USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 13
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1786-Hon. Meshech Weare died from the infirmaties of age January 12, 1786. He had long been prominent in state and parish matters.
1787, Jan. 22-Dr. Langdon was chosen a delegate to attend a convention, at Exeter, to adopt a constitution for the United States. This year the parish voted for officers of the Federal Government. Washington received thirty-five votes for president. While forty votes were cast for congressman.
In 1787 Dr. Langdon asked for an increase of salary but no vote was taken upon the subject.
1789, Mar. 10-"Voted ten pounds additional to Dr. Langdon's salary. Granted certain privileges to Nath1 Hubbard Dodge for building a mill on the Falls river." This vote was amended the next year.
A chest was provided in which to keep the papers and old records of the town. It is probably the one which has since been in use, and is now kept in the loft in the town hall.
1791-It was put to vote to see if the town would pay the building committee, who built the new meeting house, any com- pensation. This was voted in the negative.
1791-The canal between the Hampton river and the Merri-
138
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
mack river was completed by Nathaniel Healey in 1791. This canal was found useful in time of the embargo, but is now grown up and is impassable.
1792-Nathaniel Dodge was approbated by the selectmen to sell spirituous liquors. At the national election this year eighteen votes were cast for Washington for president. 1792-This year a committee was appointed to assist in renewing the line between Hampton Falls and Kensington. This line was run September 10, 1794.
1794, Dec. 10-"Voted to sell the lower parsonage near Esq. Weare's and make compensation for its use to Dr. Langdon." Four persons were approbated to sell spirituous liquors.
1795-A committee was appointed to judge Dr. Langdon's salary, according to the terms of agreement at the time of his settlement.
1796-"Voted to repair Taylor river bridge on the Exeter road." Twenty-eight votes were cast for president of the United States.
1798, Nov. 29-Rev. Dr. Langdon died and the parish was left again without a pastor. After his death the town hired preaching.
Mr. Jacob Abbot preached as a candidate. More pew privileges were granted upon the lower floor. It was again voted to sell some of the parsonage land.
1798-Mr. Abbot was ordained August 15.
Mar .- Four pew privileges were granted upon the lower floor. More were called for than could be granted. A committee was appointed to clear the parade ground where the old meeting house formerly stood. The selectmen were subsequently ordered to see the common cleared.
1798, Jan. 17-Observed a day of fasting and prayer in conse- quence of the death of Dr. Langdon. Messrs Row- land, Shaw, Thurston and Miltimore were sent to con- duct the religious service.
1798, Feb. 3-Letters missive from South Church in Portsmouth to assist in the ordination of Mr. Timothy Alden, Jr. Voted to comply.
1799-Letters were received from Seabrook, February 3, 1799,
-
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH AND TOWN RECORDS
to attend the ordination of Mr. Elias Hull. At this time the church in Seabrook had ceased to be Presby- terian and was Congregational. We give the names of the members of this church at that time, some of whom lived in Hampton Falls:
Mrs. Jewell. Mr. Hull.
Mrs. A. Smith.
Deacon Tucker.
Mrs. David Dow.
Thomas True.
Mrs. N. Felch.
Benjamin Eaton.
Mrs. Dudley Dodge.
Thomas Silly.
Mrs. Isaac Brown.
Miss Betsy George.
Mrs. Betsey Brown.
Miss Nancy Fifield.
Mrs. Abigail Brown.
Miss Hannah Chase.
Miss Nancy Brown.
Miss Susan Greeley.
Mrs. D. Chase.
Miss Sarah Dow.
Mrs. James Janvrin.
Daniel Merrill.
Mrs. Lydia Brown.
Isaac Brown.
Mrs. Simon Knowles.
Jacob Brown .*
Mrs. Hull.
Isaac Brown .*
Mrs. Betsey Weare.
John Marston Brown .*
Miss Mary Eaton.
Jacob Silly of H. Falls.
Miss Eunice Wells.
Dea. Weare.
Miss Eunice Dodge.
Dea. Merrill.
Miss Sally Smith, her mother, Mrs. Dodge.
John Eaton.
Joseph Felch.
Dudley Dodge.
*Sons of Isaac.
