History of Coos County, New Hampshire, Part 55

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse [N.Y.] : W. A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1194

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Benjamin Sanbon Abraham Sanburn"

In the House of Representatives, June 20, 1804, it was " Voted that the prayer thereof be granted." The Senate did not concur, but voted "that the Petitioners be heard on their Petition and order of court thereon to be published in the Newspaper printed at Hanover three weeks successively; the first publication to be six weeks prior to said day of hearing, and post up the like Subitance & order in some public place in said Town of White- fields."

In the House of Representatives, November 27, 1804, the petitioners

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were granted leave to bring in a bill. The Senate concurred. The act of incorporation passed and was approved December 1, 1804. The preamble reads as follows :-

"Whereas the Inhabitants of Whitefields in the county of Grafton have petitioned the General Court praying that they may be incorporated into a township by the name of Whitefield, and invested with all such privileges and immunities as other towns in this State hold and enjoy which prayer appearing reasonable," etc.

From this time Whitefields has given place to Whitefield, and the second epoch of civilization commences.

First Town Meeting. - John Burns and Joseph Kimball, or either of them, were empowered by this act to call the first town meeting, which was warned to convene at the house of Maj. John Burns, the 12th day of March, 1803. The officers chosen upon this occasion, the first civil officers in the legal town of Whitefield, were as follows: John Burns, moderator; Col. Joseph Kimball, town clerk; John Burns, Joseph Kimball, David Burns, selectmen; Jesse Kelsey, constable; John McMaster, collector.

There were but eight voters in town at this first election, and the vote for governor was for John Langdon, six, and for J. T. Gilman, two, a rousing Republican majority. This meeting was held in the little log house of Major Burns, situated near the present Burns homestead now occupied by the family of John Burns, who is a grandson of the first set- tler, and there are the same two lots (No. 3 in the third and No. 3 in the fourth ranges) that were granted to Maj. John Burns in September, 1802, by the proprietors in consideration " that he pay to the owners three hun- dred dollars, and get a settler upon each lot." This he did. settling his son David upon one, and a relative, Reuben Smith, upon ten acres of the other, near to his own selected division what has since been known as the Moses Bowles farm.

Major John Burns, one of the original organizers and most active among the pioneers of the town, was born in New Boston, August 17, 1755. His immediate ancestor, John Burns, was a hardy old Scotchman, one of the petitioners for the grant of the town of Bedford. in 1750. He was a distinguished hunter and ranger in those French and Indian war days when "eternal vigilance " was the price of one's scalp. He scouted with Capt. Nehemiah Lovewell, whose campaigns against the red-skins were for the avowed purpose of avenging the death of his father, the hero of "Pequauquauke," in 1726.

Major Burns, of Whitefield memory, at twenty years of age, enlisted in Col. John Stark's regiment, May 4, 1775. This regiment was in active duty around Boston for three months, and the story of the battle of Bun- ker Hill is a part of the illustrious record of that service. The Benedict Arnold expedition against Quebec, planned by Washington in August, 1775, took from New Hampshire about ninety men, among whom was

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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

John Burns, of New Boston. In June, of 1776, another requisition was made for troops to march against Canada, and again John Burns enlisted. A month's advance-£3-18s, and a bounty of £6-were the extra induce- ments for enlisting in this expedition. The regiment left No. + (Charles- town) August 1, 1776, and reached Ticonderoga August 9 Here they went into camp. Sickness soon after prevailed to an alarming extent, and many were discharged, among them John Burns, October 26, 1776. In the War of 1812 Mr. Burns was also a soldier, but the details of this serv- ice are not at command. The Major's military title, which chung to him familiarly to the end of life, was acquired in the early militia service of the state. A humble monument in the little burying-ground near his old home recites that " Maj. John Burns died May 6, 1852, aged 96 years and 9 months."

Capt. David Burns, eldest son of Major John, came to Whitefield with his father when he "came up to spy out the land." He was born in Fran- cestown, July 31, 1782, and was, therefore, about twenty when he came to this town as a settler. He married, in 1807. Susannah, daughter of Artemas Knight, of Bethlehem. They built in after years a more commo- dious home near the spot where was first rolled up the little log house of the Major, and here the Captain died, April 30, 1864, in his eighty second year. John Burns, eldest son of Capt. David, and grandson of Major John, born in 1808, August 17th. still occupies the old homestead, and here the representatives of the fourth generation from the first settler still cling proudly to the home of their ancestors. Calvin W. Burns, second son of Capt. David, born in Whitefield. March 4, 1811, is now a respected citizen of Lancaster. He early engaged in the lumber business in White- field. and, at the outlet of the little pond which still bears the family name, was for many years a leading manufacturer in that line.

