USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Charlestown > History of Charlestown, New-Hampshire, the old No. 4 > Part 56
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JOSEPH AND LUCY SPENCER. Ch. I. Erastus, b. Apr. 30th, 1766; d. in Brownington, Vt; II. Luther, m. March, 1789, Sally Putnam. III. Elijah. IV. Joseph. V. Jerusha, m. Bailey Putnam. VI. -; m. Thaddeus Nott.
PORTER SPENCER, b. Apr. 13th, 1800; m. Oct. 1st, 1827, Elizabeth
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L. Knights, b. Dec. 10th, 1805. Ch. I. Sarah M., b. Aug. 28th, 1828; d. July 19th, 1832; II. Charles P., b. Jan. 10th, 1831 ; d. Aug. 24th, 1832; III. Caroline B., b. June 1st, 1834; d. May 29th, 1845; IV. Sarah E., b. Apr. 15th, 1837; d. Nov. 30th, 1858 ; V. Mary Ellen, b. Jan. 21st, 1842; m. Elijah B. Chase, Aug. 18th, 1870. VI. Martha S., b. Apr. 8th, 1844; m. Oct. 1st, 1867, Rodney H. Ramsay. Ch. 1. Sarah Langley, b. Dec. 21st, 1868; d. Feb. 23d, 1871; 2. Harland, b. Dec. 17th, 1873. VII. Elijah Gilbert, b. Aug. 8th, 1846; VIII. Willard H., b. Nov. 8th, 1848 ; d. May 19th, 1849.
JOHN A. SPOONER, b. June 26th,1796 ; m. 1st, 1815, Prudence Jen- ner. Ch. I. Hannah E., m. James Burlingame. II. Levisa, m. Je- hiel Severy. III. Stephen A., b. in Maria, N. Y., May 30th, 1835; m. July 3d, 1855, Sophia Lois Hull, (dau. of Horace and Abigail K. Hull), b., Dec. 21st, 1839, at Windsor, Vt. Ch. 1. Sophia Abbie, b. Nov. 12th, 1856. 2. Charles Horace, b. Aug. 6th, 1858. 3. Ruth Jen- ner, b. Dec. 27th, 1872. John A. Spooner, m. 2nd, Mrs. Laura Dow, (dau. of Dr. Shepherd, of Brandon, Vt.,) settled in C.
CAPT. JOHN STARRETT, was the son of David Starrett Esq., and his wife Elizabeth Starrett-Elizabeth Starrett, d. in 1836, aged 86. Capt. John Starrett, d. in 1863, aged 75-Ann his wife, died in 1857, aged 69. The names of four children are found on " The Starrett Monu- ment," in the cemetery in the village, in the following order : Caroline died 1826, aged 6. Eliza Jane, d. 1823, aged 3. Maria A., died 1829, aged 19. Margarett A., d. 1829, aged 15. Other children were James, Edward, Emeline and Leonora.
Capt. Starrett owued the place which is now the Town Farm. He was Sheriff of the County, or High Sheriff, from Jan. 1846 to Jan. 1851. He was also for some years Deacon of the Evangelical Congre- gational Church. He removed to Windsor, Vt., about 1853. He is buried in our cemetery.
ASAHEL STEBBINS, (son of Asahel and Sarah (Petty) Stebbins, of Northfield, Mass., b. 1728; m. Lydia Harwood, (dau. of John Harwood of Ware River, Mass.,) and settled in Charlestown, or No. 4. Ch. I. Asahel, jr., b. May 30th, 1750; m. Mar. 18th, 1771, Susanna, (dau. of Seth Field of Northfield, Mass.,) was in the campaign of 1777, and d. July 26th, 1822. (See His. Northfield.) II. Cyrus, b. April 25th, 1752; Revolutionary Soldier; died Sept. 11th, 1776; III. Lydia, bapt. June 30th, 1754; d. Oct. 4th. 1761; IV. Experience, b. Sept. 26th, 1756; m. Nov. 30th, 1809, Moses Gunn of Montague, Mass.
