USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Barnstead > History of Barnstead [N.H.] from its first settlement in 1727 to 1872 > Part 3
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It is asserted that when the Puritans first landed, there were then about twenty nations or tribes of Indians in New England. These nations were distinct from each other, but united sometimes for mutual protection and for the purposes of war. In every tribe there was a chief or sagamore, to which all the others paid deference. But as has already been stated, the Indian wars and the plague of 1617-18 had greatly reduced their numbers.
MASSACHUSETTS COLONY.
Before the soil of New Hampshire took to itself a dis- tinct name it had been included as belonging to the Mas- sachusetts Colony.
The first General Court in this Colony was held at Boston, in 1630. It was made up of the freemen of the corporation at large.
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THE PURITANS.
1765
Being desirous to establish a religious Commonwealth, they ordained, among other things, that "none but church members should be admitted to the freedom of that body politic, or enjoy the privilege of voting."
Up to the year 1640 there had arrived here in two hundred and ninety-eight ships, twenty-one thousand and two hundred passengers.
Most of these emigrants were from England. They had left their former happy homes with the hopeful intent to find in their distant New England, " freedom to wor- ship God."
Their creed was strictly puritan, and, during the first year of their landing, they established the Plymouth Colony on the same faith and on the liberty of faith which had been denied them at home.
COURT TRIALS.
The courts, before any regular codes of laws were established, in New England, adhered to the laws of Moses to some extent, as well as to the old English laws, so far at least as such laws were believed to have a tendency to good manners and morals.
CURIOUS DECISIONS.
In 1649 : "Josiah Plaistowe, for stealing four baskets of corn from the Indians, is ordered to return them eight baskets - to be fined five pounds - and hereafter to be called Josias, and not Mr. as formerly he used to be."
" Capt. Stone, for abusing Mr. Ludlow and calling him Just-ass, is find one hundred pounds, and prohibited from coming within the patent without the Governor's leave, upon pain of death."
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
1765
Intemperance was emphatically " a plague " at the time of the early settlements ; more so, if possible, than at the present day.
Among the hundreds of ships then freighted for the New World was always to be found that bane, called " fire-water," "ockuby," and other Indian names, by which they chose to designate it.
It was shipped from England and sold to the Indians for furs and other articles of merchandize obtained in return.
Intemperance then, as ever since, led to many offences. Hence it appears :
" John Wedgewood, for being found in the company of drunkards, was ordered by the court to be set in the stocks." And "Sargent Perkins was ordered to carry forty turfts to the fort for being drunk."
MISCELLANEOUS COURT RECORD.
" Edward Palmer, for his extortion in taking two pounds thirteen shillings and four pence for the wood- work of the Boston stocks, is fined five pounds and ordered to sit one hour in the stocks."
" Capt. Lovell is admonished to take heed of light carriage."
" Thomas Petit, for suspicion of slander, idleness and stubbornness, is censured to be severely whiped, and to be kept in the hold."
" Catherine, wife of Richard Cornish, was found suspi- cious of incontenency, and is sereously to take heed."
" Daniel Clark, found to be an immoderate drinker, was fined forty shillings."
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COURT RECORD.
1765
" Robert Shorthase, by the blood of God, was sentenced to have his tongue put into a cleft stick, and to stand for the space of half an hour."
" It is ordered by the courtthat laborers shall not take more than 12d per day for their work, and 6d with meat and drink, under pain of x s."
" George Palmer having committed folly with Margery Ruggs, through her allurements ; because he confessed voluntarily, he was only set in the pillory and so dis- missed."
" Margery Ruggs, for enticing and alluring George Palmer, was sentenced to be severely whiped."
" Elnor Pierce, her husband was bound 10 £ for her good behaviour, and to bring her to stand in the market place, next market day, with a paper, for her light behaviour."
" Jane Hawkins, the wife of Richard Hawkins, had liberty till the beginning of the third month, called May, and the Majestrates, (if she did not depart before) to dis- pose of her, and in the meantime she is not to meddle in Surgery, Physicks, drinks, plasters, or ogles, nor to question matters of religion, except with the elders for satisfaction."