Mrs. A. Smith, Mrs. N. Felch and Miss Nancy Brown were admitted to membership in the Line Church in 1834.
1800, Nov. 23-Letters missive from First Church in Amesbury to ordain Mr. Stephen Hull. Voted to comply.
Dec. 4-Letters missive from the church in Scarborough, Me., to ordain Mr. Nathan Tilton and also "their opin- ion whether Mr. Chadwick is dismissed from his pas- torate office over yt church." Voted to comply.
1801-"Voted to make some repairs on the parsonage house." After Dr. Langdon's death Jeremiah Lane was appointed clerk and the books were placed in his hands.
1802-"Voted that the selectmen notify the selectmen of Exeter to run the lines between the towns."
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
1805-The first Christian Baptist Meeting house was built in 1805.
1806-The schoolhouse was built on Drinkwater road in 1805, and one on the Exeter road in 1806.
1808-After this a suit was commenced by the Baptists to become exempt from paying toward the support of the town ministry, and it appears to have been decided in their favor for, in 1809, the Baptists were exempted from paying toward the town ministry.
Caleb Tilton was chosen deacon. He declined and Jeremiah Lane was chosen.
1809, Feb. 25-Letters missive to settle Mr. Jeremiah Crosby in Lyndeborough.
1811-This town joined Seabrook and Hampton in gravelling the great road to Portsmouth. This was the turnpike. This town and Seabrook were to keep in repair the south side of Taylor River, which, if they did, the inhabitants could pass over the turnpike free of toll.
1812-James Prescott, Jr., was chosen deacon. He accepted. Levi Lane was chosen assistant.
1813-Letters missive to ordain Mr. Ephraim Abbot at Green- land. Voted to comply.
1815, Oct. 5-Letters missive to dismiss John S. Popham from the first church in Newbury.
Oct. 30-Letters missive to attend a council at Chester. Cause not known. Voted to comply.
1815, Oct. 31-"Voted to repair the meeting house in the plas- tering and windows and to procure clapboards for the ends and front side, and shingles for the back side."
The town line was perambulated between Hampton Falls, Exeter and Kensington, which was the line on the west side of the town.
1816-Letters missive to ordain Mr. Leonard Withington at First Church at Newbury, Mass.
1816, Oct. 10-John W. Gookin was licensed by the selectmen to sell rum and other spirituous liquors.
1817, June 10-Letters missive to ordain Mr. Fedaral Burt in Durham on the 18th inst.
To install Rev. Isaac Hurd at Exeter, September 11. To ordain Mr. Stephen Bailey at Raymond, October 1.
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH AND TOWN RECORDS
1818, Mar. 10-Two hundred dollars was voted to be raised to build a new schoolhouse on the Exeter road. This was the brick schoolhouse removed in 1842.
1819-The Cock hill schoolhouse was repaired.
1822-The entire town line was perambulated, "152-46+166-93 30629 = 31938. Whatever that means is not apparent.
Mr. Abbot's salary was at this time a little over $300 per year.
1824, Apr. 1-Letters missive to dismiss Mr. Holt from Epping on the 2d inst.
Apr. 18-To ordain Mr. Jacob Cummings at Stratham, 28th inst.
1825-Obstructions were removed from the landing to the Falls river mouth, and a wharf was built at Fresh Island. There had been a landing place here for a long time. In 1797 it is spoken of as the old landing place.
1826-Mr. Levi Lane was chosen clerk and was requested to take charge of the books given by Rev. Dr. Landgon to the church for the use of the ministers in Hampton Falls; also to entertain the ministers who come to supply.
The town churches and ministers were called and spoken of as those of the "Standing Order" to dis- tinguish them from those other sects which had come into existence in the later times. This term was in common use among the older people, since my remem- brance, in speaking of the parish churches and ministers.
Rev. Mr. Abbot married 124 couples during his ministry, 1798-1827; 148 were baptized; 12 made a pro- fession of religion on the half way covenant, but did not commune.
After removing from Hampton Falls, Mr. Abbot settled upon a farm in Windham and preached to the Unitarian Society in that town. He was drowned while returning from meeting November 24, 1834.