" In an attack made upon Charlestown, Aug. 27th, 1758, Asahel Steb-
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bins was killed," (on the meadow just below the place now occupied by Henry Willard,) " and his wife was taken prisoner by the Indians leaving four children, the eldest being but seven years of age. While on the march to Canada, Mrs. Stebbins became worn out by the hard- ships of the journey, and was unable to travel. As she had thus be- come an encumbrance to them the savages determined to burn her. · She was fastened to the stake and witnessed the preparations for the horrid ceremony. Heart broken by her sorrows, exhausted by her suf- ferings, the captive had found her trials almost too great for endur- ance. She had no hope of ultimate release. In full faith that the portals of eternal rest were about to open for her she smiled upon her tormentors. The Indians, considering this an act of bravery and de- fiance, were filled with admiration that knew no bounds. She was at once released from her bonds and assisted and tenderly cared for the remainder of the journey. She was redeemed between September and December, 1758, and lived to good old age, dying Feb. 2nd, 1808, aged 76. A monument to her memory has recently been erected in the cemetery (at Northfield, Mass.) by some of her great-grand chil- dren." (See History of Northfield.) She m. after the death of Mr. Stebbins, Samuel Merriman, Dec. 21st, 1759. Isaac Parker and David Hill were taken prisoners at the same time with Mrs. Stebbins.
CAPT. PHINEAS STEVENS.
CAPTAIN PHINEAS STEVENS, whose name is inseparably associated with the early history of Charlestown, was descended from Colonel Thomas Stevens, of Devonshire, in England, who in the latter part of the reign of Charles I. or during the Protectorate, removed to Lon- don. Very little is known of this ancestor, but it may be inferred from his title, that he was a man of some distinction, as he lived in times when such offices were not easily attainable, except through personal merit, or the influence of considerable wealth. He had four sons, from Cyprian the youngest of whom is traced the descent of the subject of this memoir. The date of the emigration of Cyprian Stevens to this country, has not been ascertained ; but we find that January 22nd, 1671, he was married to Mary Willard, daughter of Major Si- mon Willard, and Mary Dunster, his 3d wife. On arriving in this country, his first residence was at Chelsea, Mass., but at the time of his marriage, he was of Lancaster; at which place afterwards he became a man of considerable consequence. He survived his wife, and mar- ried a second time.
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Cyprian and Mary Stevens had four children, of whom Joseph mar- ried Prudence Rice, the daughter of John Rice, and settled in Sud- bury. In this place he resided several years, when he removed to Framingham. He was of Lancaster from 1716 to 1719, where he had two children, Joseph and Isaac baptized. The next year, he proba- bly removed to Rutland, where after its incorporation, he became one of its most prominent citizens, being honored by his townsmen with various important offices, and with a deaconship in the church. He had children born at Sudbury, Framingham and Rutland, eleven in all. Phineas was born in Sudbury, February 20th, 1706.
On the 14th of August, 1723, while Phineas, and three of his young- er brothers, were proceeding to. the meadow, where their father was making hay, they were surprised by five Indians, who immediately slew Samuel and Joseph, and took Phineas, who was the eldest, and Isaac, who was the youngest, prisoners. The father beheld the trans- action, but knowing that he was powerless for resistance, made his es- cape into some bushes, which were fortunately growing near. Isaac was but a child, being only four years old, and the savages doubtless thinking that he might be a hindrance to them in case they were pursued, or in some way be an annoyance, soon manifested their in. tention of killing him. Phineas by their motions, quickly apprehend- ing their design, made earnest signs to them, which he succeeded in making them understand that if they would spare the child, he would free them from all trouble in relation to him, by carrying him on his back. He was accordingly spared, and was conveyed by the noble youth in that manner to Canada ; and it was by this journey, and by his observation of Indian habits and character during his captivity, that he gained that knowledge of their peculiar mode of strategy and war- fare, which, at a later period of life, rendered him the most formid- able adversary they had to encounter. The afflicted father followed his children to Canada, and succeeded in obtaining their redemption in the following year.
From the time of his return from Canada nothing has come down to us which appears to be of sufficient interest to record till 1734 when he married his cousin, Elizabeth Stevens of Petersham, Massachusetts. After his marriage he still remained in Rutland, which place he continu- ed to regard as his home till circumstances led him to become one of the early settlers of No. 4, now Charlestown, N. H. The time of his re- moving his family to Charlestown has not been ascertained. It prob- ably was not earlier than the spring of 1745. In the early part of the
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summer of 1746, he removed them back again, where they remained be- fore returning to Charlestown till 1748. In 1755 he removed them to Deerfield, Massachusetts, where they were residing at the time of his death. Seven of his children were born in Rutland, two in Charles- town and one in Deerfield.
Captain Stevens, though not among the earliest, was an early settler. His name appears on the Proprietors' Records the first time Sept. 13th, 1743, as a petitioner for a proprietors' meeting, and on the 4th of Oct., following, we find that Messrs John Spafford, Phineas Stevens. Isaac Parker, jun., Obadiah Sartwell and Moses Willard were appointed a committee to provide and contract with some learned and orthodox preacher to preach the gospel to the inhabitants of the township, and, subsequently, his name occurs with such frequency on important com- inittees of the township as to show that he was regarded as one of its most capable and trustworthy citizens.
