History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 22

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1200

USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 22
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 22

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

There are several hills in the town worthy of

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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

mention. Mount Pistareen, near Chesterfield Factory, has an altitude, probably, of about one thousand feet above the level of the sea. Streeter Hill, in the northwestern quarter of the town, is so called because it was at one time inhabited by several families of the name of Streeter. Its altitude is somewhat greater than that of Pistareen. Atherton Hill, in the eastern part of Chesterfield, received its name from the circumstance that Joseph Atherton settled on it in 1795. There are several other hills in the town that are higher than Streeter Hill.

There are no large streams of water flowing through Chesterfield, but the Connecticut flows along its western border. Its height above sca-level, at a point opposite Brattleborough, is two hundred and fourteen feet.

The largest brook, flowing wholly within the limits of the town, is Catsbane Brook. This stream rises in the low lands south of the Centre village, and in the vicinity of Barrett Hill, and flows in a northwesterly direction for the distance of about five miles, emptying into the Connecticut near the West village. The name of this brook can only be accounted for by the following tradition, which has been handed down from the first settlers : At a very early period in the town's history two men, who were traveling through the forest, stopped on the banks of the brook to eat their lunch. Having finished their meal, one of the men said he wished to set out again on the journey. The other replied that he wished to take another draught of the water of the brook before leaving. "For your sake," said his companion (using at the same time certain emphatic words), "I wish this water had catsbane in it !" He probably meant rats- bane. In all probability, this singular name was applied to the brook a number of years before the settlement of the town.

Partridge Brook, in some respects the most important stream that has its origin in the town, is the outlet of Spafford's Lake. It takes the water of the lake from the "channel "

near Factory village, flows a short distance in a southeasterly direction, then, turning sharply to the northward, plunges down through a deep gorge, and flows on, for a distance of about two miles, to the Westmoreland line. From the line it continues its course in a northwesterly direction through Westmoreland, for a distance of four miles, or more, and empties into the Connecticut near the county farm. It is certain that this brook was known by its present name before Chesterfield was settled, inasmuch as it was called Partridge Brook, in the proprietary records of West- moreland, as early as 1752. There are also several other brooks in Chesterfield of lesser importance.

Spafford's Lake lies nearly in the centre of the northern half of the town. According to an estimate based on the proprietors' chart, or plan, this beautiful sheet of water has an area of about seven hundred square acres. This estimate may be somewhat too small ; but, from all the information the writer can obtain relating to this subject, it appears to him that the area of this lake cannot exceed one thon- sand acres. The shore of the lake is, for the most part, either sandy or rocky ; and its water is remarkably pure, being supplied, in great part, by springs beneath its surface.

Pierce's Island, in the southwestern part of the lake, contains from four to six acres. Indian relics-principally stone pestles and arrow-heads-have been found on it.

It is not known with certainty how the lake came by its name of Spafford's Lake, but the tradition has always been that a man of the name of Spafford once lived near its shore ; hence its name.

There are good reasons for believing that the lake received its name before the town was actually settled, and that the Spafford who is said to have lived near its shore was a hunter, whose residence was only temporary.

Catsbane Island, which lies about half a mile below the mouth of Catshane Brook, in the Connecticut, is worthy of mention. This island

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-which is in view from the lower ferry-con- tains but a few acres, and is principally noted as being, in all probability, near the place where the Indians crossed the river on their way to Canada, after having defeated Sergeant Taylor's party in July, 1748. It is possible, however, that the place called "Cattsbane," in Sergeant Taylor's diary, was the mouth of Catsbane Brook.

The rocks of Chesterfield belong principally to that group of rocks denominated by Professor C. H. Hitchcock the Coös Group, and consist of quartzite, gneiss, mica slate, mica schist, horn- blende rock and conglomerate. In the south- eastern quarter of the town there is found, in great abundance, a rock called porphyritic gneiss. This rock is not found in the western part of the town. No valuable minerals have been found in any considerable quantities ; yet, iron ore was discovered many years ago on Wantastiquet, and graphite, or plumbago, may exist in some localities. The so-called mine on Wantastiquet is in Hinsdale. Quartz is found in considerable quanties ; in one or two localities, in a pulverulent condition. Inferior specimens of tourmaline have also been found.

