USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 12
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1742, Apr .- "Voted to give Mr. Whipple thirty pounds the present year." An adjourned parish meeting this year is called the church meeting in Hampton Falls parish.
1742/3-It was voted to give a bounty of five pounds a head for killing wolves.
1743-In September 1743, forty pounds were voted Mr. Whipple in consideration of his giving a receipt in full. This, with his one hundred twenty pounds regular salary, was all to be paid in passable bills of credit equal in value to new tenor.
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1743/4, Mar. 13-Forty pounds old tenor were added to Mr. Whipple's salary for this year. A committee was appointed to examine the claims of the parish to the parsonage lands and make report. These lands were probably situated in Old Hampton. In November of the same year it was " voted to apply to Kensington and North Hill to see if they will join us concerning the parsonage rights or shares."
1745-In the month of June a meeting was held at Hampton at which the people of Hampton Falls claimed the right of voting. They were refused and in consequence a parish meeting was warned and held September 30, 1745, at which a committee was appointed "to main- tain actions at the expense of the parish against those who refused them the privilege of voting; to answer and defend against any accusation, complaint, actions of trespass against the freeholders and inhabitants of this parish, or any of them for appearing at said commoners' meeting at Hampton on the 20th of June last or any of their actions, or behavior thereat."
1746/7, Mar .- At the annual meeting this year, nothing was done to increase Mr. Whipple's salary. In September he called for more, considering himself entitled by his contract with the parish for enough to make his salary as much as it was when he was settled, viz., one hundred and twenty pounds lawful money. Consequently a meeting was called and it was "voted that Mr. Whipple's salary be yearly during his ministry in this parish equal to what it was at the time of his settling with us, the parsonage and all things considered." After this a committee was chosen yearly to adjust Mr. Whipple's salary.
1749/50-The old parsonage house was consumed by fire Feb- ruary 18, 1749/50. A parish meeting was called Febru- ary 26, at which the parish "voted that the house of Benjamin Swett, inn holder, where Mr. Morton lately lived, be hired by the parish for our minister for the time being." It was also "voted to build a new house on same ground where the old one stood." The new house was to be two stories high, forty feet by thirty.
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One stack of chimneys, boards and timber were to be taken from the parsonage land as far as possible. A committee was appointed to carry these plans into effect.
1750-In 1750 is the first mention of a place called "Byfield" in the records. For several years the people in the remote parts of the town were allowed to take their share of the school money and lay it out themselves. This year the people in Byfield claimed the same privilege. There appears to have been a grammar school kept in the town, as there was an article inserted in the warrant for a meeting April 1, 1751, "to see if the parish will dismiss the grammar school for the year ensuing, and to choose two capable men to keep the schools." The record does not show that this was done.
At the annual meeting, March 12, 1750, the committee . chosen to build the parsonage house presented their accounts which were settled by the parish and a receipt was given by which it appears that the accounts amounted to eighteen hundred and seven pounds six- teen shillings old tenor.
1750/1-In the notice of a meeting to be held March 1, 1750/1, was an article "to see, firstly, what may be proper to be done with these men that refuse to pay their rates, viz., Edward Palmer and Henry Lamprey." What was done with these men the record does not show, or on what grounds they refused payment of their rates.
1752-A proposition was made in 1752 to sell a piece of land in Kensington near Obadiah Johnson's. How the parish acquired the land, or how it was disposed of, does not appear upon the record. It was also voted to make some walls about the upper or lower parsonage land.
The same year it was "voted to have a reading and writing school for six months beside the grammar school." The same vote was renewed and the same arrangement continued for several years succeeding.
1753-"Voted to build a pound thirty-five feet square, of hard pine lumber, near where the old pound stood."
In England, from the fourteenth century until the change of style in 1752, the legal and ecclesiastic year
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began March 25, although not uncommon to reckon it from January 1. After the change of style was adopted events which had occurred before March 25, in January, February and March would, according to the new arrangement, be reckoned in the next subsequent year. Events which occurred before 1752, between January 1 and March 25, were often chronicled by using both years. Example: 1743/4, this method of notation is often seen upon old papers and records dated previous to 1752, after which time it disappeared. It occurs many times in this book and in the town history.