The connection of Col. Joseph Kimball with the affairs of Whitefield dates from the land sale at Dunstable, in 1796, at which he purchased sev- eral of the forfeited titles. He was at that time a resident of Plainfield, where he settled in 1765, a native, we believe, of Preston, Conn. He was a soldier of the Revolution, having enlisted in 1776 for the re-inforcement of the New York army, in Col. Baldwin's regiment. He was also in the Canada expedition under Col. Wyman in the same year, at the battle of White Plains in October of that year, and was dismissed in the December following. About 1780 he established a ferry across Connecticut river near the mouth of the Queechy, and, in 1785, was granted the sole right of ferry privileges "for three miles south from Lebanon south line." In 1796 he was granted the "exclusive right of locking water-Queechy falls." In 1794 he was one of the " selectmen " of Plainfield, and also held the commission of lieutenant-colonel, commanding the Fifteenth regiment state militia. This he probably resigned upon his removal to

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Whitefield in 1800 or 1801. Col. Kimball, upon locating here, "pitched" upon lot No. 4, in the sixth range, afterward known as the " Holt Kimball farm," and now occupied by Simon B. Howland. He assisted in the organization of the town in 1805, and bore the distinction of being the first chosen town clerk, and a member of the first chosen board of selectmen. But once thereafter was he honored with the election to any town office, although always taking a lively interest in the progress of the new town. Col. Kimball died in October, 1821.

John McMaster, who came to Whitefield with Maj. Burns, was a native of Francestown, born August 17, 1775. His father was William, a veteran of the Revolution, and one of the " Committee of Safety " of that town, also for many years town clerk and selectman of Francestown. The wife of John was Lydia Whittier (or Whicher), and they brought with them children: Sally, born in 1798, who married Nathaniel Hutchins, and Janet, born in September, 1801, who became the wife of Benjamin Brown. Jr. In Whitefield there came to them July, 1803, Lydia, the first white child born in town, who wedded with George Quimby: and Mary B., June, 1813, who became Mrs. David Lang. John McMaster settled upon what is now known as the " Jo' Tayler" farm, where he resided until 1820, when he removed to lot 15 in the 19th range, afterward known as the David Lang place, near the "Blood pond," and here he died, at seventy- three, in March, 1848. Mr. McMaster was the first justice of the peace appointed in Whitefield, and repeatedly served in the several offices within the gift of the town. His only son died at the age of twenty-two, March, 1828. Mrs. McMaster outlived her husband many years, dying in 1866, aged ninety two.

The first " inn-keeper" in town was Asa King, the founder of the village, in that he built and occupied the first house within the present village pre- cincts. It was a low, one story structure, located upon the spot where the residence of Frank Mckean now stands, and here were the first public "accommodations for man and beast." In after years a large and com- modious tavern was erected nearly opposite, upon the site of, and a part of which is now incorporated in, the store and passenger station of the Whitefield & Jefferson railroad. That first house of the village was built in 1×12: the tavern house in 1828. Asa King was a native of Sutton, where he was born in 1779. He was the sixth son of James King, a Brit- ish soldier, who came to this country in the service of the King during the French and Indian war. This James was an attendant upon Gen. Wolfe at the battle of Quebec, and seized and held the horse of his brave com- mander after that officer had received his death wound. The wife of Asa King was Polly Cheney, of Sutton, and February 20, 1801, their first child was born, Nathaniel Cheney, followed by Sally, who became the wife of Col. Joseph Colby; Polly, who married Stephen Nichols, an early writer

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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

and lecturer upon phrenology; Eliza, who wedded, in 1825, with Ashael Aldrich, then of Whitefield; and James A., who became a mariner. The family of Mr. King first occupied their new home in Whitefield on Thanks- giving day, November, 1812. Asa was a carpenter and joiner by trade, but his first industry after locating in town was toward the development of his thousand-acre land purchase, and the first opening north of the river on the Lancaster road, was made by Mr. King on the present Dr. Waterston farm, and the land cleared for the spring planting of 1814. The second wife of Asa King was Sarah, daughter of Maj. John and Sarah (Smith) Burns. They were married in March, 1814. Their children were Hannah, who wedded Richard Lane; John, who married a Stalbird, and is now a resident of Jefferson; Jane. who became Mrs. Stillman Jenney, and removed to Newbury, Vt .; and George, born in 1834, now a resident of Bethlehem. Probably to no one resident is the town more indebted for its first glow of prosperity than to Asa King. To his natural endowment of good rugged common sense he added a mechanical skill not among the least for those days, and being physically strong, he was accounted as one of the foremost among the practical every-day men of the town. Mr. King died in June, 1855, at his farm home opposite the present homestead of B. F. Lane.

