History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900, Part 49

Author: Bedford (N.H. : Town)
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Concord, N. H. : The Rumford Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1202

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900 > Part 49

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On March 12th, 1784, it was "Voted that Patrick Fling and others who enlisted for three years and faithfully served the whole term shall be paid in state notes the nominal sum that was taken out of our mens wages, on account of a bounty paid them by the town and that the heirs as such as died in the army shall be entitled to the same privilege."

" Voted that Stephen Dole, Capt. Thomas Mclaughlin and Lieut. John Orr be a committee to pay said soldiers, agreeable to above vote."

Monday, August 16, 1784. " Voted that the town receive of Mr. James Vose, constable in the year 1781, the Continental bills which he received in the time limited by the town for his taking the sum, counterfeit bills accepted.1 He giving oath that he received each of said bills for taxes."

Apparently Levi Whitman, whom the town had sent as a soldier to the Continental army, was a thorn in the flesh after his return, for on March 27, 1787, it was " Voted to remit Levi Whitman's taxes in John Mills' list so long as said Whitman stays out of town, and as. long as he keeps out of town." 2

1 "Excepted " probably meant.

2 State of New Hampshire { Hillsborough SS

To Moses Little Esqr one of the justices assigned to keep the peace within and for the county of Hillsborough

Complaining Humbly Shews (on the part and in behalf of the town of Goffestown in sd county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire) the selectmen of sd Goffestown in sd county that Levy Whitman Bethiah Whitman his wife and James Whitman their sun Sum Time since came into the aforesd Town of Goffestown and were Legally warned to departe sd Goffestown as the law directs and they the said Levy Bethiah and James all did Departe sd town and now they the said Levy Be- thiah and James doth again in Trude on the aforesd town' of Goffestown by their Remooving a second Time into sd Goffestown their to Reside Contrary to the Law in such case made and Provided wherefour your Complainants pay that a warrant may issue that the said Levy Bethiah and james may all be apprehended and car- ryed to the town whence of right they do properly belong &c

Dated at sd Goffestown this 18th day of March 1788 John Butterfield } Selectmen James Walker 5 of Goffestown

State of New Hampshire }

Hillsborough SS To Mr Ebenr Hadley one of the constables in the town. of Goffestown and sd county of Hillsborough Greeting

In the name of the State of New Hampshire complaint being made as above these are therefour to command you fourth with to apprehend the bodys of the said Levy Whitman Bethiah and James Whitman and them convey and deliver to the con- stable of the sd town of Bedford in sd New Hampshire and so on from constable to constable untill they shall be Delivered to the constable of the Town where of rights they do belong and this shall be your Surfision warrant Given and my hand and. seal this sixteenth day of ,

March A. D. 1788

Moses Little Jus: Peace.

489

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Although the diary of Matthew Patten, so far as it relates to this interesting period, is published in full as a supplement, yet we ap- pend here a few extracts of particular interest in this connection :

April 20, 1775. I received the melancholy news, in the morning, that Gen. Gage's troops had fired on our countrymen 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 intending to set off for our army tomorrow morning, and our girls set up all night baking bread and fixing things for him and John Dobbin.1

21. Our John and John Dobbin and my brother Samuel's two old- est sons, set off and joined Derryfield men, and about six from Goffs- town, 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 therea- bouts.

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 immediately. 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 meet- ing-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 MacGregore'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.

Sept. 10, 1778. I sent my bror Samuel to Amherst to examine the Records concerning Col. Lutwyches Estate he returned about 10 or 11 oclock at night 11th I set out for Exeter to the Comtee of

Hillsborough) March 20th 1788 in obediance to the within process to me directed I have taken the bodyes of the innamed Levy Whitman Bethiah Whitman and James Whitman and hav convoyd to and delivered them to josiah Gordon con- stable of the town of Bedford

Eben Hadley Constable

1 John Dobbin was Mr. Patten's hired man.

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. "Oh, 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 John 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.)