But however high his standing as a common citizen, it is doubtless in his character as a military man that he is to be chiefly considered. It was in this that his genius was most fully developed, and in which he achieved his highest reputation.
His first military commission was received from Governor Benning Wentworth, of New-Hampshire, and is dated December 13th, A. D. 1743. It runs thus :-
" To Phineas Stevens, of No. Four, so called, on the East of Connec- ticut river. You, the said Phineas Stevens, are commissioned to be Lieutenant of the foot company of Militia in the regiment whereof Jo- siah Willard Esq., is Colonel.
[Signed,] B. WENTWORTH.
Josiah Willard was one of the principal proprietors of the town of Winchester, and was Commander of Fort Dummer. The particular service which Lieutenant Stevens performed in connection with this reg- iment is not known, if he performed any. He was next commissioned by Governor William Shirley, of Massachusetts, as Lieutenant in a company of volunteers raised for the defense of the western frontiers. This commission was dated on the 26th day of October, 1744. Jan. 9th, 1745, he was also appointed by Governor Shirley, Captain of a company of volunteers to be raised for His Majesty's service against the French and Indians. In another commission by Governor Shirley, he is appointed first Lieutenant of a company of soldiers raised for the de- fense of the western frontiers, for the protection of the inhabitants, whereof Josiah Willard, jun. is Captain. This commission bears date
5
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July 29th, 1745. The following commission is copied from Caleb Stark's sketch of the subject of this memoir, embraced in the volume containing his life of General John Stark. It was furnished by Henry Stevens and is a copy from the original :
By His Excellency, The Governor.
These are to direct you forthwith to enlist sixty able bodied, effective volunteers, to make up a marching company on the western frontiers. Twenty-five of which sixty men you may so enlist out of the standing com- panies in those parts ; taking effectual care that that enlistment be made with as much equality as may be, so as not much to weaken any partic- ular party of those soldiers ; and with the said company to scout during the summer season in such places where the Indian enemies hunt or dwell, keeping one half of your company at the garrison, called No. Four, to guard and defend the inhabitants there and to repel and des- troy the enemy that may assault them ; and upon return of the half that go out upon the march the half just mentioned forthwith to march out and scout in the manner above said ; and so interchangeably-one part to continue to do their duty at No. Four, and the other to be upon the march above said.
And you, the officer that shall command the said marching party must keep exact journals of your marches, noting down all circumstan- ces and making such observations as may be useful hereafter. You must take care to keep an exact discipline among your men, punishing all immorality and profaneness and suppressing all such disorders in your marches and encampments as may tend to disorder and expose you to the enemy.
Given under my hand at Boston, this twenty-sixth day of April 1746 in the 19th year of his majesty's reign,
WILLIAM SHIRLEY.
To Captain Phineas Stevens.
Another commission from the same source bears date at Boston, June 16th, 1746.
During this summer Captain Stevens was of great service in the de- fense of No. Four-being ever watchful while others were incautious, he several times rescued parties of soldiers, who, contrary to his counsel had needlessly exposed themselves to dangers. For though most of the time engaged in varied service under the particular direction of the Captain General, he still kept such a watch of the movements of the In- dians as to be able to be present at No. Four at those junctures when
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his counsel and help were most imperatively demanded. But, notwith- standing all the endeavors of the inhabitants to protect themselves, and all the aid extended to them by Massachusetts, their circumstances were still rendered so difficult by the numerous depredations of their Indian enemies that they felt obliged towards the latter part of the year, when Massachusetts withdrew her forces, to abandon the settlement and retire to their former homes till such time as they could return with greater safety and more favorable prospects.
We learn from the journal of Captain Eleazer Melvin (found 207 page, Vol. V., N. H. Historical Collections) that Captain Stevens and Captain Hobbs with their companies marched. in conjunction with him from the 15th to the 20th of May, 1748, from No. 4 to Otter Creek, in search of the enemy, when, making no discovery, they thought it best to take another course and leave Captain Melvin to proceed alone.
In 1749 he was appointed by the government of Massachusetts, to pro- ceed with a flag of truce to Canada to negotiate the redemption of cap- tives from the Indians. Of this expedition he kept a journal which is found in his report made "To the Honorable Spencer Phipps, Esq, Commander in and over His Majesty's Province, and to the Honorable His Majesty's Council now met in Boston, December 15th, 1749."