Col. Joseph Colby, born in Lisbon, January 21, 1798, came to White- field in 1816, and with his brothers located upon "Comstock Hill" of which he subsequently became sole possessor, and here in the next few years he carved out the nucleus for the farm now occupied by Benjamin F. Lane and the one opposite. In politics Mr. Colby was an old-time abo- litionist, and, after its organization, a staunch leader of the Republican party. He served as selectman for many years, and in 1832-33-37, repre- sented Whitefield in the General Court. His title of colonel he obtained under the old militia service. He was colonel of the Twenty-fourth Reg- iment, but resigned his commission in 1832. He died May 1, 1887.

The first merchant in Whitefield was William Dodge, born in Frances- town, August 15, 1795. He was the third son of Simeon Dodge, a soldier of the Revolution, who migrated from Beverly, Mass., to Francestown about 1783. The emigrant, William Dodge, came from Cheshire, England, to Salem, in 1629. He was of old Kentish stock-the only one of the name noticed in Burke.

William came to Whitefield with his newly wedded wife, Eunice New- ell, in December. 1823. He built, and occupied until his death, the house still standing at the north end of the bridge on the river bank upon the east side of Lancaster street. In the south end, next the bridge, was placed the merchant's "stock in trade," and here, until 1830, was the only store in town. This was the third house built in the village. Abont 1524 a postoffice and mail facilities were established. and William Dodge re-

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ceived the appointment of postmaster, a position which he held through successive administrations until his death in November, 1837. He also for many years carried on the manufacture of pot or pearl ash. The gray old ashery stood upon the river bank in the rear of the house just where the livery stable is now situated. Mr. Dodge was a man of liberal edu- cation, and his abilities were early recognized in the conducting of the affairs of the town. He was town clerk for seven consecutive years, was superintendent of "schooling," and represented the town at "General Court " for the years of 1834-35-36, and in all his official course his work was marked by eminent ability and strict integrity. He died in White- field at the early age of forty-two, in 1837. The children of William and Eunice (Newell) Dodge who lived beyond childhood were Eunice N .; Will- iam Franklin, now of the " Mountain View House," in Whitefield, and a well known citizen: Levi W., of Syracuse, N. Y., a writer of some repute, and a local historian of no mean ability; and Henry C., a successful busi- ness man of New York city.

First Inventory-1806-shows Reuben Smith taxed on one poll and two oxen; John McMaster, one poll, one horse, one colt, two oxen. one cow, one young creature; David Burns, one poll, one cow, two young cattle, one acre of mowing; Williams Burns, one poll, one cow; Benj. Brown, one poll, one horse, two oxen, two cows; Aaron Bailey, one poll, one horse; Joseph Kimball, four horses and colts, one cow, six young cattle: Peter Russell, one poll, one cow.

Early Roads. - Roads are generally constructed to meet the needs of the population; but Whitefield's first road was built to attract what she most needed at that time, viz. : settlers. A path through the forest marked by "blazed trees," was sufficient to answer the name and the purpose of a "horse road," as the records say. It was constructed about 1774 by order of the proprietors and under the supervision of Henry Gerrish, the first surveyor. The location of this spotted-tree pathway, was substantially where the present road from Bethlehem to Lancaster (north and south through the town) now runs, and upon either side thereof were laid out the first one hundred and five lots of seventy-five acres each. The length of this primitive road is said to have been seven miles and two hundred rods. There is no mention of its width. Nature immediately set its obliterating forces at work, and in a score of years there was little trace left of this ancient road-way, save a long line of scarified pines, beeches and maples, for it was an unused wood-path.

