USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Chesterfield > History of Chesterfield, Cheshire county, N.H., from the incorporation of "township number one," by Massachusetts, in 1736, to the year 1881; together with family Histories and genealogies > Part 4
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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 meet- ing.
Dated Chesterfield may ye 14th, A. D. 1767.
SIMON DAVIS, JOHN SNOW, JONATHAN HILDRETH, ELEAZER COBLEIGII, EBENEZER DAVISON,
Selectmen of
Chesterfield.
At the meeting called by the above warrant, Capt. 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 Hinsdale line, was accepted. A road beginning at Hinsdale line and running northerly by Jonathan Hil- dreth's and Nathaniel Bingham's, was also accepted. Jonathan Hildreth lived where Watson Wheeler now lives, and Nathaniel Bingham on "Wetherbee Hill." Several other roads were ac- cepted at the same meeting, viz. : a road from the south-west cor- ner of James Wheeler's land (lot 6, range 12), and running on the west line of the twelfth range, to James Robertson's ; one from said Robertson's to the "meeting-house place, an easterly and south- easterly point ;" and another beginning at the same place (Robert- son's) and running to "Mr. Cobleigh's mill, a westerly point ;" one from Hinsdale line, "in the east road a few rods till it comes to the notch of the mountain, to a new fortification, so called, thence run- ning by Timothy Ladd's, a north-westerly point, to Peter Wheeler's, then a northerly point to Mr. Cobleigh's grist-mill ;" one from the "east road" to the "middle road," on the line between Jonathan Hildreth's and Samuel Hildreth's, Jonathan Farr's and Thomas Em- mons' land. James Robertson lived on the farm now owned and occupied by his grandson, Timothy N. Robertson. Cobleigh's
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grist-mill was on Catsbane brook, near the point where the "Lily- Pond brook" empties into it. Peter Wheeler settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Russell H. Davis, and Timothy Ladd, at the time the above-mentioned roads were accepted, may have lived on lot No. 3, in the eleventh range. Samuel Hildreth proba- bly lived on the farm once owned by Marshall H. Day, but now owned by Hermon C. Harvey. It is not known with certainty where Jonathan Farr and Thomas Emmons lived at the time these roads were accepted. 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, along by the potash, to the road that goes to Winchester." There is no record of any other meeting held in the year 1768, than the one just referred to, and not even the warrant for that was recorded.
The record for 1769 is a complete blank.
In 1770, the record begins anew, and from that time to the pres- ent is unbroken. On the 16th day of January, 1770, Josiah Wil- lard, the leading grantee, who was a justice of the peace, was pe- titioned by some of the inhabitants of the town, to issue a warrant for a meeting to be held in the following March, according to law. Mr. Willard was also requested to be present at the meeting. The petitioners stated that they had lost their "charter privileges" of holding town-meetings ; but in what way, was not mentioned. The petition was signed by the following persons :
Elkanah Day, Nathaniel Bingham, Nathaniel Sanger, Lawrence Walton, Ephraim Baldwin, Simon Davis, Jonathan Hildreth, Thomas Emmons, Peter Wheeler, Samuel Farr, Thomas Winslow, Eleazer Cobleigh, David Stoddard.
The act in accordance with which the petition was made, was "an act passed in the sixth year of King George the Third, empowering a justice of the peace to notify town meetings, when their annual meetings have not been regularly held." Mr. Willard appointed the first Wednesday in March (the 7th day) for the meeting, which was to be held at the house of Dr. Elkanah Day.
At the meeting which was held agreeably to Mr. Willard's noti- fication, Dr. Day was chosen moderator, and Ephraim Baldwin town-clerk. Mr. Baldwin held the office of town-clerk for fifteen successive years. Jonathan Hildreth, Silas Thompson, Elkanah
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Day, Thomas Emmons and Nathaniel Bingham were elected select- men and assessors. Mr. Willard was present and administered the oath of office. At the same meeting, Nathaniel Sanger, Edward Hildreth and Abel Emmons were chosen tithing-men. It was the duty of the last named officers to preserve order during public wor- ship, and to look after Sabbath-breakers.
On the 3d of April following, another meeting was held at the house of Dr. Day. The second article of the warrant was as fol- lows: "To see if the inhabitants of said town will raise money to cover the meeting-house frame that is now raised in said town." No action concerning this article was recorded. The fifth article was, "To see if the town will let the swine run at large the present year." It was voted in the affirmative. It was also voted that a warrant posted at Eleazer Cobleigh's mill, should be a sufficient warning for any town-meeting held during the year. At another meeting held the 24th of the same month, it was voted to raise one hundred pounds, to cover the meeting-house frame; and Martin Warner, Elkanah Day and Silas Thompson were chosen a commit- tee to oversee the covering of the same.