1755-Samuel Lane was chosen to serve as constable in the place of Jonathan Tilton who had gone to Crown Point.
Daniel Sanborn was paid three pounds fifteen shillings for making a parish chest to put ammunition in. The same year the parish bought a barrel and a half of powder costing fifty-five pounds, three hundred weight of bullets and lead which cost twenty-nine pounds twelve shillings six pence, four hundred and fifty flints. Paid for a lock for said chest, seventeen shillings six pence. . These amounts were probably in old tenor, and did not represent more than a tenth part of the value in coin.
1756-Nehemiah Brown and Ann, his wife, made a claim in her right to one hundred acres of land originally granted to Thomas Ward, Jacob Stanion and Jonathan Gove, but the parish refused to take any action on the matter. At the request of Hampton an article was inserted in a warrant for another parish meeting "to see if the parish would aid in the defence of this suit." What action was taken in the matter the records do not show. Probably none.
The parish voted that the grammar school should be kept at the meeting house hill through the year, and permission was given to those who lived more than a mile and a half distant to take their part of the money and use it among themselves.
One pound four shillings was paid for four pairs of gloves for the bearers at the funeral of Widow Hannah Cooper who had for several years been a town charge.
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1757-During Mr. Whipple's ministry the records show that many persons owned the covenant for the purpose of being baptized with their children. This was probably what was known as the half way covenant, which, it is understood, was in use and allowed in our town church in the early days, and later was the cause of much trouble in many places. It was claimed that unworthy persons were admitted to membership. The churches which allowed the half way covenant were more liberal in their belief. The use of the half way covenant was made a pretext for the division of the church in this town in 1834.
There are frequent references to cases of discipline. Confessions were often made by those who had fallen into sin, in consequence of which, after having been admonished, they were restored to church membership. This was under Mr. Whipple's ministry and shows a commendable attention to the welfare of his church.
During Mr. Whipple's ministry there were frequent calls for delegates to attend ordinations, councils, and other church gatherings in the neighboring towns. These invitations seem to have been accepted and were seasons of enjoyment, and were about the only outings the people of those times had.
During Mr. Whipple's ministry, on October 4, 1737, fifty-seven persons (twenty-two males and thirty-five females) were dismissed to incorporate a church at Kensington. Thirty-four other persons were dismissed and recommended to different churches in other places at different times.
May 3-Mr. Josiah Bayley was chosen by every vote to settle as pastor, and a committee was chosen to make out a call in the name of the parish. As an inducement to Mr. Bayley to settle with them they voted him a salary of fifty pounds sterling and the use of the par- sonage during his ministry. Mr. Bayley accepted in a letter which appears elsewhere and which is the only known written production by him which is now in existence.
Mr. Bayley was unmarried. He was thoroughly
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evangelical and devotedly pious. During his short ministry interest in religious matters seems to have revived. He endeared himself much to his people and died, after an illness of seven or eight months, greatly lamented.
1760-An attempt was again made to recover a part of the par- sonage lands in Hampton for the use of the parish in Hampton Falls in the year 1760. To accomplish this object a committee was appointed, at a meeting held on the 8th of September, who were directed to search the records of Hampton and report. This was done but the parish voted against standing a suit of law. Thus ended a controversy of some years' standing, in which it would appear that the Falls people were in the wrong.
1762-It was "voted this year to tax for the support of the gospel all persons living to the eastward of the dividing line between Hampton Falls and Kensington."
1765-Considerable dissatisfaction had developed. Mr. Henry Robie refused to pay his ministerial tax, and a suit was commenced by the parish to recover it. This was fol- lowed by several other suits of similar character and the trouble increased until a new parish was formed. The territorial limits were probably embraced within the present town of Seabrook.
Sept. 2-"Voted that the people called Presbyterians be set off as a distinct parish." At the same meeting: "Voted not to make any division of the parsonage lands or ministerial lands of the parish."
Notwithstanding this vote, the parish afterward opposed the attempts which were made by the Presby- terians to make a regular division of the parish, and when the latter sent up a petition to the General Court for that purpose, a committee was appointed by the parish to oppose it.
The first committee was chosen December 30, 1765. A second committee for the same purpose was appointed November 23, 1767.