The next steps taken toward road-making were at a proprietors' meet- ing held at Atkinson, December 3, 1800, at which a committee consisting of Jonas Minot, Jonas Baker, John Burns and Samuel Minot, was ap- pointed to look and lay out a road the most direct way from Lancaster through Whitefield toward Plymouth. May 25, 1801. Mr. Jonas Baker

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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

made the preliminary survey, followed immediately by the road-makers, under Mr. Minot, whose supervision extended to a point in the road a little north of the old Simeon Warner place. Thence to Lancaster line it was built under the direction of John Gile, then of Bethlehem, and finished in the autumn of 1801. It was inspected and measured by Moses Eastman, who was the first town clerk and first selectman chosen in Bethlehem after its organization as a town. The hill east of the road and above the Mont- gomery pond was designated in the records as "Beech Hill." The cost of building this road through the wilderness of Whitefield was one hun- dred and seventy-one dollars. It will be remembered that the building of this road is an enterprise of the proprietors of the township, for as yet- there are no settlers; but one of the first acts of the town after its organ- ization, was the laying out and legalizing of this same route, " commenc- ing on lot No. 2, second range, at a small white pine tree marked, thence running southwesterly to the east end of John McMaster's barn, thence to the easterly end of Maj. Burns' house, thence continuing about the same course to the easterly side of Benjamin Brown's," etc., etc. This first recorded road of the settlers is under date of October 28, 1805, and is along the same way as built by Minot and Gile in 1801. As yet the McMaster opening (upon what is now known as the Jo Tayler place) is the most northerly settlement in town. Two years afterward (1807) the first grist- mill was built, and this road extended to the river; but it was not until 1814 that the selectmen continued the survey and record of the road from McMaster's to Lancaster, or, as it was all re-surveyed, from Bethlehem to Lancaster, making the distance three rods less than did the proprietors' survey in 1801.

In 1815 the road from Whitefield village through the "East Part " to Jefferson was built past the Enoch Kinney opening and what is now "Bray Hill."

In 1816 the town voted to lay out a road from Dalton line to Bretton (Woods) without the cost of a court's committee. This, however, was not sufficient for the general public, for it was soon afterward laid out by a board of commissioners consisting of Adino N. Brackett, of Lancaster, Asa King, of Whitefield, and Abel Crawford, of Hart's Location, assisted by Edward Spaulding and Joseph Colby. The limits of the survey were from the Connecticut river in Dalton, through Whitefield and Bretton Woods (Carroll) to the " Old Rye Field."

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TOWN OF WHITEFIELD.

CHAPTER XEV.

Ecclesiastical. Provisions for Religious Worship- Free Will Baptists -Congregationalists - Adventists - Union Meeting-House - Methodism - Young Men's Christian Association - Cathol- icism - Temperance - Schools -- Societies.

ROVISIONS for Religious Worship .-- The importance attached to the religious education of the people of New Hampshire by its early government may be inferred from the fact that no grant for a town- ship outside of the Masonian claim by the Governors Wentworth, was made without the especial specifications that one equal share should be reserved for "the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, one whole share for the first settled minister, and one equal share for a Glebe for the Church of England " as by law established. and one for the benefit of schools in said town, and, in most grants, a condition was added " that the grantees do within the space of three years from the time they are admitted, build and furnish a convenient house for the public worship of God, and settle a learned orthodox minister." In many of the later townships the provisions of the grants were in no wise carried out by reason of the Revolution which followed, as was the case with Whitefield; but this fact was not allowed to effect the titles of the church and school reservation as per royal authority.

This "Propagation of the Gospel Society" was instituted by the "Church of England," and after the change in the government following the Revolution these society lands were turned over to the Episcopal church, which gave all its chartered lands into the hands of a board of citizens of the state to be kept in trust or sold for its benefit.

The original "Church of England reservation " in this town now con- stitute the Benjamin F. Lane farm, and the one immediately opposite on the road going to Carroll. Col. Joseph Colby purchased the claim from the agent of the church, about 1818, paying therefor thirty dollars. The well-known " Kimball Hill" farm formed a part of the "Society " reser- vation, but when it was transferred to Col. Kimball or his son Joseph K. we have not the means of knowing. The "one ninety-fourth part of Whitefield to be set apart for the use of the first settled minister," as per the mandate of the royal charter, proved a source of no little contention among the friends of the early preachers of the gospel in town. It was finally decided that Elder Beniah Bean should receive the benefit of the grant. although the vote of the tax-payers in 1832 was averse to the claim. Elder Nicholas Bray and Mr. Bean both paid their first tax here in 1819, but Mr. Bray did not become a resident until two years after, and the same year, 1821, came Ira Bowles, who twenty years after became an

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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

ardent teacher of Millerism, and the local pastor of the church of the Adventists. Elder Jonathan Chase, of the Methodists, did not become a settler here until 1825. Of the final adjustment of the title to the " minister's right to a ninety-fourth part of the town we have not the details, for the records contain them not; but we are assured by an old resident, Col. Joseph Colby, that it was decided in favor of Mr. Bean, we believe by exchange, as the allotments to this share (as drawn and located after "the Eames survey ") were placed beyond the reach of settlement at that early day, and then were of little value.