October 22, the same year, another town-meeting was held, at which it was voted to accept several new roads, viz. : a road from the meeting-house to the river, passing through Jonas Davis's land to the road that led from said Davis's to the river ; one from the meeting-house to Winchester, running easterly into the "old road that leads to Winchester ;" one from the meeting-house to Keene, as it was then "trod ;" also one from "the bridge between Capt. Da- vis's and Joseph Higgins', through Capt. Davis's land, a southerly point, by Simon Davis's, Jr., Jonathan Farr's &c., to Hinsdale line (?), by marked trees." Capt. Simon Davis and Joseph Higgins lived near the "river road," but the exact location of their houses is not known. Four other roads were accepted at the same meeting. It was also voted to take five pounds and ten shillings of the money raised to be laid out on the meeting-house, for the purpose of pay- ing the province tax.
At the annual town-meeting held March 6, 1771, Moses Smith, David Stoddard and Timothy Ladd were chosen selectmen and as- sessors. Two more roads were also accepted, one of them running from Widow Cobleigh's mill westerly, and "north of Mr. Snow's
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saw-mill, and south of Warren Snow's house, to the river road.' "Widow Cobleigh" was undoubtedly the widow of Eleazer Cob- leigh.
At a meeting held the 16th of the next April, it was voted to raise 50 pounds to hire preaching, and 15 pounds for schooling. It was also voted "to let the swine run at large, being yoked and ringed according to law." Another meeting was held May 29th, the same year. Jonathan Hildreth, Nathaniel Bingham and John Snow were chosen a committee "to provide a minister." A com- mittee of the following persons was also formed, to divide the town into school wards, viz: Nathan Thomas, John Grandy, Elisha Rockwood, Silas Thompson, Jacob Hinds, Thomas Emmons and Aaron Smith.
The establishment of a church and the procuring of a suitable minister to take charge of the same, seems to have occupied the at- tention of the town to a considerable extent during the year 1771; for, Aug. 5, of that year, another meeting was held, at which it was voted to hire Mr. Eliot upon further trial. From this it is inferred that Mr. Eliot had already been preaching in the town. It was voted at the same meeting not to establish the school wards as laid out by the committee chosen for that purpose. This was the first town-meeting ever held in the meeting-house. On the 2d of Sep- tember following, a meeting was held to elect grand-jurors and draw petit-jurors. This was the first juror-meeting held in the town, of which there is any record.
The Province was divided in 1771 into five counties, namely, Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough, Cheshire and Grafton. The first grand-jurors chosen by this town, at the above-mentioned meet- ing, were Elisha Rockwood and Silas Thompson for the Superior Court, and Martin Warner for the Inferior Court. Aaron Smith and Nathaniel Bingham were the first petit-jurors for the former court, and John Davison for the latter.
On the 24th of the same month (Sept., 1771) the sixth town- meeting of the year took place in the meeting-house, in which building the town-meetings were ever afterwards held, till it was burned down. At this meeting it was voted to give Mr. John Eliot "a call" to settle in the ministry of the town, and to give him 100
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pounds "settlement money," for two years ; also, to give him a sal- ary of 40 pounds a year, for the first two years, and five pounds additional each year thereafter, till his salary should become equal to 65 pounds a year. A committee was also chosen "to treat with Mr. Eliot." It was voted to remit Naphthali Streeter's minister- rate, because he was a member of the Anabaptist church, as was proved by a certificate from a church in Royalston, Mass., duly re- corded in the records of Chesterfield.
During the year 1772, no fewer than eight town-meetings were held. The first took place Jan. 2, when it was voted to give Col. Josiah Willard of Winchester one "pew ground" in the meeting- house, the same to be the second one west of the pulpit. One "pew ground" was also reserved for the ministry. Certain other provis- ions were made for the disposal of pews, and it was voted not to raise money to be laid out on the building.
The second was on the 12th of February. It was voted neither to raise money to hire preaching, nor to finish the outside of the meeting-house ; but it was voted to raise the sum of ten pounds for the support of the poor.
The third meeting was the annual one, and was held March 4. The selectmen chosen were the same as in the previous year. Three new roads, laid out by the selectmen, were accepted ; and a com- mittee was chosen to settle with all those persons who had held the office of selectman, from the time of incorporation to the year 1772.