Numerous evidences of the action of mov- ing ice in the Glacial Period exist in the town. In some locations the ledges are grooved and striated in a way peculiar to those regions that have been subjected to glacial action. Enor- mous boulders, evidently brought from a great distance, in some instances have been deposited upon the highest hills.

Near the mouth of the Catsbane Brook are examples of river terraces. The height of the terraces in Chesterfield and Westmoreland va- ries from three hundred and fifty to four hun- (red feet above the sea. No fossils are known to have been discovered in Chesterfield, the rocks, for the most part, not being of a kind known as " fossiliferous."

INCORPORATION AND SETTLEMENT .- Pend- ing the King's decision respecting the dividing line between Massachusetts and New Hamp-

shire, the General Court of the former province granted upwards of thirty townships between the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers. The township that lay just north of Arlington (which embraced a portion of the territory now belonging to Hinsdale and Winchester) and east of the Connecticut was called Township No. 1, and was nearly identical with the pres- ent township of Chesterfield. Townships Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 were accepted by the General Court of Massachusetts, November 30, 1736. Samuel Chamberlain, of Westford, Mass., was empowered, December 13, 1737, to call the first meeting of the proprietors of No. 1 for organi- zation. It is not known, however, that any settlement was attempted in this township under the Massachusetts charter. In fact, the incursions of the French and Indians into this part of the Connecticut Valley rendered any attempt to settle the new township extremely hazardous for some years subsequent to 1737.

A treaty of peace between France and Eng- land was signed at Aix-la-chapelle, October 7, 1748 ; but, in this country, hostilities did not wholly cease for some time ; for, June 20, 1749, the Indians assaulted No. 4, and carried off Enos Stevens, son of Captain Stevens. In 1750, '51 and '52 there was peace in the Con- necticut Valley. Movements were now made to get the townships that had been chartered by Massachusetts, but which had been severed from that province by the final determination of the southern boundary of New Hampshire, rechar- tered by the government of the latter province.

Some time in the year 1751, Josiah Willard, John Arms and fifty-six others petitioned Gov- ernor Benning Wentworth to recharter Town- ship No. 1. The following is a copy of the petition :

"Province of ) To His Excellency Benning Went- New Hampr. ) worth, Esq., Govr in and over His Maj'ys Province of New Hampr, &c., the Hon1 His Maj'ys Council.

"The Petition of the Subscribers Humbly Shews that Sundry of your Petitioners some years before the last Indian War had entered on a tract of Land

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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Called Nº. One, on the Easterly Side Connecticut River, and adjoining to the same next above Win- chester, under the Grant of the Massachusetts Bay, but since the Dividing line Between the sd Massa- chusetts and the Province of New Hamp' has been ascertained by his Majesty, Wee find that the same falls within the Province of New Hampshire, and are Desirous to pursue our former Intention of making a Settlement there if we may be favored with a grant from his Majesty of that township, under Such Re- strictions as other Towns Holding under his Maj- esty in this Province.

" Wherefore your Petitioners pray that a Grant may be made them of the said Township Nº. one, in Such a way and manner as yr Excellency & Hon's See meet, & y' Petits as in Duty Bound Shall ever pray -. "

In accordance with this petition, Governor Wentworth, with the advice and consent of the Council, granted a charter, February 11, 1752, to Josiah Willard and others, incorporating Township No. 1 under the name of Chester- field. Why this name was bestowed upon No. 1, when it was rechartered, is not known with certainty.

It is probable, however, that the name was given to the town by Governor Wentworth and his Council, either in honor of the Earl of Chesterfield or the town of the same name in England. Certain circumstances lead to the belief that the name was bestowed in honor of the former. In the first place, the Earl of Chesterfield was a man of much note at the time the town was rechartered, having not only held important government offices, but having just brought about an important reform of the calendar, that took effect the same year (1752). He was also distinguished as an orator and writer. In the second place, it is well known that Governor Benning Wentworth was fond of naming towns in New Hampshire in honor of distinguished men and places in England.