"It is ordered by the court that the worshipfull Tho. Georges and Edward Godfrey, Counsellors of this Prov- ince, shall order all the inhabitants from Pascataque to Kennibonke, which have any children unbaptized, that as soon as a minister is settled in any of their plantations, they shall bring their said children to Baptism, and if any shall refuse to submit to said order, that then the persons so refusing shall be summoned to answer this their con- tempt at the next general court to be holden in this Prov- ince."
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1765
HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
" It is ordered at this court that all juries between party and party shall have for their fees 8 d per man for every action above 40 s. ; if the action be under 40 s. we allow them 5 d. per man." 1
" Thomas Smith, at the last court holden here, being arrested for slandering Mr. Arthur Brown and Mr. Robert Saukey for saying they have stolne a pigg, the matter was putt to arbitracion and ended."
In 1651: "We (the Grand Jury) present Goody Mendum for saying to Tho. Gullison and John Davis ye Divells - fined 2 s. 6 d. for swearing.
"We present the wife of Abraham Cumley, for giving reproachful speeches against ye Majestrates, in saying she thought " they were come about one foolery or other." Ordered to find bonds of 20 £.
"We present Joane Andrews, the wife of John Andrews, for selling a furkin of Butter to Mr. Nicholas Davis which had two stones in it, containing fourteen pounds 2 oz. in weight.
" This presentment is owned by Joane Andrews, and John Andrews, her husband, is bound in a bond of five pounds that Joane, his wife, shall stand in a Towne meet- ing at Yorke, and in a towne meeting at Kittery till two hours bee expired, with her offence written upon a paper in capetall letters pinned upon her forehead. This injunc- tion fulfilled at Yorke, according to order and att Kittery in the same manner."
In 1666: "Wee present Julean Cloyse, wife to John Cloyse, for a tale bearer from house to house, setting dif- ferences between neighbors."
" Julian Cloyse upon the court's examination is found guilty of ye offence and is bound to her good behaviour
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BARBARISM.
1765
unto the next Court of Pleas, at Casco, in a bond of five pounds."
" Wee present William Thompson for rebellion against "his father and mother-in-law."
" Wee present Mr. Thorpe, for scandalizing Mr. Nor- ton, and say that hee held forth false doctrine in a booke set forth by Mr. Norton. Admonished, and paying officer's fees, is discharged."
"We present Miss Sarah Morgan for striking her husband. The delinquent to stand with a gagg in her mouth halfe an houre at Kittery at a Publique Towne Meet- ing, and the cause of her sentence writ upon her forehead, or pay 50 s. to the country."
3 BARBARISM.
The custom of wearing long hair, after the manner of the barbarous Indians, as Governor Endicott used to term it, was at that period deemed contrary to the word of God, which says : " It is a shame for a man to wear long hair."
The rule in the Colony was that men should not wear their hair below their ears.
In a clergyman, long hair was extremely offensive, as they were expected at all times " to observe circumspec- tion with open ears."
MONEY.
The first money coined in the Massachusetts Colony was made in the year 1652. The court ordered that all pieces should have on the one side " Massachusetts," with a tree in the middle ; on the other, " New England, 1652."
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1765
HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
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A very large sum was coined, and the mint-master, it is said, made a great profit from it, as he had fifteen per cent. out of every twenty shillings for coining.
QUAKERS.
In 1656 the Quakers were greatly persecuted. MARY FISHER and ANNA DUSTIN were the first to avow their principles openly.
On the 8th day of September, being brought before the court, they affirmed that they were sent of God to reprove the people of their sins ; and being questioned, after a pause replied that they had the same call that Abraham had to go out from his own country. (They came from Barbadoes.)
A great number of the books which they had brought with them were seized and reserved for the fire, and some of the men and women were committed to prison.
At this time no special laws had been enacted for the punishment of Quakers. But they were taken by virtue of a general law then in force, which had been made for the punishment of heretics. And the Court passed sen- tence of banishment upon them all.
Afterwards several laws upon this subject were enacted, among which were the following :
"Any Quaker after the first conviction, if a man, was to lose his ear, and for the second offence the other ear. A woman, each time, to be severely whipped. And for a third time, being a man or a woman, to have the tongue bored through with a red-hot iron."
In October, 1658, a law was passed punishing with death " all Quakers who should return into this jurisdic-
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WITCHCRAFT.
1765
tion after banishment." Under this law four persons were executed.