The fourth meeting took place April 2, at which it was voted to raise 150 pounds to repair the highways, each man to be allowed three shillings, four pence per day, till the first of October, and after that date, two shillings, eight pence per day. For the use of a yoke of oxen, two shillings per day were to be allowed ; for a plow and cart, one shilling per day, each. The sum of 12 pounds was appropriated for the schools. It seems that Mr. Eliot, for some cause not now known, was not engaged as pastor of the town- church ; for, at the fifth meeting of the year, held June 8, it was voted to take 75 pounds of the money appropriated for the high- ways, and use it in finishing the outside of the meeting-house, and to raise 15 pounds "to hire preaching upon probation."
At the sixth meeting, Aug. 17, it was voted to hire Mr. Abraham Wood, upon "farther trial." From this it is to be inferred that Mr.
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Wood had already been preaching "upon probation," according to the vote passed at the preceding meeting. It was furthermore vot- ed, at the same meeting, that the Baptists should pay their propor- tion of the minister-rates.
October 12, the seventh meeting was held, at which it was voted to give Abraham Wood an invitation to settle in the work of the ministry, and to give him, if he accepted the invitation, the sum of 100 pounds "for a settlement," and a yearly salary as follows : from the time of his acceptance of the "call," 40 pounds a year, for two years ; and after the expiration of two years, five pounds additional each year, till his salary should amount to 65 pounds per year. These terms were accepted by Mr. Wood, in a letter which will be given in its proper place. (See chapter on "Churches, &c.")
A pastor for the town-church having been procured, the eighth and last town-meeting of the year was held on the 7th day of De- cember, to make preparations for his ordination. At this meeting the following votes were passed :
I. That Thursday, the 31st day of the same month, should be the day on which the ordination was to take place.
2. That Elisha Rockwood should have eight pounds "for provid- ing and entertaining with victuals, drink, lodgings and horse-keep- ing, the whole of the council of ministers, delegates and other gen- tlemen of distinction."
3. That the sum of nine pounds should be raised to defray any expenses arising from the ordination.
4. That the Town concur with the vote of the Church, to send invitations to other churches to assist in the ordination.
5. That the window-caps of the meeting-house should be "of straight, solid wood, with cornice on the front."
6. That two or three Sabbaths a year should be granted to Mr. Wood, to enable him to visit his friends, so long as he should be the pastor of the church.
Such were, in substance, the votes passed at this meeting. There is no further record concerning Mr. Wood's ordination known to be in existence.
At the annual town-meeting for the year 1773, which took place on the 3d of March, Zerubbabel Snow, Ephraim Baldwin and Mar- tin Warner were elected selectmen. It was voted to buy a cloth
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for covering coffins at funerals, "in order for a decent burial in said town." Lawrence Walton was chosen sexton, "to inspect the meeting-house" and have charge of the graveyard near the same. It was also voted to raise 15 pounds for the support of the schools, and 50 pounds for building certain pews in the meeting-house.
At another meeting held the 21st of the following April, it was voted to raise 150 pounds to be laid out on the highways ; to allow two porches to be added to the meeting-house ; to sell the "pew- grounds" to the highest bidders, at "public vendue," the persons bidding to be residents of the town, and only one pew-ground to be sold to one person ; also, that the money so obtained should be ex- pended on the meeting-house. At the same meeting another com- mittee was chosen to divide the town into school wards. At an- other meeting held June 28, the same year, it was voted to purchase a set of weights and measures for the use of the town. The last meeting of the year was held Dec. 14, at which two new roads were accepted.
At the annual town meeting for the year 1774, held March 2, the same selectmen were elected as at the annual meeting in '73. Na- than Thomas and Josiah Hastings were also chosen deer-reeves. It was voted to allow Phineas Brown 91 pounds and 4 shillings, in full, for work on the meeting-house, including all the materials fur- nished by him.
The 26th of the next April, at a special meeting, the town voted to have six school wards, each ward to have the proportion of the school money that it was assessed for.
A new epoch in the history of the town was now soon to come. and the period which embraces the eight years beginning with the year 1775, is one of great interest and importance. Previous to this last mentioned date, there is no evidence that the town took any part in the affairs of the Province at large, except to pay its propor- tion of the Province tax ; but the great struggle which was now impending between England and her American colonies, aroused the town from its passive condition to one of action and excitement.