Mr. Bean's log-house, as built by himself and neighbors in 1819-1820, was situated just at the top of the hill below the residence of B. F. Lane, on the opposite side of the road, and is well-remembered when the writer hereof was a school-boy as of the general style of those primitive struc- tures-unpretentious as a barn, and humble as a Quaker-but where there is contentment, there is home! After the lapse of a score or more of years the gray pile grew untenantable, and in 1850 was a ruin, and the old elder preached his last sermon many years ago.

Material for the spiritual history of the town is very meager, our fathers hardly thinking that in their humble relations they were "making history " for their posterity. The only hints in the "records" of the town upon religious matters are, a vote at the annual meeting of the town in 1812 "to raise sixteen dollars to hire preaching," and in the following year, 1813, " voted not to raise any mony for preaching." Upon whom the sixteen dollars of 1812 was bestowed we have no record, but presume the teacher was worthy of his hire.

Free Will Baptists .- The claim of the Free Will Baptists as the first laborers in this part of the Lord's vineyard may perhaps not be inappro- priate, for Rev. Joshua Quimby, of that denomination, itinerating here in 1816-17, formed a religious society, and several persons were baptized, the first being two brothers, Paul and John Buzzell. The place of baptism was in the river just above the site of the present grist-mill. Beniah Bean, the first resident minister in Whitefield, settled here in 1819. He was ordained in 1828, at the age of thirty-five years. The ceremonies incident to the ordination were conducted in the old tavern of Asa King, which stood where, and now forms a part of, the store and station of the Whitefield & Jefferson R. R. Co. The first meetings of this society were held in Mr. King's barn, which stood upon the opposite side of the road where now is the residence of Frank Mckean, and in this barn was organized the first church society in town, the Baptist. Among the early laborers in this local Baptist field were Elders Nicholas Bray and Ira Bowles- earnest, pious workers in the Christian cause.

Prior to the advent of Millerism in 1842-43, this society was the strongest in numbers, if not in influence, of any of the religious organiza-

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tions that had gained a foot-hold in Whitefield; but the promulgation of this new faith caused internal doctrinal discussions, from which the Bap- tists seemed to suffer the most; for, under the zealous teachings of Elder Ira Bowles, and the leadership of Joseph Colby, John M. Gove, Asa King, and others, a schism was effected, which resulted in the organization of the Second Advent church.

In the course of time they became once more of strength, and, in 1872, were strong enough to feel that the interest and general welfare of their church demanded that they abandon the idea of worshiping in a Union house, and build a place of worship of their own. Hence a society was organized and various committees appointed. The soliciting committee was very successful, and in a few months enough was pledged to warrant their going on with their cherished undertaking. A building committee was appointed, and the work commenced in the fall of 1873. Very little could be done during the winter, so that it was not completed until Sep- tember, 1874. This beautiful house of worship was dedicated about the middle of September. It has an excellent site on Jefferson street, and contains a vestry, ladies' parlor, kitchen, and various anterooms, together with a commodious audience room, with a seating capacity for five hun- dred. In the organ loft is a beautiful pipe organ, costing a little over $1,600. The entire expense of the house and furnishing was not far from $14,000. The society also owns a good parsonage, situated on High street, overlooking the entire village. Good drainage, pure water, as well as pure air, and fine scenery, make this a healthful and pleasant home. Rev. G. H. Pinkham was pastor when the meeting-house was erected, and it was through his earnest labor and encouraging words that so great a work was undertaken. He occupied the pulpit until the spring of 1876. This was the close of a long and successful pastorate. In the summer Rev. F. L. Wiley was called as pastor. At this time the church was burdened with a debt of several thousand dollars, and, largely through the heroic endeav- ors of his faithful, energetic wife, the debt was raised. Her name will ever be cherished by this society, because of her efforts in this direction as well as her untiring labor in behalf of the church and Sunday-school.

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History of Coos County, New Hampshire, Part 55

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Syracuse [N.Y.] : W. A. Fergusson Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse [N.Y.] : W. A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1194