving was passed, before in- telligence of it arrived here. But soon after, a Dr. White came up to visit his friends at Newbury, and brought with him a proclamation. This proclama- tion was read publicly on the Sabbath by Mr. Powers, and by him it was proposed they should keep a thanksgiving, notwithstanding the time specified by the governor was passed. And he proposed the next Thursday. Upon this a member arose, and gravely proposed that it might be deferred longer ; "for," said he, "there is not a drop of molasses in the town ; and we know how important it is to have mo- lasses to keep Thanksgiving. My boys have gone to No. 4, and will be back, probably, by the beginning of next week, and they will bring molasses ; and it had better be put off till next week Thursday." It
was unanimously agreed to. But the molasses not coming, it was deferred another week ; and finally, Thanksgiving was kept without molasses. This, which is enough to provoke a smile, will nevertheless show us the simplicity and destitution of those days.
But from 1766 to 1769, we have no special occur- rences to relate. The settlements continued to in- crease, society to improve, and the means of subsis- tence rewarded the hand of industry most bounti-
75
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
fully. Indeed, the Coos meadows became to other infant settlements, north and south of them, what the granaries of Egypt were to Canaan and surround- ing nations, in the days of the seven years' famine. An aged gentleman in Lyme, N. H., says, "he can very well recollect when they used to carry up their silver shoe-buckles to the Coos, and exchange them for wheat."
As to the state of religion in those years, we do not learn of any powerful revivals among the people, such as had been experienced in Whitfield's time, in many parts of New England ; or such as have since been experienced in those settlements. There are no church records to guide our bark in these polar seas ; but if there were revivals, in the modern sense of the term, the ancients would have told us of them.
There were additions to the church from time to time, from both sides of the river, until it consisted of a goodly number of members. The Rev. Mr. Powers was a serious, godly man, and more distin- guished, I should think, for his plain, faithful, and pungent preaching, than for grace in style or diction. He preached mostly without notes, and yet he gener- ally studied his sermons. Those I have seen in print exhibit thought, arrangement, a deep knowledge of the Scriptures, and a soul full of the love of Christ
76
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
and of the souls of men. His labors were abundant. As there were no ministers north of Charlestown, for some years after Mr. Powers settled at Coos, he was frequently called to attend funerals, weddings, and to preach lectures at infant settlements upon the river. Until there was a foot-path marked out upon the bank of the river for passengers, Mr. Powers used to perform his journeys up and down the river in his canoe. When he saw young men felling trees near the river, he would call to them, and say, if Providence favored him, he would preach to them in that place, on such a day, and at such an hour. These were welcome propositions, generally ; and if there were other settlements near, they were informed of the appointment ; and Mr. Powers, at the hour specified, would find his hearers seated on stumps and logs, all ready to receive the word. Mr. Powers was characterized by his punctuality in meeting his ap- pointments, and seldom, if ever disappointed his as- sembly.
John Mann, Esq., of Oxford, told me that Mr. Powers passed down the river at a certain time, and gave out an appointment to preach at a particular hour, on a subsequent day. But during his absence, there fell a great rain, which swelled the river, and increased the rapidity of the current very much.
77
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
The people generally felt that he could not meet his appointment ; but they assembled notwithstanding, and waited to know the result. One man was very confident Mr. Powers would not, and could not re- turn, and was disposed to charge their assembling to a stupid credulity in the people. But another man seemed to be confident he would return to his ap- pointment ; and, finally, a bet was made between them. Neither one was pious. This altercation had awakened some interest in the audience generally, and all eyes were directed down the river. The ap- pointed hour now drew on, and not more than twen- ty-five or thirty minutes remained in which Mr. Pow- ers could make good his appointment, and he who bet against his return felt sure of his prize, for, if he was already in sight, he could not gain the ground within the time allotted ; but more than this, no man or boat appeared in the river. But while all were anxious, and looking, the boat, on a sudden, rode in- to full view, as by magic, and not half the distance from them as was the spot on which their eyes were fixed. He had kept so near the shore next to them, to avoid the force of the current, that they could not see him until he threw his boat into the stream to pass an obstruction ; and when he did appear so suddenly and so near, the assembly could not suppress their
78
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
surprise and gladness, but welcomed him with a shout which rebounded from hill to valley: Mr. Powers stood before them at the appointed moment.
Col. Otis Freeman, of Hanover, related to me the particulars of the first marriage ceremony that was ever performed in that town. It was in 1767, and Mr. Powers officiated. Col. Otis Freeman attended the wedding. A transient man came into the town of Hanover, by the name of Walbridge, and made suit to Hannah Smith, daughter of a Mr. Smith, who lived on the place which Timothy Smith im- proved some years ago, and, for aught I know, does at this time. The parents of Hannah were very much averse to their daughter's connection with that man ; but she resolved, and so was resolved. Wal- bridge happened to see Mr. Powers one day descend- ing the river in his canoe, and he hailed him, and de- sired to know if he could return by such a day, and marry him at the house of Mr. Smith. Mr. Powers said he would do so, if Providence prospered him. He accordingly appeared at the house a little after sunset ; the guests were assembled ; the house being lighted up, the couple presented themselves, handed in their certificate, and wished Mr. Powers to pro- ceed.
It was Mr. Powers' practice to call on the parents
79
OF THE COOS COUNTRY.
of the candidates for marriage to know if they had aught to object to the marriage ; and when, in this case, he called for the parents of the bride, behold, they were not there ! Mr. Powers wished to know if they were not living. " Yes, they were living they supposed." He asked, if they were not in town. " They supposed they were ; but they did not know." " How long since they were seen here ?" "Just at night ?" " Are the parents averse to this marriage ?" " They supposed they were, some." "Could they not be brought to attend there that night ?" If they could not, he should not proceed to the marriage cer- emony that night. This was an unpleasant predica- ment for all parties. But a lantern or a torch was found, and a scout was sent forth in search of the old folks. They were found at the nearest neighbors, which was not very near, and after much persuasion, they were prevailed on to return home.
All parties were by this time cool and collected. The parents took their seats in the middle of the room, between the minister and the anxious couple. Mr. Powers arose, and addressing himself to the par- ents, said, "Is this young lady your daughter ?" They bowed assent. " Are you willing I should pro- ceed to join this couple in marriage ?" The father fixed his eyes full on Mr. Powers some time, and a
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.