USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New-Hampshire, being statistics, compiled on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town; May 19th, 1850 > Part 11
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" In Testimony Whereof, We have caused the Seal of Our sd Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness, Benning Wentworth, Esq., Our Governour and Commander In Chief of Our sd Province, the nineteenth Day of May, In the Year of Our Lord Christ, One thousand Seven hundred and Fifty. B. WENTWORTH.
" By His Excellency's Command,
with Advice of Council.
THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary."
118
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
" Prov. of N. Hamps.
" Entered and recorded in the book for Charters, the 21st day of May, 1750.
PER THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary."
" GEORGE, THE SECOND, By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting : - [L. S.]
" WHEREAS, by our Charter, bearing Date the second Day of April, in the year of our Lord Christ, one Thousand seven Hundred and Forty-six, and in the nineteenth year of his Present Majesty's Reign, We did Incorporate a Certain Town in our said Province, by the Name of Merrymac, by such Boundaries, with such Priviledges, and under such Limita- tions, as are Expressed in the said Charter, the Quantity of Land Therein being About Eight Thousand Acres. And Whereas, the Inhabitants Thereof have Lately represented to Us, that the said Land is very mean and ordinary, and Therefore Incapable of supporting such a number of Inhabi- tants, as will enable them to support the Charge of a Town, Without a Further Addition of Land and Inhabitants. Wherefore, they Humbly Pray that an addition may be made to the Town of Merrymac, on the northerly side Thereof, of a Tract of Land of about three miles in Breadth, and about four miles and an half in Length, which being tho't for the benefit of our said subjects, and for the Mutual advantage of The Whole Inhabitants, We Do by These Presents, By and with the advice of our Trusty and well Beloved Ben- ning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Commander-in- Chieff and of our Council for said Province of New Hampshire, Will and ordain, that a Certain Tract of Land, in Breadth about three miles, and in Length about four miles and an half, Bounded as follows, (Viz :) Beginning at a Place three miles North of the Bridge over Souhegan River, at John Chamberlin's house, and from Thence to Run East by the needle to Merrymac River, and to extend that Line West, from the place Three miles north from the Bridge aforesaid, until it intersects a line on a point north by the
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SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
needle, from the Northwest Corner Bound of the Town of Merrymac, Therefore, Incorporated to Bound Westerly on that line, and on Merrimac River Easterly, and on Souhegan River southerly, shall, and hereby is, annexed to, and united with the said Town of Merrymac, with all the Inhabitants that are or shall be thereon, and that the same shall be, and hereby is, Incorporated with the said Town, with the respec- tive Inhabitants that are, or shall be, on each of the afors'd Parcells of land, and is hereby Declared to be one Intire Corporation or Body Politick, by the Name of Merry- mac, to Go in succession forever, with all the Priviliges, Powers, Franchezes and Imunities that any other Town Within this Province, has, holds, or enjoys by Law, Except- ing as hereafter Excepted :
" To Have and to Hold to the sd Inhabitants, and to their successors, forever, only hereby Reserving All White pine trees that are Growing, or shall hereafter Grow thereon, to his Majesty's use ; Reserving, also, the Power of Dividing the sd Town, when it shall be tho't necessary, to us or to our successors, forever, In Testimony Wherof, We Have caus'd the Seal of our said Province to be hereunto Affixed. Witness, Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Com- mander-in-Chief of our said Province, the first day of June, and the twenty-third year of His Majesty's Reign, Anno Domini, one Thousand seven Hundred and fifty.
B. WENTWORTH.
" By His Excellency's Command,
with the advice of the Council,
THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary."
" Province of New Hampshire.
" Entered and Recorded in the book of Charters, the 5th day of June, 1750.
THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary."
-
" Province of New Hampshire.
" By the Hon. John Wentworth, Esqr., Surveyor General of all and singular, His Majesty's Woods, within all and every His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations on the Continent of America.