This journal is found in the collections of the New-Hampshire His- torical Society, Vol. V, page 199, and contains a particular account of his journey to and his return from Canada, as well as of the transac- tions there. The following extracts will be of interest :
" Sometime in August last I was appointed by the honorable commis- sioners (then appointed by the honorable Court), to go to Canada as their pilot. I accordingly repaired to my post at No. 4, to get my affairs in order, and proposed to attend them. Just as I was prepared I received a letter from the Honorable John Chandler, Esq. informing me that the Commissioners were not to go. Upon the receipt of which I, with all speed, repaired to the Honorable Col. Chandler, and from thence, by his direction, to Boston, where I received His Excellency Governor Shirley's letter to the Governor of Canada, as also His Excellency's and your Honor's orders to proceed with the same to the Governor of Canada. Sept. 13th I set out from Boston. Sept. 16th I arrived at Hadley, where I met my son, returned from his captivity." This was Enos Stevens, who had been taken prisoner in the month of June previous. The following is his account of his reception :
" The Governor received us very kindly-asked us to sup with him, which accordingly I did. The Governor told me he should ask me no
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questions that night. Oct. 29th waited upon the Governor that morn- ing, who interrogated me very particular what was my business. I de- livered the public letter, when he demanded of me all the private letters. He understanding that I had no special orders to treat with the Gov- ernor General, told me he thought it not proper that I should go to Quebec, and that he would send the letter by an express, and if the Governor General thought it necessary he would send for me; if not I might expect on the return of the express, to be sent immediately home; at the same time he strictly forbid my having any conversation with the Indians, and threatened if he perceived I had, I should be immediately confined. Gave orders to my landlord, the King's interpreter, to keep us always under his inspection.
I continued at Montreal eight days (where I was very well entertain- ed.) I made it my constant business to enquire after prisoners."
" Nov. 5th the express returned to Montreal with the answer to Gov- ernor Shirley's letter. The sixth of November I was ordered home. I desired liberty to tarry one day longer. The Governor told me the orders from the Governor General were so strict he could not grant me the fa- vor. I accordingly set out with an officer and five soldiers who had or- ders to bring me to Crown Point,"
After arriving at Crown Point, Captain Stevens was left to take care of himself. The following extract will show some of the difficulties of a journey from Crown Point to Albany in those days, especially at the season in which his journey was made.
" Nov. 15th, took our departure with the Indians (two Cagnawaugen Indians whom he had hired to assist him) in a birch canoe ; came about five miles ; found so much ice we could go no further ; 16th, 17th and 18th, lodged here, waiting for the ice to be strong enough to bear us ; 19th, drew our canoe on the ice about seven miles; found it very diffi- cult-falling several times into the water ; 20th, drew our canoe three miles further on the ice ; found it so weak, (that is the ice) we could not travel ; 21st, lay still; 22nd, travelled on the ice leaving our canoe ; 23d, passed the mouth of Wood Creek into a large pond, which has a small communication to the drowned lands lying to the west of the mouth of Wood Creek ; 24th, travelled over the said pond, about four or five miles in length, and then two or three miles up a small river ; we here took our packs on our backs and travelled in an Indian path, trodden by them in their descents upon the Dutch this last war and not before. Nevertheless it is so trod that we could easily follow it, although the snow was four or five inches deep; Nov. 25th, we travelled in said
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road ; 26th, we came to Hudson's River in the morning about five miles above Col. Lydius' trading house. This carrying place from where we first took up our packs I judge to be twenty-two miles to Hudson's River; the travelling level and exceeding good, except about two miles when we first left the aforesaid small river."
This whole journal constitutes a document of no little interest, but I can quote no more .*
Allusion has been made to a commission given to Captain Stevens by Governor Shirley, bearing date at Boston, June 16th, 1746. The ob- ject of this commission will be seen by the following memorial ; " Ad- · dressed to Honorable Spencer Phipps, Lieutenant Governor of this Province (Massachusetts) and the Council, June 12th, 1750."