490

HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

Safety and got in about sunset and lodged at Capt Leavitts 12th I laid the matter of Col : Lutwyches Estate before the Comtte after a great deal of discourse on the affair they came to conclusion by a majority to give an order to seize the Estate and they appointed Col : Nichols Esqr Underwood and Major Chase to seize take an in- ventory of the Estate both real and personal 14th I went to Am- herst to Col : Nichols with the order of the Comttee 22d A little before night I went to Chandlers where Mr Houston had Goffstown Comttee of Safety in order to have them take off the Restriction he was laid under by the Committee of three towns in 1775 There was nothing done I got home at midnight 23d Mr Merrill preached a sermon in Bedford introductory to holding a Presbtry for the trial of Mr Houston on the charge brot against him by the town he had not been served with a copy of the charge 10 free days before the time of trial according to the rules of the Church of Scotland and he would not give up the advantages he had got and come to trial

24th I assisted the Selectmen and Committee of Safety and drawed a petition to the Committee of Safety of the State against Mr Houstons taking the oath of Fidelity to the state Oct 12th In the evening I met the selectmen and some others to consider what evidence to take concerning Mr Houston to go to Exeter 19th Esqr Underwood attended at Chandlers at the desire of Selectmen and Committee of Safety and took a number of Depositions to go to Ex- eter against Mr Houston and I attended them but did not assist

25th I spent the day at Chandlers taking depositions about Mr Houstons being a Tory and Col : Moore and I gave our depositions about his offering to swear to a falsehood in the 1766 22d I set out in company with Thos Boise for Exeter with the depositions the town took on the 19th instant against Mr Houston

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.

Sept. 23, 1777. We arrived in Exeter to breakfast. Had the hearing before the Commitee of Safety in the afternoon they did not determine that night. 24th The Comittee agreed to have Mr Houston draw up his acknowledgement which he did on which they admited him to swear the oath of fidelity and Boise and I came home and the Comitee allowed us to bring the depositions home with us.

Very few towns probably furnished a larger quota of men for the Revolutionary army than did Bedford. 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)1 for a beverage instead of Hyson and Gunpow-

1 Common plantain leaves, considered a good external application for wounds, etc.

491

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

der tea. But they were a people accustomed to hardships. The . females were not strangers to outdoor 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 curi- osity, and shows that at that day constituents felt at liberty to in- struct their representatives. It was found among the papers of John Rand, Esq., who was 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 ad- vantage to have your sentiments fortified by those of your constitu- ents.

The occasion is this. The return of those persons to this country who are known in Great Britain by the name of loyalists but in America by the name of conspirators, absentees, and tories.

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 that are already returned be treated according to their deserts.

Sam Patten, John Rand, John Goffe, John Bell, George 'Orr,

A committee chosen May 28th, by the town of Bedford, to give instruc- tions to their Representative.

At the outbreak of the war the Committee of Safety very wisely determined that every inhabitant of the colony should be made to show his colors, and accordingly the following resolution was passed :

DECLARATION OF THE INHABITANTS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Colony of N. Hampshire, &c .- Committee of Safety, April 12, 1776.

To the Selectmen of Bedford :- In order to carry the underwritten resolve of the Honorable Continental Congress into execution, you

492

HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

are requested to desire all Males, above twenty-one years of age (lunatics, idiots, and negroes excepted) to sign the Declaration on this paper, and when so done to make return thereof, together with the name or names of all who shall refuse to sign the same, to the General Assembly, or Committee of Safety of this Colony.

M. WEARE, Chairman. In Congress, March 14, 1776.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the several Assemblies, Conventions and Councils, or Committees of Safety, of the United Colonies, immediately to cause all persons to be disarmed, within their respective Colonies, who are notoriously disaffected to the cause of America, or who have not associated, and refuse to asso- ciate, to defend by Arms, the United Colonies against the hostile attempts of the British Fleets and Armies.

Extract from the Minutes,

CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.