120
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
[L. S.] " To SAMUEL BLODGET, of Goffstown, in the said province, Esq. :
" WHEREAS, His Majesty, by his royal Commission, dated the 16th day of July, 1766, hath been graciously pleased to appoint me Surveyor General of all his Majesty's woods in North America, with power to appoint deputies and under officers to carry the said service effectually into execution :
"I do, therefore, by virtue of Authority vested in me by said commission, appoint and depute you, the said Samuel Blod- get, to be one of my assistant deputies, to preserve the King's woods from trespass or waste, and to put in execution all the acts of Parliament, and Statutes enacted for that purpose, and to do and perform all acts and things whatsoever, to the said office appertaining, in the following Districts, viz : - Goffs- town, Bedford, Weare, Pembroke, Allenstown, Bow, Dun- barton, Merrimac, Amherst, Litchfield, Chester, Concord, Boscawen, Hopkinton, New Boston, Sanbornton, New Salis- bury, Canterbury, Methuen, Wilton, Peterborough, Temple, Plymouth, New Chester, Alexandria, New Britain, Meredith, Lyndborough, Henneker, New Amesbury and Cambden, all in the aforesaid Province; and also, Haverhill, Andover, Dracut, Chelmsford and Ipswich, in the Province of Mass. Bay ; Hereby authorising and requiring you, the said Sam. Blodget, to forbid and prevent, by all lawful means, the violation of said acts, and to seize and Mark for his Majesty's use, all pine timber that you may find cut and hauled from the King's woods, without license first had and obtained from me, and all offenders as aforesaid, to prosecute and punish, as to law and justice appertains. And you, the said Sam. Blodget, are hereby required to return to me an exact account of your proceedings herein, quarterly, from this date, or oftener, if occasion shall require, and for your encourage- ment to exert yourself with diligence and fidelity in the duties of the said office, you will receive such compensation for your services as your merit shall appear to me to deserve, out of the fines and forfeitures only, that may acrue or be levied by your means. This warrant to be in force during pleasure only. Given under my hand and seal, at Ports- mouth, the 11th day of February, 1772.
J. WENTWORTH. " SAMUEL BLODGETT, EsQ. :
To be Assistant Deputy Surveyor of the woods."
121
FRENCH WAR.
FRENCH WAR.
THE History of this town will show, that the Inhabitants have not been deficient in public spirit, but have exhibited a readiness to make sacrifices for the welfare of our Country, whenever the exigence of the times demanded. As far back as the French War, in 1756, there were persons belonging to this town in the service of their country. Col. John Goffe was in command of our forces at one period, -and the fol- lowing are names of private individuals, who engaged in that war : - William McDougal, George Orr, Robert Holmes, Thomas McLauglin, Samuel Patterson, James Patterson, Nathaniel Patterson, John Orr, and John Moor; the last of whom was taken prisoner at Fort William Henry, and carried to France, from thence to England, whence he returned home.
In 1760, a regiment consisting of eight hundred men, was raised by the Province of New Hampshire, to join the expedition under Gen. Amherst, against Canada. This regiment was under the command of Col. John Goffe, of Bedford, and in fact, was made up in a great measure, of men from the neighboring towns in Hillsborough and Rocking- ham Counties. Col. Goffe had his rendezvous at " Lytch- field," then the important town of Hillsborough County.
The 10th of May, 1760, Gov. Wentworth summoned his Council and informed them that the Regiment was "to march without loss of time, from Lytchfield to Charlestown, on Connecticut river, which being through an unsettled country and uncertain whether provisions could be got there, he thought it necessary to send provisions to Lytchfield to supply them from thence to Charlestown; and asked the Councils advice thereon, as also about a supply of arms, &c."
The Council advise the Governor that he "give orders for so much provision as will be necessary to victual the regiment from Lytchfield to Charlestown and cause the same to be transported to Lytchfield." They also advise, " that a sufficient number of arms be supplied the men, to guard the regiment on their way to Crown Point."