1826-The town purchased that part of the turnpike which was in Hampton Falls for $800.
For several years after Mr. Abbot's dismissal the parsonage was rented and the income divided to the several religious societies, according to taxation.
1829-The north side of the meeting house roof was shingled and
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
wood was taken from the parsonage to defray the ex- pense. The town lines were perambulated this year.
1831-In June, Rev. Henry Jewett, radical Orthodox, was em- ployed. His preaching was not liked by the liberal parties of the society.
1832-"Voted to sell the parsonage and invest the proceeds in bank stock."
1834-"Voted leave to the proprietors of Rockingham Academy to locate upon the public square near the schoolhouse.
Mr. Abbot found the first mention of a house within the limits of the present town of Hampton Falls was in 1654. On the 9th of June, 1654, there was a storm of thunder and hail, which hail fell on the bounds of Hampton, between the town and the mill.
1834-The liberal element, which was the majority, declared for Unitarianism and employed Rev. Mr. Whitman and afterward Mr. Lothrop.
The remainder of the society withdrew and, with Mr. Jewett, held meetings in the Exeter road schoolhouse. Mr. Jewett was said to have been very radical in his preaching and this did much to hasten the division of the society.
1835-Those who called themselves orthodox attended meeting at Seabrook in the old meeting house where the Rev. David Sunderland was preaching as a supply.
1835-The meeting house built in 1835 was the first meeting house in this town which had any means of being heated. All the meeting houses previously in use in the town had no means of being warmed in cold weather.
1836, July-The orthodox people dedicated their new meeting house and assumed the name of the First Evangelical Congregational Society of Seabrook and Hampton Falls, which name they have continued until the present time, but are usually spoken of as the Line Church.
1836-The new (Baptist) meeting house was opened for service and probably dedicated in 1836. The building com- mittee were William Brown, Richard and George H. Dodge, Aaron M. Gove and Joseph H. Weare.
Mr. Ropes continued his pastorate from September, 1828, until 1830. He was a strong temperance advo-
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH AND TOWN RECORDS
cate. In 1836 this church was reported a strictly temperance church.
1837, June-This church was organized and Rev. Sereno T. Abbot was ordained as pastor. He was generally spoken of as Priest Abbott.
1840-An article was inserted in the warrant for the annual meeting "to see if the town would alter and convert the
. old meeting house into a town house, or pull it down and build a new one." The house was demolished in 1842 and the lot sold in 1845 to Wells W. Healey.
1894-Mrs. Mary D. Aiken purchased the residence of the late Joshua Janvrin and presented it to the Baptist Society for a parsonage.
1901-The society having become much reduced in numbers so that there had been no service in the meeting house for a number of years, John T. Brown of Newburyport, Mass., purchased the meeting house and converted it into a library building and presented it to the town of Hampton Falls. The farewell religious service was held May 26, 1901, when the house was filled to its utmost capacity. The service was conducted by Con- gregational and Presbyterian ministers. No minister of the Christian denomination was present. In its remodelled condition it was dedicated and turned over to the town on August 28, 1901.
During a great part of the society's existence of nearly a century the preaching was a majority of the time by supplies and but a small portion of the time by regular ordained pastors.
1901-In the autumn of 1901, Rev. Joseph Kimball closed his pastorate over the Line Church which had extended over a period of nearly eighteen years. His ministry had been beneficial both to the church and the com- munity.
1916-It is a singular coincidence that at the present time, after the marked division in religious sentiment of the town, with meeting houses located in different sections, we have returned to one meeting with the meeting house located within a few rods of where the first meeting house was built more than two hundred years ago, with
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
this difference-there are more non-church attendants than in the early days.
EXTRACTS FROM INVOICE BOOK.
The following are extracts from the Invoice Book after 1773 which could not be found at the time the history of Hampton Falls was written.
1779, Apr. 7-"Gave the Constable a warrant to warn Dolly Sanborn to depart out of the parish."
