History of Coos County, New Hampshire, Part 90

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

USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of Coos County, New Hampshire > Part 90

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T HE township of Stratford, containing seventy-one shares and 48, 603 acres of land, more than double the size of Woodbury, was chartered May 26, 1773, by John Wentworth, with these boundaries :-

" Beginning at a Hemlock Tree standing on the bank of the Connecticut river which was marked B. W. by Benj. Whiting for the north-west corner of Woodbury, thence North, 88º east, Six Miles to a Fir tree marked by said Whiting for the North-east corner of Woodbury, thence on the same course One mile and a half, thenec south, 2º east, Eleven Miles and Two Hundred and Twenty rods, thence North, 45° west, Four miles and Two Hundred and Thirty Eight rods to a Spruce tree at the North-east corner of Northumberland, thence Two Hundred and Eighty Eight rods on Northumberland line, thence West, Two Miles and One Hun- ered and Fifty two rods to Connectient River, thence by said river as that trends to the Bound began at."

Conditions of Charter .- Among the conditions exacted of the grantees by the charter were these :-

" That the Grantees shall, at their cost, cut, clear, bridge, and make passable for Carriages of all kinds, a Road of four rods wide through the said Tract, to be completed in two years-That the Grantees shall settle or cause to be settled Twelve Families by the First of June 1774, who shall be actually cultivating some part of the land and resident thereon and to continue, etc .- Before any division of the Land be made a tract of land as near the center of said Township as the land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked out for Town Lots, one of which shall be allotted, of the contents of one acre, to each Grantee."

Grantees of Stratford with Number of Lot allotted by Survey of 1788 .- Perry Averill, 58; Capt, Moses Averill, 63; Samuel Averill, 53; Samuel Averill, Jr., 59; Heth Baldwin, 47; Jabez Baldwin, 18; William Barker, 64; Joseph Barlow, 20; Joseph Bass, 16; Sammuel Beard, 26; Capt. Isaiah Brown, 13; Samuel Beers, 7; Nathan

749

TOWN OF STRATFORD.

Booth, 27; George Boyd, Esq., 37; Nehemiah Curtis, 23; Samuel Curtis, 44; Stephen Curtis, 10: Stephen Cur- tis, Jr., 68; George Crague, 36; Daniel Fowle, Esq., 51; William Gardiner, -; Richard Hart, 52; Aaron Hin- man, 15; Capt. Benjamin Hinman, 28; Elijah Hinman, 14; Freeman Hinman, 21; John Holbrook. Jr., 39; Joseph Holbrook, 17; Joseph Holbrook, Jr., 50; William Samuel Johnson, 43; Abner Judson, 8; Capt. Agur Judson, 5; Agur Judson, Jr., 6; Capt. Daniel Judson. 22; Daniel Judson, Jr., 9: David Judson, 42; Stiles Judson, 32; Judah Kellogg, 61; William King, 48; George Lewis, 54; Capt. Moses Little, 56; George Marshall, Jr., 66; Renold Marvin, Esq., 34; Elisha Mills, -; David Munn, 19; Morgan Noble, 2; Benj. Parker, 49; Joseph Seward, -; Jacob Sheafe, Jr., 12; Stephen Sherman, 45; Samuel Sherburn, 36; Agur Tomlinson. 4; Beach Tomlinson, 30; Hezekiah Tomlinson, 24; Capt. Joseph Tomlinson, 62; Stephen Tomlinson, 35; Will- iam Agur Tomlinson, 25; William Tomlinson, 9; Thomas Tousey, 55; Moses Welkston, 33; Joseph Wells, 31: Nathan Wells, 60; John Wendell, Esq., 67; Joshua Wentworth, -: Col. Josiah Willard, 11; Rev. Ezeriah Wetmore, 29; Arthur Wooster, 46; Ebenezer Wooster, 65; Joseph Wooster, 2d, 41; Thomas Wooster, Jr., 57; Thomas Wooster, 3d, 40.