The names of the grantees of Chesterfield, as appended to the charter, were as follows:

"Josiah Willard, Nathan Willard, Valentine But- ler, John Arms, John Arms, Jun'r, Oliver Butler, Oliver Willard, Oliver Willard, Jun'r, Josiah Wil- lard, Jun'r, Nathan Willard, Jun'r, Wilder Willard,

John Moore, William Willard, Caleb Trobridge, William Lawrence, John Hunt, Simon Hunt, Jona- than Hubbard, Samuel Kennada, Solomon Willard, Billy Willard, Simon Cooley, Joseph Willard, Wil- liam Deen, Simon Stone, Peter Oliver, David Hub- bard, Thomas Pain, John Wheelwright, Nathaniel Wheelwright, Joseph Wheelwright, Jeremiah Wheel- wright, Simon Willard, Benj'a Lynd, John Spafford, Silas Spafford, Sam'l Davis, Phineas Wait, Joanna Wetherby, Elias Alexander, John Brooks, James Whitney, Abraham Kendel, Benj'a French, Josiah Brown, Ebenez'r Day, John French, Jun'r, Sam'l Greeley, Will'm Spalding, Moses Gould, Will'm Down, Robert Fletcher, David Field, Sam'l Field, David Sterns, John Kendel, Daniel Kendell, James Stootley, His Excellency, Benning Wentworth, Esq., one tract of land to contain five hundred acres, one whole share for the Incorporated Society for the prop- agation of the Gospel in foreign parts, one whole share for the first settled minister of the Gospel in said Town, one whole share for a Glebe for the min- istry of the Church of England, as by law estab- lished. Samuel Wentworth, of Boston, Theodore Atkinson, Richard Wibird, Samuel Smith, John Downing, Sampson Sheaffe, Jno. Wentworth."

Theodore Atkinson was secretary of the province. Richard Wibird, Samuel Smith, Sampson Shcaffe and John Downing were members of the Council at the time the town- ship was regranted.

Colonel Josiah Willard, the leading grantee, was, for many years, a resident of Winchester.

The charter of Chesterfield is similar to those of other towns granted by Governor Went- worth. The township is described therein as follows :

" All that tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being within our said Province of New Hampshire, containing by admeasurement twenty-three thousand and forty acres, which tract is to contain six miles square, and no more; out of which an allowance is to be made for highways and unimprovable lands by rocks, ponds, mountains and rivers, one thousand and forty acres free, according to a plan and survey thereof, made by our Governour's order, and hereunto an- nexed, butted and bounded as follows,-viz .: begin- ning and adjoining to a stake and stones near the bank of Connecticut river, which is the northwest- erly corner bound of a place called Winchester, thence running south seventy-eight degrees east upon Winchester line aforesaid, till it meets with the

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western line of the lower Ashuelots, so called, then · carrying all the breadth of land between the river of Connecticut aforesaid and the said Ashuelots, so far up northerly as will make the contents of six miles square, bounding on this extent by a stake and stones near the bank of the river, and thence running south, seventy-eight degrees east, till it meets with the Ash- uelots aforesaid."

The charter provided that the township should be divided into seventy equal shares, and that a tract of land near the centre of the same should be " reserved and marked out for town lots," containing one acre each. Every grantee was entitled to one of these lots. In accordance with a provision of the charter, the town was surveyed (as were also Westmoreland and Walpole at the same time) and a plan of it drawn by Josiah Willard and Benjamin Bellows.

This plan was finished March 18, 1752, and is now in the office of the Secretary of State, at Concord. It shows that the general out- lines of Chesterfield were about the same when the first survey under the new charter was made as they are now. The line between Keene and Chesterfield, running from the northeast corner of the latter town to the south- west corner of the former, was stated to be about two hundred and twenty-five rods in length. The same line, as measured by Jonas Robbins, in 1793, was found to be "one mile and six- teen rods " long, or one hundred and eleven rods longer than in 1752. From this circum- stance it might be inferred that this line had been lengthened before 1793, and that the line between Swanzey and Chesterfield, which was described in the original plan as being five miles and one hundred and eighty rods long, correspondingly shortened. No record of any such alterations in these lines has, however, been found.

Owing to the loss of the proprietary records, nothing is known concerning the meetings of the proprietors of the town, or the business transacted at such meetings, save what is to be inferred from the proprietors' " chart," or plan

of the town, which, fortunately, has been pre- served, and is in tolerably good condition. It is not known when or by whom this plan was made ; but it is evident that it was made as early as 1760 or 1761, inasmuch as the earliest deeds sometimes refer to it.