The provisions were duly provided, and Col. Goffe marched with his regiment to Charlestown. From thence, with a vast deal of labor, a road was cut by the troops through the wilderness, in the direction of Crown Point, for the distance of twenty-six miles, and so well made, that the provisions 16
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HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
of the regiment passed over it in carts without difficulty. It is needless to remark, that such troops under such a leader, were equal to any emergency, and rendered most essential service in the campaign.
Capt. James Walker was engaged in this war, from 1760 to 1763, as a sutler, under Col. John Goffe, his father-in-law. In 1764, he was appointed Captain of a troop of horse, by Governor Wentworth; the commission, dated March 4th, 1764, and signed by Theodore Atkinson, Jr., Secretary, and B. Wentworth, Gov., is in town, in a good state of preservation.
We will here insert a few short extracts from Capt. James Walker's Journal, while Sutler in the French War.
" June 16, 1760. I set out for Albany from No. 4, but was detained, and I got to Mr. Grime's, in Swansea, and lodged there all night, and it rained very hard, and the 18th, I arrived at Northfield, and lodged there all night, and the next day to North Hampton, and lodged at Capt. Lyman's. The 20th, I arrived at Westfield, to Capt. Clayer, and 21st June, I got to Shattucks, and I went to breakfast at Sheffield. I got to Kinderhook, and lodged there all night. June 23, I arrived at Albany. June 24, came to Mr. Fisher's to lodge. It rained all that week, and on the Sabbath, 29th, it rained very hard in the morning, and cleared off very pleasant."
" 1760, July 4. I was at Mr. New-kirk's house, in the Mohawk Country, and returned to Albany the 6th, (Sabbath,) and I paid three dollars for a horse to ride to Mr. New-kirk's. July 10, Thursday, Mr. Fisher and I sent one team loaded, to Lake George, with sugar, cheese, and tobacco, and I was very much out of order all that day with the head-ache, and all my bones and flesh was sore, and I was so weak that I could hardly walk the street, and so I remained till the 13th. (Sabbath) I felt some better. July 19, Saturday, we sent one cart away, loaded with three barrels of rum, and one barrel of shrub, and one barrel of spirits, and two boxes of chocolate, and one box of soap."
" July 22. Mr. Fisher and I lodged at Saratoga all night going to the Lake. July 23, we got to Lake George, to Mr. Cooper's, where we lodged all night."
" July 24. I set out to go to Crown Point, and tarried all night on the Lake, and got to Ticonderoga the next morning, one o'clock. And 25th, I got to Crown Point and lodged all night with Capt. Rogers ; and Saturday 26th, it rained, and the 28th, I went to Col. Haviland, and got a pass to go to Albany, this was a Monday."
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
" Tuesday 29. I saw a pickerel that was four feet and five inches long, that was found dead in the Lake."
" July 31, 1760. The Regiment arrived at Crown Point, and 4th of August the Post mustered, and this was a Monday. August 8, I got to Lake George, coming back to Albany, this was a Friday, to get stores for the Regiment."
He got back to the army with his stores and proceeds : -
" August 30. We pitched our tent and got our stores from the Landing ; I went to the Mills to bring more stores and was obliged to stay the 31st day, waiting for the 'Snowshoe,' this was a Saturday."
" September 2, 1760. A Schooner and Sloop came up to Crown Point, with the French prisoners and wounded men. Friday, 5th September, was a very pleasant day. 7th September, Sabbath. 9th, Moon changes at 8 o'clock, morning."
" September 10, 1760. Was Wednesday, and we were all waiting for News from the Army, but could hear none. Monday the 8th day, Montreal was surrendered to our arms, and we received the news the 12th day, which was very agreeable to us all."