Apr. 8-At a vendue April 8, and continued by adjourn- ment, the poor were set up to be kept for one year, viz., the Widow Blake was struck off to Benjamin Nudd for ninety-eight dollars, and to be kept one year from the 10th day of April, 1779. April 10, Abigail Crosby was struck off to Deacon Sanborn for one hundred and fifty dollars; agreed with Noyes Pervear to care for Abigail Crosby for one year from the 22d of April, 1779, for two hundred and forty dollars. Martha French was struck off to Benjamin Leavitt for three months for one hundred and seventy-six dollars; also to Lieut. Zebulon Hilliard for three months for one hundred and seventy-six dollars; ditto to Samuel Lane for three months for two hundred and forty-nine dollars; to Samuel Weare for three months for two hundred and sixty-five dollars. The first three months began the 30th day of April, and to be kept as usual.
1779, May 7-"Gave the constable a warrant to warn Hannah Hartshorn out of the parish with her son, Jonathan Hartshorn; also Jonathan Hardy to depart forthwith out of said parish."
Agreed with Malachi Shaw to take care of Hoag's wife and two children for seven months from the 23d day of August, for Hoag's house, which is on said Shaw's land. Agreed with Ensign Rowe to take Hoag's oldest child for twenty-five dollars per month, to begin Sep- tember 14, 1779. Agreed with Bache's wife to take the youngest child for thirty dollars per month, to begin August 14. Afterwards Lowell Lang agreed to take that child of Hoag's from Ensign Rowe for nothing, if the parish would furnish her clothing. He took her November 11, 1779.
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH AND TOWN RECORDS
Nov. 22-"Gave the constable a warrant to warn John Allen and Margaret Fifield, with Abigail, daughter of said Margaret, to depart forthwith out of said parish." 1783, Mar. 24-"Gave Mr. Benjamin Pike a deed of a piece of land formerly belonging to Samuel Fifield and Ruth, his wife, which persons were supported by the town, and for the consideration of thirty shillings." The house and a small garden were reserved during his or her life.
1768-By vote of the parish an act incorporating Seabrook as a parish, as passed by the two houses of the Assembly, was approved June 3, 1768, in the eighth year of King George the Third.
1783-The selectmen, who were Caleb Tilton, James Prescott and Benjamin Pike, "have with considerable charge and trouble in the course of the last year, enlisted five con- tinental soldiers in the manner hereafter following, namely :
"April 2, 1782: Enlisted Peter Williams for three years. Paid down 25£ cash. Gave a note for 25£ to be paid in three years.
"May 31: Enlisted John Kenny for three years. Paid down 6£-12 s. cash. Gave a note for 55£-10 s. to be paid April 1, 1783."
John Kenny came to this town about 1760. He was warned out. He was a blacksmith and had a shop on Mr. Towles' field near the brook which bears his name. We never knew where he came from or his subsequent life after going into the army.
"July 8, 1782: Enlisted Samuel Randall for three years. Paid down cash 25 £. Gave a note for 5 £ to be paid March 20, 1783.
"July 16, 1782: Enlisted Nathl. Smart during the war. Paid down 16 £-10 s. Gave a note for 60 £ to be paid in three years.
"Oct. 4, 1782: Enlisted David Scott during the war. Paid down cash 15 £. Gave one note payable Jan. 1, 1784, for 15 £. One note to be paid Oct. 1785 for 22 £-10 s. And one other note for 22 £-10 s to be paid Oct. 4, 1786."
11
146
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
The names of Samuel Randall, Nathaniel Smart and John Kenny do not appear in the list published in the history of Hampton Falls but should be added thereto. 1782-The whole cost of the continental soldiers including the hire, cost of mustering, time and expense: "Hiring interest of money to hire them will amount to 348 £- 5 s-3 d." This would appear to be the amount paid in the year 1782. The above is about all we have ever been able to find in relation to the details of the Revolu- tionary War. It is much to be regretted that more cannot be known of what was done in those times and the amount which the war cost this town.
EXTRACTS FROM WEARE PAPERS.
The following extracts are from the Weare papers purchased by the library trustees for the town library in 1909: 1743, Nov. 21-Benjamin Hilliard granted to Meshech Weare, Dea. Josiah Batchelder and Timothy Hilliard the privilege of erecting a sawmill on Grapevine run for the term of twenty years, at a point below where a sawmill was formerly built. This was near the location of the Batchelder sawmill which was removed a little before 1900. Tradition says that there was a woolen mill located here in the early days.