Thirty of these were resdents of "Old Stratford," and only five were grantees of Woodbury, viz .: Agur Tomlinson, Elijah Hinman, David Munn, Arthur Wooster, and Samnel Averill. The Baldwins were from Newtown; William Barker from Norwich; the Hinmans and Holbrooks from Southbury; David Munn from Woodbury; Morgan Noble from New Milford; Ebenezer and Thomas Wooster, Jr., from Derby. Jabez Bald- win, his son Heth, Joseph Barlow, Elijah Hinman, Joseph and John Hol- brook, were the only grantees who became settlers of the new township. Capt. Isaiah Brown sent his son James, and Isaac Johnson was perhaps son of William S. Johnson. James, Aaron, and William Curtis were sons of Stephen Curtis, the grantee.

First Settlers .- At a proprietors' meeting held in December, 1772, it was voted :-

"To pay those persons that did ye last summer proceed to settle and improve, and shall for the future so continue their settlements and improvements, viz .: Joshua Lamkin, Archippus Blodgett, James Brown, James Curtis, Isaac Johnson, Timothy DeForest, Benajah Blaekman, and John Smith, be paid, and do receive the sum of Three Pounds lawful money each, for some reward for their extraordinary trouble and expense in proceeding to settle and make improvements the said last summer."

First Woman Settler .- June 1. 1773, it was voted "that the sum of Ten Dollars be paid by the Proprietors to Mrs. Barlow, wife of Joseph Bar- low, on account for the reason only that she hath proceeded with her hus- band and family of children to Coös, our Township of Stratford. and is the first woman that hath settled upon said Township."

C'ontest of Skill .- Tradition states that Isaac Johnson and Archippus Blodgett felled the first trees; each selecting a tree and trying to cut his tree down first. Mr. Johnson succeeded in getting his cut before Mr. Blodgett and thus won the victory. The grandson of this Isaac Johnson, also named Isaac, now living in town, says that his grandfather first "pitched " in Northumberland; so this contest may have occurred there.

June 21, 1773, the proprietors voted to add James Curtis to the commit- tee for clearing the road.

Of these first settlers, all excepting two did good service in the develop- ment of the town, and have descendants, doing credit to their daring

750

HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

ancestors, resident here to-day. Mr. DeForest is said in the records "to have deserted the cause," and Blackman is heard of no more. [Benajah Blackman was a soldier from Colebrook in Capt. Young's company in the Revolution.] Joseph Barlow had several children, Abner, Nathan, and Ephraim, and two daughters, one of whom, Sarah, married James Cur- tis, one of the first party of settlers; Eunice, another daughter, married Josiah Blodgett. Both have numerous descendants. Isaac Johnson came here several times, but did not bring his family to their new home until after the Revolution. Joshua Lamkin had four sons and four daughters, perhaps more. His daughter Hannah married James Brown; another, Tryphena, married Hezekiah Fuller; another, Polly, married Elijah Blod- gett. Mr. Lamkin lived on the Guy Burnside place, and when his daugh- ter Betsey died (the first death among the settlers) she was buried near her home on the same lot. Archippus Blodgett had a large family. And we might continue the list. Enough has been given, however, to show that civ- ilized occupation of the new township was to be henceforth a permanent one, and prolific in strong sons and handsome daughters to perpetuate the tra- ditions of the trials endured in transforming the forest wilderness into beautiful and productive fields, and to honor the memory of those who so grandly wrought this almost magical change. Joshua Lamkin lived to an old age. While at his son's residence in Brunswick, Vt., at the time of a freshet, he rose in the night, went out of the door, fell into the water and was drowned. Archippus Blodgett filled many important offices. James Curtis was much in public life, discharging all conferred trusts with con- ceded ability. James Brown was another strong man; appointed to call the first town meeting, a military officer, and commissary of the Stratford fort during the Revolution, he always was prominent in town. Isaac Johnson also was an useful and able citizen, and a leader in religious movements.