1767-The General Assembly passed an act to divide the parish according to the request of the Presbyterians and 10
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appointed a committee to represent the interests of the parish before the court committee.
1768, July 25-A committee was chosen to confer with the com- mittee of the Presbyterian Society in Seabrook for the purpose of finally settling all difficulties respecting ministerial taxes in arrears, and all other pecuniary matters in relation to the subject. This is the first time Seabrook is mentioned upon the record.
Soon after this the subject of a new meeting house in the parish was agitated.
Dec. 19-After hearing the report of the committee which had been appointed to centre and locate, it was voted to build the new meeting house on the vacant land near Mr. Jeremiah Lane's. This house was fifty-five feet by forty feet, and was built upon the spot of ground men- tioned, which was about two miles from the place where the first meeting house was built, and was upon the Exeter road.
1768-Paine Wingate was minister in Hampton Falls, Samuel Perley in Seabrook, Jeremiah Fogg in Kensington, Nathaniel Noyes in South Hampton.
The following are inscriptions on gravestones in Stratham Cemetery:
Hon.
Paine Wingate
Died Mar. 7th 1838 Ae 99 years
Eunice Relict of Hon. Paine Wingate Died Jan. 7th 1843 Aged 100 years
1769-At a meeting held February 7, 1769, a motion was made to reconsider the votes passed at former meetings but the moderator, Capt. Jonathan Tilton, refused to put the motion. The report of the committee for selling the pews being read, the moderator was requested to put the vote whether the report should be accepted. This he refused to do and dissolved the meeting.
It has been said that the committee who located had centred the territory instead of the inhabitants, and had the new meeting house been built near where the town house now stands there would probably have been no trouble as was occasioned by the location which was selected.
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The building committee were Jonathan Cram, Elisha Prescott, Samuel Prescott and William Prescott. Before commencing the pews were sold at public auction, and the proceeds which could be paid in building materials used to construct the house. Twenty pews sold for three hundred and fifty-one pounds two shillings, proclamation money which, with the sale of the remain- ing pews, was enough to build and finish the new meet- ing house.
Oct. 16-"Voted to abate all those persons rates that belong to Seabrook that are in arrear in the ministerial rates." 1770-In a protest signed by fifty-eight persons declaring that they would not pay any minister tax, dated April 30, 1770, it is stated that they were obliged to hire preach- ing at the new meeting house at their own cost.
At this meeting it was "voted that Mr. Wingate shall go to the new meeting house and preach and dedicate said house to the public worship of God as soon as conveniently may be." Elisha Prescott, Mr. Nathan Tilton and Capt. Jonathan Tilton, the modera- tor of the meeting, were chosen a committee to present the above vote to Mr. Wingate. After the passage of this vote Mr. Wingate still refused to dedicate or preach in the new meeting house.
1771, Sept. 30-" Voted to dismiss Mr. Wingate and a committee was appointed to agree upon the terms of dismission. Mr. Wingate's letter of resignation was dated Decem- ber 4, 1771, to take effect March 1, 1776. On his dis- mission the parish, by agreement, gave Mr. Wingate fifty pounds sterling and the use of the parsonage four years. In consequence of this the parish voted the money by tax the current year to meet the bills occa- sioned by this.
The votes passed from time to time show that the outside of the house was finished; that privileges for pews were sold. The inside of the house was finished by degrees. In later years the appearance of the house would indicate that the galleries were never entirely finished. It was dedicated to the parish by the building committee in 1771, some time in May.
a
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
1772, June 22-"Voted to raise twenty pounds lawful money for the support of preaching this year."
1773, June 22-"Voted to raise forty pounds lawful money for preaching of the Congregational order."
Mar .- An article was inserted in the warrant for a town meeting in March, 1773, "to see if the parish would raise money to settle the demands of Rev. Mr. Win- gate." The record says no vote was passed upon it.
1774, June 27-"Voted to raise money to pay for preaching six Sabbaths."
This year Meshech Weare was appointed a delegate to go to Exeter and attend a convention called to ap- point delegates to attend the Continental Congress, expected to assemble in Philadelphia, and money was voted to pay the expense.