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
IN the Revolutionary War, Bedford furnished a large number of citizens, who united in opposing the oppression of Great Britain, and in common with their fellow-citizens, were zealous in sharing the danger and hardships to which they were exposed. Their zeal and patriotism were mani- fested by a ready compliance with the requisitions of Congress, and the orders of the Provincial Convention. A few extracts from the Town Records, will represent the spirit of that day, and the excitement of that trying period :-
January 16, 1775. " Voted, -To adopt the measures of the Continential Congress."
" Voted, -Capt. Samuel Patten, Capt. Daniel Moor, and Lieut. Samuel Vose, be a Committee to carry said measures into execution."
" Voted,-Mr. James Martin, be appointed Deputy, in behalf of the town, to attend the Provincial Congress, to be
124
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
held at Exter, on Wedneseay 25th inst., for the choice of a Delegate to represent their province at the Continental Congress, proposed to be held at Philadelphia, Tuesday, 10th of May next."
" Voted, - That we will bear our proportion, with the other towns in the Province, for sending Delegates to Philadelphia, 10th of May next, if our grievances are not removed before that time."
" Voted, - That James Martin, have one dollar per day, for his time and expenses, while he is our Deputy at Exeter, on the present occasion."
" April 20, 1775.
" TO THE SELECTMEN OF BEDFORD.
"Gentlemen, -This moment, the melancholy intelligence has been received of hostilities being commenced between the troops, under Gen. Gage, and our brethren of Massachu- setts Bay. The importance of exerting ourselves at this critical moment has caused the Provincial Committee to meet at Exeter, and you are requested, instantly, to choose and hasten forward, there, a Delegate or Delegates, to join in the Committee and aid them in consulting measures for our safety.
" In great haste, and by order of the Committee, Your Humble Servant,
J. WENTWORTH."
" April 25, 1775. Voted, -OUR SELECTMEN, inspect the families of our men that are gone to the army, and if they find any in want, to provide what is necessary for them, at the town cost."
" November 12, 1776. Voted, - That the town pay ten dollars to each man that went to Ticonderoga, on the town's account, in July last, and seven dollars for a drum."
" Voted, - To dismiss the soldiers that went out of this town, that served in the Continental army in the year 1775, of their poll tax."
" Voted, - Wiseman Clagget, Esq., of Litchfield, to rep- resent the towns of Bedford and Merrimack, in General Assembly, now sitting at Exeter, for the year 1777, agreeable to a precept to us directed."
125
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
" March 26, 1777. Voted, - Thomas Boies, James Vose, John Martin, Lieut. John Orr, and John Aiken, be a Com- mittee of safety."
" April 10, 1777. Voted, - To raise eighty dollars, to give as a bounty to each soldier that shall enlist in this town for the Continental army."
" May 19, 1777. Voted, - That those men that went on behalf of the town, from Winter-hill to New York, and thence to Canada, and thence back to Ticonderoga, be free from their poll-rate for 1777."
" June 15, 1778. Voted, -The Selectmen of Bedford shall supply the soldier's wives with the necessaries of life, at the rated prices, and that the town pay the overplus."
" February 18, 1779. Voted, -The Selectmen of this town stand ready to supply Mr. Robert Morrill's wife with the necessaries of life, at the stated prices, if she come to this town, during her stay in the same, and his stay in the Continental army, for the town of Bedford, unless the Con- tinental Congress make provision in such case."
The following votes, show the great depreciation of paper money at that time.
" September 17, 1779. Voted, -To raise three hundred pounds lawful money to purchase grain for Levi Whitman's wife.“
" September 9, 1780. Raised ten thousand seven hundred pounds, lawful money, to purchase beef for the army."
" November 15, 1780. Voted, -To allow Fifty dollars per bushel for Indian Corn."
" May 24, 1781. Voted, - To raise thirteen thousand five hundred pounds, L. M., in Continental bills, to purchase beef for the support of the army the present year."
" May 3, 1783. Voted, -The Constable be directed to receive One Spanish Dollar, in lieu of one hundred and sixty dollars in Continental bills."