Much censure has been passed upon the New England Colonies on account of their enactments as against the Quakers - and perhaps to a certain extent justly. But it must be remembered that the Quakers of those early times were not the Quakers of the present time, who, though few in numbers, prove to be a generous, inoffen- sive, influential people.
These laws were passed to rid the Colony of certain fanatics who called themselves by that name, and who constantly made themselves offensive under the garb of a religious notion or creed, and appeared to have been better subjects for a mad-house than for a Christian church.
They often entered into the churches without right, as they did at Hampton, Salem, and Newbury, and were in the habit of declaring the preaching to be an abomination to the Lord.
Thomas Newcomb went into the meeting-house in Boston with two glass bottles, and broke them before the congregation, and declared " thus will the Lord break you in pieces." Under such delusion Deborah Wilson advanced on foot through the streets of Salem naked. In various ways they became offensive, oftentimes making themselves violators of the public peace. But it will not be pretended that any such offences could justify incon- siderate, unjust, or oppressive legislation.
WITCHCRAFT.
The first instance of a trial for witchcraft in Massa- chusetts occurred in 1648, when MARGARET JONES, of Charlestown, who being indicted as a witch, was found
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1765
HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
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guilty, and under the laws' of England against such sup- posed crime, was executed. " She was charged of having such a malignancy that if she laid her hands on man, woman or child in anger, they were seized presently with deafness, vomiting or other sickness, or other violent pains."
In 1692 a great excitement was again revived on account of its supposed prevalence. It commenced at this time in the town of Danvers, then a part of Salem, about the last of February. Several children at first began to act in a curious, unaccountable manner. Their strange conduct continuing for several days, their friends betook themselves to fasting and prayer. During relig- ious services the children were still, but after the service they would renew their former unaccountable conduct.
This was deemed sufficient evidence that they were moved by an evil hand, and every exhibition of the sort was then regarded as witchcraft. After a while these children began to bring accusations against divers indi- viduals in that vicinity, being severally charged of bewitch- ing them. Unfortunately the children were credited, and the suspected persons were arrested and imprisoned. From that time the contagion spread rapidly over the neighboring towns, and soon appeared in several parts of Essex county as well as cases now and then in Middlesex and Suffolk. Individuals at Andover, Ipswich, Glouces- ter, Boston and other places, were accused and held for trial.
For some time those who were accused were persons of the lower class. But at length accusations were extended even to persons of high rank and distinction. This delusion had now become fearful. Before the close
THE CONFLICT.
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WAR.
1765
of September of that year nineteen persons had been executed for witchcraft. Among the victims was one Giles Gory, who was pressed to death for refusing to put himself on trial before the Jury.
Most, if not all of these persons died declaring them- selves innocent of the crime laid to their charge.
At length the courts began to be convinced that their proceedings had been rash, and their judgments without any just foundation. A special session of the court was then holden on this subject, and fifty persons then being held for trial, were acquitted. Others were reprieved by the Governor. These proceedings were followed by a release of all who were then in prison.
It ought to be said, perhaps, that if human testimony, coming from credible witnesses, is to be credited, many things happened at that time inducing a belief in witch- craft, which even to many people of our day have never been satisfactorily explained.
WAR.
A war by the French and Indians commenced about the year 1690. It harrassed the English settlements here all along the frontier nearly the whole time up to its close, September 11, 1697.
In a few years another war broke out in Europe, which gave rise to other hostilities in America.
So that in 1707 Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island despatched a military force against Port Royal, in Nova Scotia, but the expedition failed.
In 1710 New England, with the mother country, suc- ceeded with a fleet, in reducing the place. This was in
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
1765
the reign of QUEEN ANNE, and they changed its name to Annapolis, in honor of her name.
Encouraged by this success, Nicholson, the com- mander, visited England, and proposed an expedition against Canada.
His proposition was adopted, and in June, 1711, Admiral Walker, with a fleet of fifteen ships of war and forty transports, bringing an army of veteran troops, arrived in Boston. They sailed for Quebec about the last of July of that year. At the same time General Nichol- son repaired to Albany to take command of the forces that were to proceed by land.
When the fleet had advanced ten leagues up the St. Lawrence the weather became foggy and tempestuous. Nine of the transports perished. Weakened by this disaster, the admiral returned to England, and the New England troops to their homes. General Nicholson hav- ing learned the fate of the fleet, returned with his troops to Albany.