Nov. 29-"Voted to raise fifteen pounds lawful money for preaching." A committee was appointed to go and treat with the lower end of the parish concerning the difficulties that subsist in the parish. Another commit- tee was appointed to apply to the association for advice concerning a minister.
1775, Jan. 9-Five delegates were appointed to attend the con- vention at Exeter to choose a delegate to Congress.
Apr. 20-"Voted to raise thirty pounds lawful money for the support of the soldiers in the army; to pay seven pounds three shillings pence, the expense of the soldiers while absent; to allow the soldiers three shillings each for their services, but for how long a time is not specified.
May 3-"Voted to raise ten pounds lawful money to provide ammunition." Delegates were again appointed to attend a convention to be held at Exeter May 17.
June 17-A meeting was held June 7 to see, among other things, if the parish would vote to have preaching alternately in the two meeting houses, half the time in the old and half the time in the new.
The following record appears in a warrant for a meet- ing of the towns of Hampton Falls and Seabrook: "N. B .- The Congress for the Colony have resolved that no person be allowed a seat in Congress who shall
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by himself or any other person for him for said choice treat with liquor any elector with the apparent view of gaining their votes or afterwards on this account. Dated at Hampton Falls July 27, 1775."
Dec. 19-At a meeting notified and held December 19 it was "voted that Col. Meshech Weare be chosen to represent this parish in General Congress for one year to be held at Exeter and he is impowered to pursue such measures as he shall think proper for the public good." 1776, Mar. 12-"Voted that the income of the parsonage be appropriated to the use of the schools." On the same day Mr. Wingate resigned his office as pastor and his claims upon the parish, but he asked for a little exten- sion of time to remove his effects.
May 6-"Voted to have preaching two months, half the time in each meeting house."
July 1-Hampton Falls and Seabrook passed a vote refusing to send a representative to Congress.
From a record of a meeting held July 16: "It appears that fourteen soldiers were enlisted for the Canada service, and a special bounty was voted thus beside the Colonial bounty."
July 29-"Voted to hire preaching for ten sabbaths, six in the new and four in the old meeting house."
Oct. 29-"Voted to have preaching three sabbaths and on Thanksgiving day."
1777, Mar. 11-At a meeting held March 11, it was "voted to divide the income of the parsonage proportionably between the two parts of the parish to be used according to their pleasure."
A meeting was notified to be held March 3, 1777, to see, among other things, "if the parish will hire preach- ing the coming year." What action was taken does not appear upon the record.
A bounty was voted this year to encourage soldiers to enlist for three years or during the war.
· July 27-"Voted to employ a candidate for settlement; to appoint a day of fasting and prayer in reference to the object; to invite the neighboring ministers to assist in the fast; to appropriate the income of the parsonage to the support of preaching."
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Dec. 29-"Voted to exempt those persons from paying ministerial taxes who have supported preaching at the old meeting house; to give Mr. Ebenezer Dutch a call to settle in the ministry; to give him the use of the parsonage, the parish repairing the buildings and out- side fences with the sum of fifty-five pounds lawful money valued in species; good Indian corn at four shil- lings per bushel and other things equivalent thereto." Mr. Dutch declined the call.
In a warrant for a town meeting for choosing a repre- sentative, both in Hampton Falls and Seabrook, the temperance resolves previously quoted appears. Henry Robie was chosen representative.
1778, Jan. 19-"Voted to supply the families of non-commis- sioned officers and private soldiers, and to procure two soldiers more to fill their quota in the army."
Apr. 27-Meshech Weare was chosen a delegate to attend the state convention, to be held in Concord the following January, to form a state constitution. "Voted to use the parsonage for the support of preaching, the new meeting house to have the upper parsonage, the old one to have the lower one and the flats."
Oct. 19 .- A warrant was issued for a meeting to see if the parish would vote to hire preaching in the new meeting house, or unite with Seabrook to hire preaching. At this meeting it was voted to hire preaching in the new meeting house for two months, and the meeting was adjourned from time to time until the 14th of December when a final adjournment was had.
Dec. 7-The two towns, Hampton Falls and Seabrook, refused by vote to send a representative to the General Assembly for the next year.
1779-Soldiers were hired this year at the expense of the parish for the Continental service.