In consequence of the above Resolution of the Continental Con- gress and to show our determination in joining our American brethren, in defending the lives, liberties and properties of the inhabitants of the United Colonies, We, the Subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our power, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, with arms, oppose the hostile proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies.

This declaration was signed in Bedford by the following :

John Wallace, Jr.,

Hugh Campbell,

James Carnes,

James Caldwell,

James McAlister, Samuel Patten,

Wm. Caldwell, John Mclaughlin,

Hugh Orr,

James Matthews, John Gardner,

Amaziah Pollard,

John Mclintosh, Jacob McQuaid, James Westley, John Little,

John Harrison, John Aiken,

James Steel,

Adam Dickey,

James Aiken,

Matthew Patten,

Whitfield Gilmore,

Thomas Gault,

John Goffe, Daniel Moor,

James Smith,

Thomas Boies,

John Moor, Jr.,

John Orr, Barnabas Cain, John Moor,

Thomas Matthews,

James Wallace,

James Mardin,

John Goffe, Jr.,

John Riddle, Samuel Patten, John Boies,

David McClary,

James Patterson,

Matthew McDuffie,

Thomas MeLaughlin,

John Burns, Robert Burns, Wm. Burns, John Brien, Wm. Moor, James Houston, John McKinney, Asa Barnes,

James Lyon, John Bell, John Wallace,

Samuel Vose, William White, Joseph Wallace, Lt. John Moor, Joseph Houston, Daniel Moor, James Gilman, William Moor,

Robert Griffin,

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Samuel Tirrill, Jr.,

Robert Walker,

Benjamin Smith,

Wm. Kennedy,

James Walker,

Zechariah Chandler

Robert Morrel,

Patrick Larkin,

Richard MAllister,

Andrew Walker, John Vicary,

John Smith,

Nathaniel Patterson,

William McCleary,

James Little,

Robert Matthews,

Joseph Bell,

Stephen French.

James Vose,

Samuel Fugard,

George Comeray,

Thomas V. Vose,

To the Honorable, the Council and House of Representatives, for the Colony of New Hampshire, to be convened at Exeter, in said Colony, on Wednesday, 5th inst .:

Pursuant to the within precept, we have taken pains to know the minds of the inhabitants of the town of Bedford, with respect to the within obligation, and find none unwilling to sign the same except the Rev. John Houston, who declines signing the said obligation for the following reasons : Firstly, Because he did not apprehend that the honorable Committee meant that Ministers should take up arms, as being inconsistent with their ministerial charge, Secondly, Because he was already confined to the County of Hillsborough, therefore, he thinks he ought to be set at liberty before he should sign the said obligation. Thirdly, Because there are three men belonging to his family already enlisted in the Continental Army.

JOHN GOFFE, JOHN ORR, Selectmen.

Bedford, June 4th, 1776.

Should any one have the curiosity to examine the work from which the above is an extract, they would find much to interest them. In the return from Amherst, it is stated "all who have seen it have signed, except"-then the names of four are given who refused to sign. So from Londonderry, the return says, "We find none who refuse to sign except the following persons," naming fif- teen. In some towns all the inhabitants signed the agreement.

Many interesting facts might, no doubt, be collected concerning those who went into the Revolutionary service from this town. There was one in particular, George Orr, whose life was so eventful that some account should be given. The following facts are from his daughter, Ann Orr, and they extend back to his childhood, long before the Revolution. ( George Orr, losing his parents when an infant, was brought up, till the age of sixteen, by an Aunt Dins- moor, of Windham (then a part of Londonderry). At that age he went to sea in the merchant service. But, as it was then a time of war, he was pressed on board a British man-of-war, and continued in the naval service three years. Peace being restored, he was paid off and honorably discharged in London, from whence he traveled

494

HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

on foot through the country to Edinburgh, took passage for Amer- ica, and returned to his friends in Bedford.