In 1713, March 31st, peace was concluded between France and England, at Utrecht.
In 1744, March 29th, war again broke out between France and England, and the Colonies here were again involved in its calamities.
The English commerce and fisheries had suffered great injuries from privateers, fitted out at Louisburg, then a strong fortress on the Island of Cape Breton. That place had been considered one of the strongest in America ; its fortifications had been five years building, and had cost the French five and a half millions of dollars.
An armament of 4000 men from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut under the command of Gen-
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WAR.
1765
eral Pepperell sailed from Boston for the conquest of that place, attended by four ships of war, under Commodore Warren, from the West Indies. The troops arrived at Louisburg about the first of May, 1745, and commenced the siege. For fourteen nights successively the New England troops, knee deep in mud, manned and pushed forward their cannon through a swamp two miles in length, manifesting the most extraordinary valor and endurance, and assailed the garrison with so much fortitude and brav- ery that on the 17th of June it surrendered.
France, smarting with resentment against the Colo- nies, in the following summer sent a powerful fleet to lay waste and ravage the coasts of New England, and to recover Louisburg.
But an uncommon succession of disasters, as if it were an interposition of Providence, attended the undertaking, and entirely defeated it. The French fleet was delayed and damaged by storms ; fevers prevailed among the troops, and some of the ships were lost. Such was the fortune of the expedition that two of the admirals, stung by disappointment and chagrin, committed suicide.
In 1748, this war was ended by a treaty of peace at Aux-la-Chapelle, by which all prisoners on both sides were restored without ransom.
Scarcely had the Colonies begun to reap the benefits of peace, when they were again thrown into trouble by another war between England and France.
This was commenced in 1754, though not formally declared until some time afterwards. Four expeditions were planned, one against the French in Nova Scotia, another against the French on the Ohio, another against Crown Point, and a fourth against Niagara.
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
1765
The expedition against Nova Scotia consisted of 3000 troops from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, led by Generals Monckton and Winslow. These sailed from Bos- ton on May 20th, 1756, for the Bay of Fundy, where they were joined by three hundred regular British troops. They then proceeded against Fort Beau-Sejour, which surren- dered to them after a siege of four days. Other Forts were taken, and Nova Scotia was entirely subdued. The expedition against Niagara was given to Governor Shir- ley, of Massachusetts, whose force was two thousand five hundred men. The war continued with varied success till the conquest of Quebec, under General Wolfe, in Septem- ber, 1759, and the final reduction of Canada, in 1760. This event caused great and universal rejoicing in the Colonies, and was followed with public thanksgivings. The treaty of peace was signed at Paris in 1763.
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FIRST GRANTEES.
1765
BARNSTEAD.
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THE PROPRIETORS.
The charter of Barnstead, a copy of which is appended (marked A,) was granted to the REV. JOSEPH ADAMS, of Newington, and others, by Lieutenant Governor Went- worth, on the 20th of May, 1727. Yet there was much delay in its settlement, made so by Indian hostilities. So that no lots were sold, nor permanent houses built prior to the year 1765.
The expense of surveying the lands had laid a tax on the lots, and as the titles purchased were in the hands of heirs, and in no way remunerative, they were at different times sold at auction, and mostly at nominal prices.
The sales were made at Newington, and at Ports- mouth. At these sales Mr. Adams bought several lots in Barnstead ; and about the same year, members of his church made extensive purchases within its limits. These investments eventually proved profitable to him and to them.
Mr. Adams was born at Braintree, Massachusetts, January 4, 1688 or 89, and was the eldest son of Joseph and Hannah (Bass) Adams. His father was grandson of Rev. Henry Adams, of England, who came to this country with his family about 1630, and settled in Braintree (now Quincy). John Adams, second President of the United States, was the eldest son of John Adams, the next
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1 765
HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
younger brother of Rev. Joseph Adams. The said Joseph Adams graduated at Harvard College, in 1710. During his college course he kept school in Newington, N. H. ; and after taking his degree, he was invited by the people to become their minister. He accepted and was ordained in June, 1715.
A written contract between him and his people upon the subject of his salary, &c., is on record at Newington. It may be of interest to our ministry of the present day and is appended, marked B. Under this contract Mr. Adams lived with his church and people sixty-eight years. He became the oldest pastor in New England, and died May 26th, 1783.