Stratford extends along the Connecticut river for a distance of ten miles. The interval varies from eighty rods to one mile in width; and is very fertile, producing fine crops of corn, oats, hay, etc. The soil on the up- lands is rocky, and more suitable for pasturage than tillage. The valley of the Connecticut is narrower here than in most places, the hills crowd- ing more closely to the stream, and consequently making the location one- of strategic importance in the Indian warfare of the early days. It is quite picturesque in its scenery, and from the southeastern part of the town rise two peculiar mountains, conical in shape, which attract attention a long way off in coming from the south. being distinctly seen at Dalton, thirty miles away. They are called "Stratford or Percy peaks." The town is watered by the Connecticut river on its western boundary; Nash's stream, which, running through the southeastern part, empties into the Ammo- noosuc: and Bog brook, a small tributary of the Connecticut, in the western.

751

TOWN OF STRATFORD.

part. It is a pleasant town to day, with its productive valley farms and pleasant homes: its railroads, and its business interests conducted by enter- prising and energetic men; but it was far different 115 years ago when the little band of pioneers came from their homes and all the comforts and luxuries of civilization to encounter hardships of which their descendants have but the faintest conception.

It must have been a strange contrast to the lovely scenery along the Sound and the highly-cultivated hillsides of Connecticut, where all was staid, and well provided with educational and religious advantages, where the spacious colonial houses with their broad rooms, often supplied with furniture and plate from "Merrie England, " when they beheld the pathless forests. the wild streams unspanned by bridges, and the dark verdure of the fir-clad hills of the Upper Coos. "Trees might every where be seen breaking from their root in the marshy soil or threatening to fall with the first rude gust. Somber forests shed a melancholy grandeur over the use- less magnificence of Nature, and hid in their deep shade the rich soil which the sun had never warmed." The journey was long and tedious, requir- ing as much time as to cross the continent to-day. Many hardships await them; many obstacles are in their way; but the brave adventurers press on in obedience to the great law of the Anglo-Saxon race which forces them to carry civilization to barbarous regions and clear the way for a Christian occupation. The beautiful homes of the lower Connecticut have been left behind. As they come northward, gradually the cleared fields become fewer, the improvements less; while closer and closer comes the environing forests, until not even a bridle-path presents itself to their view, and all signs of civilization are gone, except the "spots" or "blazes" on the trees by which their course is guided; and these might have been made by the tomahawk of the Indian as well as by the axe of the pioneer. In Indian file they came along the solitary way with pack on back, axe in hand, and gun on shoulder

The first settlements were made on the meadows. A few log houses, the perfection of simplicity, were soon constructed, and the nucleus for a town was established. For some reason the settlers afterward preferred the high lands along the river. Joshua Lamkin settled on Guy Burnside's meadow; next to him Archippus Blodgett; then James, Aaron and William Curtis, Capt. John Holbrook and James Brown. So the first permanent settlement in town was located on the ground from Guy Burnside's home to that of W. R. Brown. The first road was constructed along the meadow, but followed the settlement to the high land. One hundred and thirty miles from the seaboard, with only a few settlements scattered along the greater part of the way, their salt, their iron, and other necessary articles of merchandise must be brought upon the back of men and horses. For

752

HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

quite a length of time the nearest grist-mill was at Haverhill, sixty-five miles off.

Pitches Allotted .- In December, 1773, the proprietors appointed three disinterested men as a committee to decide who, by doing their duty as settlers, were entitled to their pitches. They report the following as legally made :-

"Capt. Agur Judson, No. 5; William Thompson, No. 3; Capt. Samuel Beers, No. 1; Ezeriah Wetmore, No. 29; Capt. Agur Tomlinson, No. 4; David Judson, No. 7; Capt. Agur Judson, No. 8; Agur Judson, Jr., No. 42; Ebenezer Wooster, No. 17; James Curtis, No. 9; Stephen Curtis, No. 10; Joseph Welkston, No. 31; Arthur Wooster and Jabish Baldwin, Nos. 18-47-48-49; Thomas Wooster, No. 6; Thomas and Joseph Wooster, 2d, Nos. 40 and 41; Joseph Holbrook, No. 12; Isaiah Brown, No 13; Samuel Curtis, No. 11; Samuel Munn, No. 19; Sam William Johnson, Esq., No. 43; Capt. Daniel Judson, Nos. 22-25; Judson Burton, No. 30; Elijah Hinman, Nos. 14-15; Hezekiah Tomlinson, No. 24; Stiles Judson, No. 24.