We only add the following to the votes, relating to this interesting period.
" July 10, 1783. Voted, - We, will not proceed to busi- ness, by reason of it being a day of rejoicing on account of the Peace."
Some extracts from the Journal of Hon. Matthew Patten, are here introduced, illustrative of this part of our history.
126
HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
" April 20, 1775. I received the melancholy news, in the morning, that Gen. Gage's troops had fired on our country- men at Concord, and had killed a large number of them. Our town was notified last night. We generally met at the meeting-house, about 9 o'clock, and twenty of our men went directly off for our army, from the meeting, to assist them. And our son John came home from Pawtucket, and intend- ing to set off for our army to-morrow morning, and our girls set up all night baking bread and fixing things for him and John Dobbin." John Dobbin was Mr. Patten's hired man .* " 21. Our John and John Dobbin, and my brother Sam- uel's two oldest sons, set off and joined Derryfield men, and about six from Goffstown, and two or three more from this town, under the command of Capt. John Moor of Derryfield. They amounted in number to 45 in all. Suncook men and two or three others that joined them, marched on in about an hour after; they amounted to 35. There was nine men went along after, belonging to Pennykook or thereabouts."
"22. I was awaked in the morning by Mr. Chandler's man, with a letter from the Committee of the Provincial Congress, for calling another Congress of the Province imme- diately. And I went with it as fast as I could, to John Bell's, but he had gone to the army, and both the other Selectmen."
"24. I went and notified on the River Row, to meet at the meeting-house, on our public distress. And I went to Col. John Goffe, to ask his advice, and we met toward evening, and acted on what we thought necessary."
"25. I went at the service of the town, to Col. Goffe, and Merrill, at MacGregor's, and cautioned them to take special care of strangers, and persons suspected of being tories, crossing the river by ferries; to examine and search, if they judged needful. And I got nine flints from Mr. MacGregor, for which I paid him 11s. 8d. old tenor."
* January 20, 1850. Dr. Woodbury called on two daughters of Matthew Patten, Polly and Sarah Patten, and asked them if they could remember anything that took place when they first heard of the battle of Lexington, 1775. " O yes, remember very well, never shall forget. Brother John came home that night, and we sat up all night, baking bread and making small clothes for brother Jol 1 and John Dobbin, who went away early in the morning. The soldiers kept coming along, and we kept giving the bread and meat, and when night came, we had not a morsel left." " At the battle of Bunker Hill we could hear the guns very distinctly." [Polly lately deceased, aged 89, Sarah, still survives. ]-Ed.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
" July 23, 1777. The evacuation of Ticonderoga. I paid advanced wages. And this day I went to New Boston, to Capt. McGaw's and mustered 52 men for Col. Moor. They were from Lyndeborough, New Boston, Francestown, Deering and Antrim. My expenses was 1s. 6d. at McGaw's. I went to Hugh Gregg's and lodged all night."
The following are the names of those revolutionary soldiers who went from this town, to serve their country in the glorious struggle for independence :-
Col. Daniel Moor,
Maj. John Goffe,
Capt. James Aiken,
Patrick Larkin,
Capt. Thomas Mclaughlin. Lieut. John Patten,
Hugh Jameson,
John Patten, jr.,
Whitfield Gilmon,
Samuel Patten,
John Bell, James Houston,
James Patten,
Robert Patten, Hugh Campbell,
Valentine Sullivan, (taken in the retreat from Canada ; died a prisoner.)
Isaac Riddle,
William Kerr, jr.,
David Riddle,
David Gregore,
John Riddle,
George Orr,
Amos Martin,
John Ross,
James Martin,
James Steel,
George Gault, Stephen Goffe, (lost at sea.)
Stephen Mack, Robert Morrill, Josiah Turrill,
Patrick O' Murphy,
Patrick O'Fling,
Calvin Johnson, (died in service.)