THE FIRST SETTLERS.
At the beginning of settlements in Barnstead, a few Indians would be seen now and then wandering in the forests, or loitering about their wigwams along the lakes, ponds and rivers. Previously they had been more numer- ous. Dense forests, as from the beginning, covered the soil ; and the wilderness continued to be invested by the bear, the wild deer, the cariboo, the wolf, the wild-cat, and other wild animals, as well as by these remnant tribes. This part of New Hampshire had been, and was, a thor- oughfare from the great lake to the shore towns, made so both by the French and Indians. As against the unbri- dled encroachments of these savages the first English set- tlers had to arm themselves. Out of fear from their hos- tilities and depredations, the settlement of Barnstead had been delayed from its commencement nearly forty years. In 1768 peace was declared, and the settlements then began to advance. Yet hostile invasions would some-
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FIRST SETTLERS.
1765
times be made upon the settlements, whenever the Indian returned to his ancient corn-plat, or when he came to visit his long-loved Suncook, or to ramble once again through the halcyon hunting-grounds of his youth, then being disfigured and laid waste by the white man. About this time efforts began to be made to christianize them.
ELIOT, the apostle, came. He learned their language, and translated the Bible and New Testament into it. Visiting the different tribes from place to place, he preached to them. They listened to him, but his efforts proved to be of but little avail.
GOOKIN also came. His residence was in Boston ; Eliot's in Roxbury.
COTTON MATHER, of Boston, the learned divine of that day, had much to do and much to say in his time of these sons of the forest. Discoursing on their origin he says : " We do not know when or how these Indians first came inhabitants of this mighty country. Yet we may guess that probably the Devil decoyed those mizerable salvages hither in hopes that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus would never come here to disturb his empire over them. But our Eliot was on such ill terms with the Devil as to alarm him with sounding the silver trumpet of heaven in his territories, and make some noble and zealous attempts, ousting him of his ancient possessions here."
THE. MEETING-HOUSE.
It was a condition in the charter made to the proprie- tors in 1727, that there should be a house for public wor- ship built in town within the period of three years therein specified. Accordingly, about the year 1760, the Indian conflicts having subsided, Rev. Joseph Adams came from
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1799
HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
Newington to Barnstead, and selected a lot of land. for the church. It was in a valley near a stream of water, about a mile north of Strafford line. Then, with his com- panions, he built the meeting-house of logs, and when it was finished he called together the rude hunters of the forest that were there wandering, and the workmen and the hunters, kneeling at the altar, constituted his audi- ence. He preached a sermon to them-sang hymns of praise-and then and there dedicated his new made meet- ing-house to the God of their fathers.
PARADE MEETING-HOUSE.
This was erected about the year 1788. It was the second in order of time, but the first framed church edifice in Barnstead. In size it was 40 by 60, with posts 24 feet. It stood on the north side of the common, which had been dedicated to the public for church and other purposes by the liberality of Eli Bunker. Eli was a son of John Bunker, and is ever to be remembered for his moral worth and benevolence. This meeting-house was not wholly finished until some time in the year 1799, when, by the voluntary contributions of the Parade people, in labor and otherwise, it was completed. It was neat, well proportioned, and its architectural design was in good taste. It had a porch at each end for an entrance and a stairway ; also a door in the centre of the house which fronted to the south. The body of the house on the outside was painted yellow ; the roof red. The pulpit stood opposite to the front door ; was high up, rather narrow, and had a large window in the rear. It had an octagon sounding-board a few feet above it. The purpose of a sounding-board was to give the language of the
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PARADE MEETING-HOUSE.
1800
speaker a more impressive utterance. This sounding- board was like the pulpit, a clay color. The pews were panel finished, were square, with a railing, and had the capacity of seating twelve persons each. There were seats on three sides of the pew. They had a hinge joint, and were made to be turned up to make more space for standing in time of prayer -for at that day, not to stand up in time of prayer, would have been regarded in the house of God as unbecoming and almost unpardonable. All stood erect, and at the close of each prayer down came the seats with a reverberation. The younger part of the audience usually sought to bring them down in a manner evincing a special interest in that work; and for the space of half a minute the noise of seats was not unlike the clatter of a windmill, or the swell of a hallelu- jah chorus.
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