Extracts from Proprietors' Records .- To shed a few rays of light upon the progress of events in the little colony we have no better recourse than to give the action of the proprietors as from time to time we are enabled to glean them from the quite broken and imperfect documents. These we shall supplement by some petitions to the General Court, which, in quaint language, throw out a strong picture of the deprivations, struggles and hardihood of those brave men who builded wiser and better than it was given them to know.

Concerning Mills .- March 15, 1775, it was voted "that any proprietor or other person that will undertake to build a saw and grist-mill within two years from this time in this town shall have granted him and his heirs the stream or brook, called Bog Brook, three miles from Connectient River in a straight line, together with One Hundred acres adjoining to said mill, to be in two fifty acre lots on each side of the brook in a square piece. Any person who will be secure to the clerk in the sum of Two Hundred Pounds, lawful money, for building the saw-mill shall be entitled to the privileges."

May 5, 1776. Voted "whereas it has been found inconvenient to build a Grist and Saw Mill in the man- ner [proposed] it is now voted and agreed that the Proprietors will at their own expense erect a grist and saw mill in said town, and that one hundred acres be requested [as a site]; and John Holbrook, Moses Welk- ston, James Brown and James Curtis survey and lay out said one hundred acres, and to agree with some proper and able workman to erect and finish said mills with all possible despatch." A tax of forty shillings on each right in the township is laid to defray expenses.

May 14, 1776. "Whereas the appointed [committee] have not taken any steps toward building the mills -and Mr. Ebenezer Perry of Derby now proposing to erect such mills at his own expense upon the terms of the Proprietors-voted that the said Perry have the said privilege if he will within eighteen months build a good Grist and Saw Mill, provided he commence within six months."

Town Plot .- At the same meeting voted "that James Brown, James Curtis, John Holbrook, Joseph Barlow, Abel Hull, Josiah Walker, Archip- pus Blodgett, be a committee to survey and lay out a Town Plot upon the hill called 'Meeting-House Hill' in proper and convenient lots to each Pro- prietor, with necessary highways, reserving a convenient and spacious parade not less than six acres in extent." This work was done and a report made, November 20, 1780, by Archippus Blodgett and James Curtis for the committee. The plan contained 184 acres, and was one mile in length. The end lines ran north, 67º west, and south, 67º east, 100 rods. Broad street ran through the middle, and was eight rods wide. The other streets were four rods in width. Each lot contained two acres and forty

753

TOWN OF STRATFORD.

rods. The parade was laid out on the hill back of the present residence of James Curtis, and was the site of the first meeting-house. The parade and streets occupied thirty-six acres. After such elaborate preparations, nothing was ever done to create or build a village.

Lots and Roads .- "November 11, 1783, James Curtis, Joshna Lamkin, John Holbrook, Archippus Blodgett, and Joseph Barlow were appointed a committee to lay out the Third Division of lots. Another committee, composed of Joshua Lamkin, Capt. Benoni Cutler, Lieut. John Holbrook, Capt. Benajah Strong, and James Brown, was chosen to lay out a road from the southerly to the north side of the town; also, to erect bounds for the town, and for the rear of the First or river Division; also, to lay out a Second Division to each Proprietor: Shares of Fifty acres of land."

The road alluded to is doubtless the one made on the high banks of the river as it now runs, as the earlier road ran on the meadows.