Intending to settle on a farm, he purchased a piece of land in Goffstown, and went to sea once more to obtain a little more money to make his last payment and secure a title. But, as war had again broken out, he was, on his very first voyage, pressed again into the British navy, and kept there seven years more, generally on the Mediterranean station. At length, an order being received to send a vessel on to the New England coast, the captain of that vessel requested the commander of the ship on board which George was bound to Gibralter, to exchange a number of Yankee seamen, who he feared might desert when they came into a New England port, and give him an equal number of Europeans for his voyage.

George, speaking the broad Scotch dialect, was taken for a Scotch- man, and, being asked if he was willing to change ships, readily agreed, and thus in an unexpected moment was released from the Mediterranean squadron, and found to his great joy that the ship was to be anchored in Portsmouth harbor, where he had friends that would aid him in making his escape. As soon as the ship arrived he persuaded another sailor to accompany him, took the first chance of securing a boat and making their escape. They were closely pursued, but finding friends ready to conceal him he soon arrived safely in Londonderry. Advertisements were sent after, but he had nothing to fear; the inhabitants of the place would have risked their lives rather than to have given him up. The ship could make but a short stay, so that he could soon bid defiance to naval authority. He, however, always spoke with respect concerning his officers, and said the severity they practised was generally indispen- sable. He boasted that through the service he never got a single scratch from the boatswain's cat. (Thanks to congress, flogging is now abolished in the American navy.) As he had never been heard from by his friends, his land had been conveyed to another, and he was left, after ten years' hard service on the ocean, with nothing but the sailors' suit upon his back. The good ladies of Londonderry soon furnished him with clothing. His health was unimpaired, and he was willing to labor, but being no landsman he was unskilful in farming, and dared not trust himself again on the ocean. As his only resource, he engaged in boating on the Western lakes. Com- mencing at Schenectady, they pursued their course in batteaux up the Mohawk river, carrying their canoes and baggage from one

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

stream to another till they reached Lake Ontario, thence pursuing their voyage through the lakes until they met the Indian traders at Mackinaw, and, exchanging their goods for furs, returned to Schenec- tady in the fall, making but one trip in a year. In this business he spent seven years more of his life. With the little property thus acquired he returned to Bedford, purchased fifty acres of wild land, built a cottage, married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Wallace, and set himself to clearing up his farm, but was again interrupted by a call to take up arms in defence of his country. He was with the army at Ticonderoga, and was a boatswain under General Arnold, on Lake Champlain. Here a ball split open the wristband of his shirt and broke the skin on his hand, which was all the wound he received. Having completed his term of service he returned to Bedford and steadily pursued the cultivation of his farm. He died October 17, 1807.

In the inventory of the town for April, 1783, it appears that there were 143 polls, one male negro slave, and one female negro slave in Bedford.

Thursday, July 10, 1783. " Voted we would not proceed to busi- ness by reason of its being a day of rejoicing on account of peace."

The following are the names of those Revolutionary soldiers who went from this town to serve their country in the glorious struggle for independence, as given in the History of Bedford published in 1851:

Col. Daniel Moor,

Maj. John Goffe,

Capt. James Aiken,

Capt. Thos. Mclaughlin,

Lieut. John Patten,

John Patten, Jr.,

Robert Cornewell, John Caldwell,

Samuel Patten,

James Grear,

Jonas Cutting,

William Parker,

John Kellen,

John MacAllister,

Barnet McCain,

John Griffin, Luke Eagan,

James Martin,

George Gault,

Stephen Goffe (lost at sea),

Hugh Thornton (died in service),

Primas Chandler (taken at the Cedars and never heard of),

Samuel Barr,

John Callahan (killed),

James Moor,

James Patten,

Robert Patten,

Hugh Campbell,

John Gault,

Isaac Riddle,

David Riddle,

John Riddle, Amos Martin,

Solomon Kemp (killed),

John O'Neil,

Jonathan Dorr (killed),

George Hogg,

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HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

John Gardner,

Hugh Matthews,

Emigrant Chubuck,

Joseph Matthews, Thomas Matthews,

Samuel Fugard,

William Newman,

William Caldwell,

Thomas McClary,

John Dobbin,

Nathaniel Spofford,

Robert Dewrumple (killed),

Patrick Larkin,

John Boies (taken prisoner and carried to Limerick, Ireland, thence to Mill prison, England),