In 1773, most of the colonies appointed "committees of corre- spondence." The object of these committees was to promote unity of sentiment and action respecting the oppressive measures under- taken by the mother-country. Such a committee was appointed by
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the New Hampshire Assembly in May, 1774 ; whereupon that body was adjourned by Gov. John Wentworth, the nephew and successor of Benning Wentworth. The members of the Assembly were soon afterwards summoned to meet, by the committee. The Gov- ernor, attended by the Sheriff of Rockingham county, went among them and ordered them to disperse. They adjourned to another building, and wrote letters to all the towns in the Province, request- ing them to send deputies to Exeter, for the purpose of choosing delegates to attend a "general congress," to be held at Philadelphia, in September. Accordingly, eighty-five deputies were chosen, who assembled at Exeter, and, July 21, delegated Nathaniel Folsom and John Sullivan to attend the proposed congress at Philadelphia. Chesterfield seems not to have complied with the request to send a deputy to Exeter.
CHAPTER III.
The Civil History of the Town during the war of the Revolution and the Con- troversy about the "New Hampshire Grunts" (from 1775 to 1783.)
The Town Accepts of the Result of the General Congress Held at Philadel- phia-A Committee Chosen "to Observe the Conduct of All Persons"- Bad State of Society-A New Form of Government Proposed-The Town Chooses its First Representative-The "Association Test," and Names of Persons who Signed, or Refused to Sign, the "Declaration"- Michael Cressey Chosen Representative-Mr. Cressey's Instructions- Dissatisfaction with the Form of Government Adopted for the New State-Richard Coughlan's Rum Destroyed-A "Committee of Inspec- tion and Correspondence" Chosen-Address to the Inhabitants of Ches- terfield by Samuel Fairbanks and Elisha Rockwood-Address of the Town Committee of Safety, respecting Persons "Inimical to the United States of America -Ephm. Baldwin, Clerk of the Town, Cited to Ap- pear before the General Assembly-The "Articles of Confederation" Accepted by the Town-Convention at Walpole-Rev. Abraham Wood's Proposals respecting His Salary for 1780-Controversy about the "New
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Hampshire Grants"-A New State Formed, Called "Vermont"-Sixteen Towns East of the Connecticut Attempt to Unite with Vermont-Con- vention at Charlestown-The Town Refuses to Take Measures for Rais- ing its Quota of Men for the Army-Convention at Cornish-Chesterfield and Other Towns Unite with Vermont-Memorial of Bingham, Cressey and Others-Conflict of Authority between the Officers of New Hamp- shire and Vermont-Samuel Davis Attempts to Serve a Writ on James Robertson, and is Resisted-Nathaniel Bingham and John Grandy, Jr., Arrested and Committed to the Jail at Charlestown-The Sheriff of Ches- hire County Attempts to Release Bingham and Grandy and is Imprisoned by a Vermont Sheriff-Vermont Prepares to Use Military Force, if Nec- essary-Col. King Desires His Men to be in Readiness-Orders Given by the Committee of Safety for the Arrest of King, Moses Smith, Jr., and Others-King Arrested, but Rescued by Members of the Vermont Party -Capt. Burt's Description of the Proceedings of the Vermont Party in Chesterfield-Gen. Bellows also Gives a Graphie Description of the State of Affairs in Chesterfield-The New Hampshire Government Resolves to Send an Armed Force into the Western Part of the State-Washington's Letter to the Governor of Vermont-End of the Controversy-Gen. Bel- lows, of Walpole, and Wm. Lee, Issue a Warrant for the Annual Town- Meeting for the Year 1782. The Minority Protest against the Proceed- ings of the Majority-Samuel Davis Attempts to Break up the Court at Keene-Adoption of a Constitution for the State -- Troops Ordered into Chesterfield to Enforce the Payment of Taxes.
A second convention of deputies from the towns of the Province, met at Exeter in January, 1775, to consider the state of affairs and choose delegates to attend the next General Congress to be held at Philadelphia on the roth of May following. Major Sullivan and Capt. Langdon were chosen for this purpose.
There is no record of the sending of a deputy or delegate by this town to the above mentioned convention, but it appears that its pro- ceedings were heartily indorsed by a majority of the inhabitants.
Under date of Jan. 17, 1775, is the record of a town-meeting, at which it was voted to accept of the result of the General Congress held at Philadelphia in the autumn of the preceding year ; to act upon a letter that came from the chairman of the Provincial Com- mittee ; also, that this town would pay its proportion of the cost of another Congress to be held at Philadelphia the following May. Lieut. Brown, Lieut. Hinds, Nathaniel Bingham, Silas Thompson and Ephraim Baldwin were constituted a committee "to draw up articles" and make return of the proceedings of the meeting to the Provincial Committee.