The same committee were empowered "to lay out three lots of Three Hundred aeres each, for public uses; one for the first settled minister of the Gospel in town, one for a Parsonage for the benefit of the Min- istry, and one for the benefit of a school in the town, as near the Town Plot as the quality of the land will admit. September 29, 1784. "The Committee on Roads make oath before Jeremiah Eames, J. P., that they have faithfully performed their trust."

A meeting of the proprietors, duly called, met at the house of James Brown, March 15, 1786. Among other action, it was voted that the tract of land known as the "Governor's farm " be equal to two rights; that the treasurer pay out to those persons who have advanced money in defending this state in the late war, out of the first money that he receives of the collector, and to those next, who have any demands on said town for scouting, guarding and forting; that all "pitches" established in 1773 shall be recorded in proprietors book; that a certain tract of pine timber lying east of Jonathan pond, so-called, and south on Northumberland line, shall be reserved for the benefit of the proprietors, and that a committee lay it out, giving to each proprietor his equal share: that Elijah Hinman, Mr. Jabez Baldwin, Mr. Andrew Beers be a committee to see Mr. John Gamsby and talk with him respecting his mill, and also to view said mill and make report: that a tax of $300 be laid upon each original right, toward defraying the expense of cleaning and bridging a road through the town; that Andrew Beers, Elijah Hinman, and Jabez Baldwin be assessors, Archippus Blodgett collector, and Elijah Hinman be surveyor of roads; that each man have four shillings and six pence per day, he providing for himself.

Trouble Concerning First Grist-Mill .- June 17, 1788, the proprietors vote "to defend James Brown. James Curtis, and their heirs, and the hers of the late John Holbrook against any suit at law which may be commenced by John Gamsby for giving a certain Bond respecting a Grist- mill." August 16, voted "that we will not accept of the grist-mill as built by John Gamsby, as he has not built the same on the land appropri- ated for that purpose, neither has he built the said mill sufficient to meet any of the inducements heretofore voted."

754

HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

First Settlers to Have First Pitches .- At the same meeting it was voted "that David Judson (by his settlers), Joshua Lamkin, Archippus Blodgett, John Smith, James Brown, and James Curtis, were the first, which, with their families, made settlement in this town and have con- tinued, shall have the privilege of pitching the first five lots in the Second Division; and that Jabez Baldwin and Eunice Holbrook be permitted to make the two next pitches."

November 19, 1792, it was voted to provide by tax for looking out, clearing, and bridging a road through Stratford from the main road to Percy. Joshua Lamkin, selectman, J. Brown, town clerk. In 1794, Ben- jamin Strong petitioned the General Court that Governor's Island, so- called, "containing about forty acres, in the Connecticut river, and a little north of the Mineral Bow, may be annexed to Stratford, and granted to him and his heirs."

CHAPTER LXXXIX.

The Revolution-Soldiers' Claims and Orders-Condition of Matters, Taxes, Etc., in 1778- Petition for Abatement and Incorporation, 1778-First Settlers, Improvements and Stock, 1777- Petition for a Guard, 1780-Certificate, Burnside's Ferry, 1786-Petition for a New County, 1791 -Petition for Abatement of Taxes.

T THE Revolution .- Only seven families remained here during the Revo- lutionary war. This settlement was the farthest outpost or " picket " of the country in the Connecticut valley. All families left the upper valley, leaving this frontier exposed to all the fierce attacks of the cruel, crafty Indians, whose chief trail to the lower settlements came down the Nulhegan river to Stratford, joining there the trail of the upper Connecti- cut, and passed down through the town before it deflected in different ways, up the Ammonoosuc, and down the Connecticut. And they did not escape. Six of the men were enlisted soldiers in the Revolution, viz. : Elijah Hinman, Josiah Blodgett, Thomas Blodgett, David and Richard Holbrook, and William Curtis. Elias and David Chamberlin, and David Rich, of Stratford, were also private soldiers in Capt. Ebenezer Green's company of Col. Bedel's regiment in 1776. Nathan Caswell, also of Strat- ford, was in Capt. Samuel Young's company in the same regiment. James Lucas is credited to Stratford on the same roll. Isaac Stevens, of Strat- ford, has this history in the original muster roll of the same regiment, which we have had the privilege of examining through the courtesy of Col. Hazen Bedel :-

755

TOWN OF STRATFORD.