Aug. 23 -- A plan of government for the state was proposed but the parish refused by vote to act in reference to it, and also refused to send a representative delegate to a convention to be held at Concord to regulate the cur- rency. On December 6, however, Samuel Weare was chosen representative to represent the towns of Seabrook and Hampton Falls.
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1780, Nov. 27-"Voted not to send a representative."
Dec. 11-By vote of the parish a call was extended to Dr. Samuel Langdon to settle in the work of the ministry, having the use of the parsonage and fifty pounds in money for his salary.
In a letter dated January 7, 1781, Dr. Langdon ac- cepted the call which the parish had extended to him.
1780-A requisition was made by the Council and House of Representatives of New Hampshire for beef to support the continental army; 1,400,000 pounds were called for from New Hampshire. Each town was to furnish its proportion according to population and valuation. One third was to be furnished by the last day of March, 1781; one fourth by July 15; one fourth left September 1; the remainder, December 1. The beef was to be good and well salted. Each barrel was to contain two hundred and forty pounds net. Good pork could be received at the rate of eleven pounds pork to fifteen pounds of beef. Each town was notified as to the amount it was to furnish. The penalty for not com- plying with this requisition was a fine of double the value of the amount of beef called for to be for the use of the state to be added to the next continental tax. The amount called for from Hampton Falls was 8,479 pounds. This amount was furnished and we are able to give the items.
In the invoice book for 1781 we find the following entries in relation to the supply of beef:
Paid David Nason, one yoke of oxen . £2,250
Nehemiah Cram, for yoke of oxen, 1,150 lbs., a 5 .. 1,725
Capt. Moulton, yoke of oxen on the hoof .
2,100
Samuel Melcher, yoke of oxen, weight, 1,300 lbs .. 1,950
John Brown, yoke of oxen, 900 lbs. 1,350
David Batchelder, 100 lbs. beef . 150
Isaac Green, yoke of oxen, 1,150 lbs. 1,725
Total . £11,250
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
These amounts were paid in a badly depreciated currency. It is impossible to know what it would amount to in sterling money.
In December, 1881, a meeting was held to act upon a platform of state government, submitted to the people by General Court. A committee was appointed to examine the platform and at an adjourned meeting it was voted to accept the platform with amendments proposed by the committee.
This year is the first time dollars are mentioned in speaking of the currency upon the records.
A new burying ground for the use of the parish was purchased of Jeremiah Lane. This ground laid south of the meeting house, on the cross road, and is the old yard on the east side of the road where Dr. Langdon is buried.
1780, Nov. 17-The members who had withdrawn from the ordinances of the church under Mr. Wingate's ministry, to become Presbyterians, returned, made confession and were restored to their former church relations.
1782, Dec. 9-Samuel Weare was chosen representative. The platform of government was again reviewed and ac- cepted.
1783, May 20-The attempt to get the town of New Hampton Falls incorporated was renewed, but was successfully opposed by the parish before the General Assembly. Who were the members or what was the object of this movement for a new town does not appear on the record.
July 17-A committee was chosen to take measures to dispose of a part of the parsonage lands and to purchase a place near the meeting house. A house and a few acres of land were bought of Jonathan Perkins near the meeting house, the place now occupied by the house of the late Lewis T. Sanborn, and was the house burned in 1858, with the church records. It was occupied at the time of the fire by Rev. A. M. Bridge, pastor of the Unitarian Church. The land extended down the Hampton road. At the time of the sale of the parson- age property in 1832, this parsonage and land was
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bought by Wells Healey and afterward was rented to the Unitarian ministers.
July 31-"Voted to agree to an alteration in the eighth article of the constitution of the United States, and to instruct the representative accordingly." Abner San- born was chosen representative.
1784, Mar. - First voting for president (governor) and senators in New Hampshire. Meshech Weare had thirty-nine votes for president.
1785-Another committee was appointed to sell a part of the old, and buy a new parsonage. Pew privileges were granted in the galleries of the meeting house. The old parson- age house and the adjoining land was sold to Nathaniel Healey, the shipbuilder. The five acres from the Weare house were sold to the Weares, but we have no date when these sales were made. We have never seen any account as to the disposal of the thatch ground.
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