William Houston,

Josiah Gordon,

Hugh Jameson,

Phineas Aiken,

Whitfield Gilmore,

John Manahan,

John Bell,

Thomas Lancy,

James Houston,

William Goffe (killed),

William Barnet (died in service),

Valentine Sullivan (taken in the retreat from Canada; died a prisoner),

John Burns, William Burns (wounded),

David Gregore (drummer),

James Smith,

George Orr,

John Russell,

John Ross,

Samuel Turrell,

James Steel,

Levi Whitman,

Stephen Mack,

1 James Nesmith,

Robert Morrill,

1 Nehemiah Lincoln,

Josiah Tirrel,

1 James Gordon,

Patrick O'Murphy,

1 James Bell,

Patrick O'Flyng,

1 Barnard McKim,

Calvin Johnson (died in service),

1 Samuel Remich

Since the History of Bedford was published in 1851 a closer examination of the state and colonial records of Massachusetts and New Hampshire has disclosed the names of some men who should be included among the Bedford men who served in the Revolution, and has also shown that some men were given in the history of 1851 as from Bedford whose names should not be credited to Bedford.

With this in mind a supplemental list is added-arranged in a little different form-which may not be itself perfectly correct, but which represents the most exact information obtainable at this date upon the point. The lists have been compared with the rolls of Massachusetts and New Hampshire by Mr. G. C. Gilmore, a son of Bedford, and an authority on these matters. A reason for the dis- crepancies that exist may be found in the fact that in computing the mileage of men who came to Bunker Hill from Bedford, Mass., and Bedford, N. H., and whose names were alike, there was no way of

1 But see warrant for town meeting, July 17, 1781, February 10, 1783, August 29, 1785; Bouton's History of New Hampshire, pp. 183-4 and 187.

David C. Houston,

William Kerr, Jr.,

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

telling to which of the two towns they should be credited save by computing the comparative mileage which they were allowed.

This list is authenticated by the State Papers, but is not a correct list in some respects known to members of families interested. For instance: David Riddle served all through the war and was a pen- sioner after it was over, yet his name is not credited to Bedford on the state rolls, although he was born there, lived, and died there. The reason is that an examination of the pension office records at Washington shows that he served in a Massachusetts regiment. Stephen Goffe was killed at Saratoga, as the family Bible states, and was not drowned at sea. His brother William was so drowned while on a privateering voyage.

498

HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

BEDFORD MEN IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, COPIED MAINLY FROM THE STATE PAPERS.

NAMES.

Rank.

Vol.

Page.

In What Battles, etc.

Aiken, James.

Capt.

556

Aiken, John ...

176

Bennington.

Aiken, Phinehas.

161

Barr, Samuel.

115

Barnet, John ..

176

Bennington.

Barnet, Samuel.

362

Barnet, William.

Bunker Hill. Died in service.

Bell, John.

175

Bennington.

Boies, John.

187

Burns, John.

161

Burns, Robert.

Sergt.

174

Bennington.

Burns, William

Corpl.

556

Callahan, John

Bunker Hill.

Caldwell, William

424

Campbell, Hugh.

Bunker Hill.

Carr, William.

358

267

Taken prisoner and never heard from.

Chandler, Zachariah.

362

Sergt.

621

Cutting, Jonas

Dobbin, John.

214

Eagan, Luke.

P. Fifer.

Fling, Patrick.

14 217

Fugard, Samuel.

358

Gardner, John ..

14 425

Gault, George

161

Gault, John.

George, John ..

P. Lieut.

186

Gilmore, Whitefield.

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History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900, Part 49

Author: Bedford (N.H. : Town) Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Concord, N. H. : The Rumford Printing Co. Number of Pages: 1202

Author: Bedford (N.H. : Town)
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Concord, N. H. : The Rumford Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1202