Governor Wentworth's share (five hundred acres) lay in the northwest corner of the town, and is known at the present day as the Gover- nor's Farm. According to the plan, John Wentworth also had a share of three hundred acres. These two shares are indicated on the plan as " B. and J. Wentworth's shares," and formed a tract bounded on the north by West- moreland line and on the west by Connecticut River. It had an average length of about six hundred and eighty-seven rods and a width of two hundred rods. Aaron Smith, son of Moses Smith, the first settler, settled on Governor B. Wentworth's share about 1767, as did after- wards his brother, Benjamin Smith. John Wentworth's share was located just east of the Governor's Farm, and was purchased by Wil- liam Randall in 1780.

The glebe is not marked on the plan, but lay in the southeast quarter of the town. The minister's share consisted of lots No. 5 in the first, fifth and eighth ranges of lots, and the tenth house-lot in the ninth range. Concerning the location of the share reserved for the " In- corporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," nothing is known.

Nor is it now known whether the "town- lots," mentioned in the charter, were ever laid out or not ; but it is certain that some of the hundred-acre lots, near the central part of the town, were divided into " half-lots," or " fifty- acre lots," which are sometimes designated in old deeds as " house-lots."

A whole share consisted, nominally, of three lots, of one hundred acres each; but is appears that most of the proprietors also owned one " house-lot " each.

Although circumstances were apparently fa- vorable for immediately settling the new town-

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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ship at the time the new charter was granted, no settlement was effected till nine years after- wards. The last French and Indian War, which soon broke out, rendered the establish- ment of new settlements in the Connecticut Valley, north of the Massachusetts line, ex- tremely difficult and hazardous.

But the complete conquest of Canada by the English, in 1760, put an end to the incursions of the French and Indians, and peace once more reigned in the valley of the Connecti- cut.

The grantees of Chesterfield, having been un- able to carry out the provisions of the charter within the specified time (five years), petitioned the Governor and Council for an extension of time, in order that their grants might not be forfeited. In accordance with this petition, the charter was " lengthened out," June 11, 1760. The term of one year was granted for the ful- fillment of the conditions imposed upon the grantees, which term was to be renewed annu- ally "till His Majesty's plenary instructions could be received."

On the 20th day of February, 1761, Moses Smith, who at that time was said to be " of Ilinsdale," purchased of Oliver Willard, of Brattleborough, one whole right, or share, in the township of Chesterfield, which right, or share, belonged to the said Willard by virtue of his being one of the grantees. The numbers of the lots were not given in the deed, but it is known that two of them were the lots numbered 14 and 15, in the sixteenth range; the other was probably lot No. 11, in the second range. Oliver Willard also owned house-lot No. 10, in the twelfth range.

Having secured some of the best land in the new township, Moses Smith made preparations for establishing a home upon the same for him- self and family. Accordingly, in the month of November, 1761, as the tradition has always been, he and his son-in-law, William Thomas, came up the Connecticut in canoes or boats, for the purpose of making the first settlement in the town of Chesterfield.

The exact date of this event is uncertain, as it has been stated to be both the 15th and the 25th of November. Larkin G. Mead, Esq., who wrote a brief sketch of Chesterfield for the " Historical Collections," in 1822, adopted the latter date. There can be no doubt, however, that it was in the month of November, 1761, that the first settlement was effected by Smith and Thomas.

Both men brought their families with them ; Smith's consisting, so far as known, of his wife Elizabeth, and his sons, Aaron, Moses, Amos, Joseph, Benjamin and Reuben. Of these sons, Aaron, the oldest, was about twenty-one years old ; Reuben, the youngest, was about three years old. Thomas' family consisted, prob- ably, only of himself and wife, Mary, Smith's daughter.

Smith built a log cabin on lot No. 14, in the sixteenth range. The place where this stood is a short distance north of the present residence of his great-grandson, George Smith, and a few rods cast of the highway, which, at this point, runs near the bank of the river.

The site of the cabin is still indicated by a depression in the plain.

Thomas erected his cabin near the river's bank, at a point about one mile and a half be- low Smith's " pitch." It stood a few rods east of the lower ferry, and a few feet north of the present highway leading easterly from the same. Its site is still marked by a depression in the earth, and a mound adjoining the depres- sion on its eastern side. This mound consists, in great part, of ashes and charcoal.