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The annual town-meeting was held on the first day of March. In the warrant for the same was the following article: "To see if the town will choose a committee, agreeable to the advice of the Continental Congress, whose business it shall be attentively to ob- serve the conduct of all persons touching said Congress." In ac- cordance with this advice, Ensign Moses Smith, Dea. Silas Thomp- son and Lieut. Jacob Hinds were chosen "to observe the conduct of all persons," as above stated.
Society, at the time the war began, was in a very unhappy con- dition, being, in fact, in a state bordering upon anarchy. Dr. Jer- emy Belknap, who wrote his excellent "History of New Hamp- shire" before the close of the last century, and who personally ex- perienced the excitement and hardships of the Revolution, gives us the following vivid picture of the state of society in 1775 :
"A spirit of violent resentment was excited against all who were suspected of a disposition inimical to the American Cause. Some persons were taken up on suspicion and imprisoned ; some fled to Nova Scotia or to England, or joined the British army in Boston. Others were restricted to certain limits and their motions continu- ally watched. The passions of jealousy, hatred and revenge were freely indulged, and the tongue of slander was under no restraint. Wise and good men secretly lamented these excesses ; but no effect- ual remedy could be administered. All commissions under the former authority being annulled, the courts of justice were shut, and the sword of magistracy was sheathed. The Provincial Con- vention directed the general affairs of the war; and town commit- tees had a discretionary, but undefined, power to preserve domestic peace."
Nathaniel Bingham, Ephraim Hubbard, Stephen Carter, Moses Smith, Jr., and John Davison were the selectmen this year (1775), having been chosen at the annual meeting.
In May, the royal Governor, John Wentworth, called a new As- sembly, and urged the members to adopt measures that would re- store tranquillity. A new Convention of deputies was in session at Exeter at the same time, and gave the Assembly instructions with regard to the course to be pursued by the latter. In accordance with these instructions, the Assembly ejected three members whom the Governor had summoned, by the King's writ, from three new
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townships. This so displeased Gov. Wentworth that he adjourned the Assembly to the eleventh day of July following. One of the expelled members having in some way incurred the displeasure of the populace, took refuge in the Governor's house. The people placed a gun, mounted upon a carriage, before the door, and the man was surrendered. The Governor then withdrew to the fort, and his house, which was in Portsmouth, was pillaged. The As- sembly having met on the IIth of July, according to adjournment, Gov. Wentworth sent a message from the fort and adjourned it to Sept. 28th ; but it never met again. However, when the time came for the meeting of the Assembly, the Governor issued a proclama- tion from the Isles of Shoals, adjourning it to the next April. This was his last official act, as Governor of the Province, and British rule in New Hampshire was now virtually ended.
The Convention that met at Exeter in May, was in session most of the time till November. One hundred and two towns were rep- resented by 133 members. Post-offices were established, and a com- mittee of supplies for the army and a "committee of safety" were formed. The Convention also proceeded to get possession of the provincial records.
Before the Convention dissolved, it applied to the General Con- gress for advice with regard to the form of government to be adopt- ed. The General Congress recommended that a full and free rep- resentation of the people should be called, to adopt such a form of government as should be thought best for the Province during the contest with Great Britain. Accordingly, the Convention decided that each elector should possess a real estate of the value of 20 pounds, and each candidate for election one of the value of 300 pounds ; that every town having one-hundred families should be entitled to one representative, and one more for every one-hundred families additional ; that towns having less than one-hundred fami- lies should be classed. The number of inhabitants had been ascer- tained to be 82,200, of which 11,089 belonged to Cheshire county. But at that time, Cheshire county included the territory now called Sullivan county. It was decided that the entire population should be represented by S9 representatives. Having sent to the towns copies of the plan of representation proposed, the Convention dis- solved on the 16th day of November. 7
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On the 14th day of December, a town-meeting was held to choose a person to represent Chesterfield and Hinsdale in the "Provincial Congress," as it was called, to be held at Exeter on the 21st day of the same month. Archibald Robertson was chosen for this pur- pose. Mr. Robertson was to hold his office for one year, and was the first delegate or representative chosen by the town ; at least, he was the first of whom we have any record. Capt. Shattuck, Aaron Cooper, Capt. Hildreth, Ensign Smith and Lieut. Fletcher were constituted a committee to give Mr. Robertson his instructions. Aaron Cooper was of Hinsdale, as was, probably, also Capt. Shat- tuck.
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