" 1775. Served from June 23 to Dec. 31-6 mos. 9 days in Captain and Col. Bedel's Rangers-1775, Dec. 31 to last of May, 1776, 5 mos. in Capt. Charles Nelson's Co. in first place, and afterwards in Capt D. Wil- kin's Company of Col. Bedel's Reg't. 1778. from Dce. 15, 1777, to last March, 1778-one month or more as- Corporal in Capt. Sam'l Young's Co., Col. Bedel's Regiment."

Aside from these, who probably had not made any permanent estab- lishment in the town, we know of no others. Every resident of the set- tlement was, however, in active service and constantly on duty. A fort. was constructed. Capt. Jolm Holbrook commanding the forces, and a sys- tem of signals arranged whereby the Guildhall and Northumberland set- tlers could be warned and called to assist in repelling attack, or in conduct- ing the women and children to less exposed positions. James Brown was commissary for the troops, and it is told that one day when a detachment of soldiers came for food with empty haversacks, Mrs. Brown was puzzled what to give them. But her woman's wit was equal to the emergency. Swinging the four-pail kettle onto the crane she soon had an ample supply of "hasty pudding." This sufficed for supper, and the next morning. by daylight, Mr. Brown was collecting cattle for beef. His live stock was called upon, however, until it had disappeared; as one of his children ex- presses it, "at the close of the war my father did not have as much as a live hen."

Among the papers of Elisha Baldwin in possession of his daughter, Mrs. R. R. Thompson, are the following documents which we copy from the originals :-

"State of New Hampshire } An account of Joshua Lamkin Services don and Damage sustained by living

"Stratford, July 1775. ) in Stratford frontteer Town through the whole of the Unhappy war with Great Bredon

"To moving my famely by orders of Gen. Bailey with expense of moving my famely to £. S. D.

10 0 0

Haverhill and supporting them

6 6 0 0

" To loss of time three months ..

₹ 6 0 0

"Damage that I suffered by moving

and expense moving back ₹ 6 0 0

£38 0

" Archippus Bloggett | Seleetmen"

"James Curtis

"State New Hampshire An account of services don and Damage sustained by Living in Stratford Stratford ! a fronteer town thro' the whole of the unhappy War

by James Curtis

"To moving my family by order of Gon'l Bailey to Northumberland Expense moving C. S. D.

0 &c ..

"To damage sustained moving.

0 0

"To 12 days scouting to Um a magog at 6s pr d.

3 12

" To Cash paid to Capt. Learned for going after powder Ball &c

" To pair snow shoes for to go to Canaday Scont

" To work done by Wm Curtis at North'd fort 10 days at Is per Day

()

" Los of time Damage &c. 3

£47 16 0"

"To supporting my famely loss time, &c.

( 10 0 0

756

HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.

"Stratford An aeconnt of Damage and Loss that I Joseph Barlow hath sustained by living in the State of New & town of Stratford by the Enemy in living in the fronteer Town through the whole warr Hampshire

"June 1776 To moving my family by order from Gen'l Bailey Expences in moving €. S. D. 35 0 0

my family and supporting them loss crops &c.

"June 1780 To moving my family to the fort Scouting Garding loss of time &e. 10 0 0

"James Curtis "Joshua Lamkin "Archippns Blodgett )

Selectmen "

"Stratford State An account of Damage & loss time I Nathan Barlow hath Sustained by living in of New Hampshire § the Town of Stratford by the Enemy in the fronteer Town through the bull war

"June 1776 To moving by orders from Gen'l Bailey Expense in moving loss of time and cropses.

£.

10 0 0

"June 1780 to moving into fort Scouting garding Loss of time & erops. 5 0 0

Soldier's Order .- " To the Treasurer of the State of Newhampshire:

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History of Coos County, New Hampshire, Part 90

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