When spring came, the work of clearing a patch for cultivation was probably begun, al- though the work of felling trees may have been prosecuted throughout the winter, when the weather permitted.

On the 25th day of April, 1762, Thomas' wife gave birth to the first white child born in the town. This child was called Mary. She married Lemuel Stoddard.

There are reasons for believing that the first

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male child born of white parents in Chester- field was Lotan Hildreth, son of Jonathan Hildreth, born March 29, 1763.

It is greatly to be regretted that the history of the town from the date of settlement to the year 1767 is almost a complete blank. The town records begin with the latter date ; so that, on account of the loss of the proprietary records, as already stated, we have but little to guide us in our study of this period, save a few traditions and what can be gleaned from a few old deeds. It is certain, however, that a large number of families had become established in the town before 1767. In the spring of 1762, Captain Simon Davis, of Greenwich, Mass., and Abel Emmons settled in the western part of the town; and some time the same year Peter Wheeler also came to settle. A saw-mill is also said to have been constructed this year by John Snow and Moses Smith. The pro- prietors granted two pieces of land to them, on condition that they should erect a mill, keep it in good repair for the following five years, and saw boards at as reasonable a rate as was done in other places. There is a tradition that, after the first boards were sawed, they were laid down so as to form a kind of rude floor, upon which the settlers danced, to celebrate the event.

This mill was built on Catsbane Brook, in the western part of the town, and stood near the place where Warren W. Farr's house now stands. A grist-mill was also erected, at an early period, near this saw-mill. Both mills were carried away by a freshet in the summer of 1826.

The following persons are known to have settled in Chesterfield before 1767 :

Ephraim Baldwin and Jonathan Cobleigh, as early as 1763 ; Daniel Farr, Samuel Farr, and Nathan Thomas, as early as 1764; Jonathan Farr, Jr., and Timothy Ladd, in 1765; Eleazer Cobleigh and Silas Thompson, in 1766.

Of course, the above-named settlers, with their families, constituted but a small part of the whole number that were in the town in the

year 1767, which year Chesterfield had three hundred and sixty-five inhabitants. Among those who had become residents before the last-mentioned date were Jonas Davis, Ebenezer Davison, Thomas Emmons, Jonathan and Samuel Hildreth, James Robertson, James Wheeler and Nathaniel Bingham.

As already stated, the town records begin with the year 1767 ; but there are reasons for believing that town-meetings had been held an- terior to that date, the records of which have been lost.

The following is a copy of the warrant for a town-meeting held on the second Tuesday in June, 1767 :

" PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

To Samuel Hildreth, constable in and for the town of Chesterfield : you are, in his majeste's name, here- by commanded to warn all the Inhabitans of Sd town to meet att the house of Jonas Daviss In Sd town, on the Second tuesday of June Next, att one o'Clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following articels :

" 1. To Chuse a moderator to govarn Sd meeting.

" 2. To Se whether the Town will Raise money to Defray town Charges and hire Schooling.

"3. To See whether the town will hire preaching.

"4. to See whether the town will Except of the Roads as they are now Laid out.

" make Due Return of this warrant att or before Sd Day apinted for Sd meeting.

" Dated Chesterfield may ye 14, A. D. 1767.

" SIMON DAVIS,

" JOHN SNOW, Selectmen

" JONATHAN HILDRETH, of Chesterfield."

" ELEAZER COBLEIGH,

" EBENEZER DAVISON, j

At the meeting called by the above warrant Captain Simon Davis was chosen moderator. The sum of five pounds, lawful money, was voted to defray town charges, and the River road, running from Westmoreland line to Hins- dale line, was accepted.

Several other new roads were also accepted at the same meeting.

It appears from a brief record of a meeting held July 5, 1768, that the town voted to build a road " from the road that goes to Keene,

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along by the potash [potashery], to the road that goes to Winchester."

The record for 1769 is a complete blank. In 1770 the record begins anew, and from that time to the present is unbroken. On the 16th day of January, 1770, Josiah Willard, the leading grantee, was petitioned by thirteen of the inhabitants of Chesterfield to issue a war- rant for a meeting to be held in the following March. The petitioners stated that they had lost their " charter privileges " of holding town- meetings. At the meeting called in accordance with this petition Mr. Willard was present, and administered the oath of office to the offi- cers who were chosen.

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History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 22

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1200

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1200