Hugh Matthews,
Joseph Matthews, Thomas Matthews,
William Caldwell,
John Dobbin,
Jonas Cutting,
John Boies, (taken prisoner and carried to Limerick, Ireland, thence to Mill prison, England.
William Parker,
Josiah Gordon,
John McAllister,
Phineas Aiken,
Barnet McCain, John Griffin,
Thomas Lancy,
Luke Eagan, Solomon Kemp, (killed.) John O'Neil,
William Barnet, (died in service.)
Jonathan Dorr, (killed.)
John Burns,
William Burns, (wounded.)
James Smith, John Russell, Samuel Turrell, Levi Whitman.
George Hogg, John Gardner. Emigrant Chubuck, Samuel Fugard, William Newman, Thomas McClary,
David C. Houston,
John Kellen,
John Manahan,
William Goffe, (killed.)
Hugh Thornton, (died in serv.) Primas Chandler, (taken at the Cedars and never after heard of.) Samuel Barr, John Callahan, (killed.) James Moor, Robert Cornewell, John Caldwell, James Grear,
John Gault,
Nathaniel Spofford, Robert Dewrumple, (killed.)
William Houston,
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HISTORICAL NOTICES OF BEDFORD.
The following soldiers were with Lieut. John Orr, at the battle of Bennington, under Gen, John Stark : -
John Barnett,
Jacob McQuade,
Samuel Reinox, (wounded by a musket ball through each hip.)
Samuel McAffee, (died.)
Robert Matthews,
Samuel Houston,
Isaac Houston,
Robert Burns,
Hugh Riddle,
James Walker,
James Wallace,
William McLaughlin,
John Aiken,
William Moor,
John Bell,
Adam Smith,
John Morrison,
John Wallace,
Very few towns, probably, furnished a larger quota of men for the Revolutionary army. And those who remained at home were willing to make sacrifices, as well as those who went away. The people boiled corn-stalks to make molasses, and drank liberty-tea, (Ribwort,*) for a beverage instead of Hyson and Gunpowder tea. But they were a people accus- tomed to hardships; the females were not strangers to out- door work, such as raking hay, reaping grain, and cultivating flax. Some of them went out to work for their neighbors, in these employments. The sons and brothers of such women would be hardy and brave.
The following document, connected with the Revolution, is a curiosity, and shows that at that day constituents felt at liberty to instruct their Representatives. It was found among the papers of John Rand, Esq., who is also one of the signers.
" Bedford, May 31, 1783.
" To Lieut. John Orr, Representative at the General Court of the State of New Hampshire : -
"Sir : - Although we have full confidence in your fidelity and public virtue, and conceive that you would at all times pursue such measures only as tend to the public good, yet upon the particular occasion of our instructing you, we conceive that it will be an advantage to have your sentiments fortified by those of your constituents.
" The occasion is this ; the return of those persons to this country, who are known in Great Britain by the name of loyalist, but in America, by those of conspirators, absentees, and tories :
* Common Plantain leaves, considered a good external application for wounds, &c.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
" We agree that you use your influence that these persons do not receive the least encouragement to return to dwell among us, they not deserving favor, as they left us in the righteous cause we were engaged in, fighting for our undoubted rights and liberties, and as many of them acted the part of the most inveterate enemies.
" And further, - that they do not receive any favor of any kind, as we esteem them as persons not deserving it, but the contrary.
" You are further directed to use your influence, that those who are already returned, be treated according to their deserts.
SAM. PATTEN, ) JOHN RAND, A Committee chosen May 28th, by JOHN GOFFE, the Town of Bedford, to give in JOHN BELL, structions to their Representative." GEORGE ORR, -
The following interesting item in revolutionary history, is from the " American Archives," compiled by Peter Force, Esq., and printed at the expense of Government, by order of Congress. It is a circular, addressed to the Selectmen of each town in the Colony of New Hampshire, with the signatures from each town, to a declaration of attachment to the American cause. As the document is of considerable value, we subjoin it, so far as relates to Bedford.
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