"The memorial of Phineas Stevens, of Number Four, humbly shew- eth :-
That upon his enlisting himself a volunteer in His Majesty's service for the then intended expedition against Canada, he removed his fam- ily, viz. his wife and six children to Rutland from Number Four, ex- pecting himself soon to set out for Canada on said expedition, and, that upon the delay of that expedition he was, by direction from His Ex- cellency the Captain General, ordered to the frontiers of the Province, and was constantly employed on the frontiers, either in guarding stores to Fort Massachusetts ; or Number Four, or in keeping the fort at Number Four till the said expedition was laid aside and the Canada forces dismissed; in which time he defended the said Fort Number Four from a vigorous attack of the enemy; and his other services in that term he humbly hopes were acceptable to the province, where he was at very great expense in supporting his family, at a distance from his station ; and as his expenses so he humbly conceives his constant labors and ser-
* In Jan. 1751, Captain Stevens was again commissioned to go to Canada on a similar errand. He was this time accompanied by William Heywood and James Farnsworth. They set out on the 8th of January, but owing to bad travelling, rains and other things that caused delay they did not reach Albany till the 24th, where they remained till the afternoon of the 29th, when they proceeded on their way. They went to Quebec, where they arrived on the 20th of February. In this expedition Captain Stevens was successful in gaining the release of several prisoners, who were taken to Boston, where he arrived about the 1st of April. [Heywood's Journal.]
+ Fort Massachusetts was situated in the town of Adams in the western part of the State of Massachusetts It was located on the north end of Saddle Mountain, and remains of it are still to be seen or were a few years ago. From 1746 to 1756 it was deemed a very important post for the defense of the frontier in that section.
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vices for the province in that term distinguish his case from that of most if not any of the officers who enlisted themselves for the Canada service, he therefore prays your honorable consideration of the premises and that your honor would grant that he may be allowed the common al- lowance for a soldier for subsistence during the said term, and your memorialist as in duty bound will ever pray.
PHINEAS STEVENS.
In the House of Representatives, June 13th, 1750.
Read and ordered that the memorialist be allowed out of the pub- lic treasury the sum of ten pounds and eight shillings, in full consid- eration of the above named. S. Phipps."
After the successful termination of the expedition against Louisburg, another was set on foot for the invasion of Canada, which as it was never carried out, Captain Stevens in the above memorial, speaks of as the intended expedition. The New-Hampshire regiment, raised for it, was ready to march on the first of July, 1746, but was delayed as were the forces of Massachusetts, by the news of the approach of a powerful French army and fleet, to the eastern coast. This fleet con- sisted of about forty ships of war, besides transports ; and brought over between three and four thousand regular troops, with veteran officers, and all kinds of military stores ; and was indeed the most powerful armament that had ever been sent to North America. The intended Canadian expedition was therefore abandoned, as it was thought that the troops would be needed for defense at home. For a time the deep- est anxiety and excitement prevailed on all the New England coast. But through providential disasters, the power of the armament was soon broken in such a manner, without any human aid, that only a small and scattered remnant of it ever returned to France ; and the people with- out any instrumentality on their part, were delivered from their fears.
In July, 1752, Captain Stevens was once more commissioned by the government of Massachusetts, to proceed to Canada to negotiate for the deliverance of such captives belonging to the State, as he might there find. He was accompanied in this mission by Mr. Wheelwright, of Boston. On arriving at Montreal, not finding as they anticipated, the prisoners belonging to Massachusetts, they decided on the redemp- tion of two from New-Hampshire. These were John Stark, subsequent- ly the celebrated General Stark, the hero of Bennington, and Amos Eastman .* The ransom of Stark was one hundred and three dollars,
* Afterwards of Hollis, N. H.
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and that of his friend Eastman, sixty dollars. The ransom of Stark was not paid in money, but he was given up for an Indian pony, for which the amount above specified, had been paid. These sums which were thus paid for the redemption of two of her sons, were never re- paid by New-Hampshire. The policy of Massachusetts was more lib- eral, as she invariably and with as much promptness as possible, re- deemed all her captives. Stark ultimately paid the price of his re- demption himself, by pursuing his vocation as a hunter, on the river Androscoggin.
The estimation in which Captain Stevens was held, is shown by the following letter from Governor Shirley to Governor Benning Went- worth, of New-Hampshire, and the accompanying vote of the General Assembly of Massachusetts, which is subjoined.
Letter from Gov. Shirley to Governor Wentworth.
Sir-The Assembly of this Province, having been apprized of some measures your Excellency's Government are taking for the redemption of such persons, taken by the Indians and carried prisoners into Can- ada, as belong to your Province, are desirous to join with you in this affair, that some expense may be saved to both governments, by em- ploying one and the same person to transact this business at Canada, have judged Capt. Phineas Stevens, one of your own government, to be a proper person to be employed in this service, and the Council and House of Representatives, have desired me to write to your excellency on this subject, as you will see by the enclosed copy of their vote. Your Excellency will therefore be pleased to let me have your answer, as soon as may be, that so the matter may be fully agreed upon before our Assembly rises ; I am with great regard, Sir
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