1746, Jan. 12-Jacob Stanion leased to Meshech Weare, Caleb Sanborn and Daniel Sanborn a parcel of land near what is called Stanion's Landing on the Falls River for the purpose of building a vessel of forty-five tons. Vessels had been built there before. Stanion's Landing is now known as the town landing.
Jan. 12-Jacob Stanion for the sum of seven pounds old tenor, granted to Meshech Weare, Richard Nason, Daniel Swett and Benjamin Swett, Innholder, and Walter Williams, mariner, the privilege of building a vessel of seventy tons burden, at Fresh Island, with the right to pass to and fro on his land and to lay lumber.
A LIST OF PERSONS TAXED IN HAMPTON FALLS IN 1776.
Thomas Arnold. John Brown. Mary Brown. Joshua Blake. Ens. Jeremiah Blake.
Gamaliel Knowles. Amos Leavitt.
Wid. Elizabeth Leavitt.
Samuel Lane.
Jeremiah Lane.
Henry Blake.
Lovell Lang.
Ens. Richard Brown. Abraham Brown. Daniel Brown.
John Lang. Samuel Melcher.
Nathan Brown.
Samuel Melcher, Jr.
Nathan Brown, Jr.
Capt. Benjamin Moulton.
David Batchelder. Col. Jonathan Burnham.
Richard Moulton.
Redman Moulton.
Francis Marshall.
Gideon Marshall.
Nehemiah Cram.
Richard Mace.
Capt. Jonathan Cram.
Jonathan Miller.
Dr. Joshua Chase. Stephen Cram.
Richard Nason, Esq.
Daniel Davidson.
David Nason.
Daniel Norton.
Nehemiah Ordway. William Page. Elisha Prescott.
Lt. James Prescott.
Maj. William Prescott.
Lt. George Fifield. Jonathan Fifield, Esq. John Gove. Nathan Gove.
Jonathan Perkins. James Prescott. Josiah Pervear.
Wid. Elizabeth Green. Eaton Green. Isaac Green. Benjamin Hilliard.
Capt. Nathaniel Healey. Wid. Sarah Healey. Lt. Zebulon Hilliard. Hussey Hoag. John Kenny.
Adonajah Morrill.
Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge. Seth Fogg.
William Davidson, Jr. Elisha Eaton. John Flood. Robert Fowler.
Robert Miller.
Ralph Butler. William Blaisdell. Philip Burns. John Clifford.
Thomas Moulton.
Isaiah Lane.
David Perkins. Joseph Pervear. Ens. Pain Rowe. Henry Robie, Jr. Moses Robinson. John Rawlings. Wid. Anna Swain. John Swain. Stephen Swain. William Swain.
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PERSONS TAXED IN HAMPTON FALLS IN 1776
Benjamin Sanborn. Jedediah Sleeper. Jedediah Sleeper, Jr. Jonathan Stewart. Capt. Chinney Smith. Malachi Shaw. Aaron Smith. Hilliard Shaw.
Capt. Caleb Sanborn.
Abner Sanborn.
Abner Sanborn, Jr.
Joseph Wells. Dea. Joseph Worth.
Obadiah Worth.
Meshech Weare, Esq.
Nathaniel Watson.
Capt. Walter Williams. Joshua Vickey.
NON-RESIDENT.
Hampton. Joshua James. John Fogg. Thomas Nudd.
Josiah Dearborn. Philip Smith Marston. Samuel Towle.
Lt. John Taylor.
North Hampton. Daniel Sanborn, Esq. John Taylor, Jr.
Exeter.
Daniel Jones. Lt. Josiah Folsom. John Leavitt. Dole Parsons. Benjamin Cram.
Capt. Joseph Hoyt. Lt. Joseph Fifield.
Phineas Batchelder.
Nathan Tilton.
Nathan Tilton, Jr.
Stephen Tilton.
Wid. Sarah Tilton.
Capt. Jonathan Tilton.
Peter Tilton. Samuel Weare, Esq.
Melcher Ward.
Aaron Wells.
Benjamin Tilton. Michael Tilton.
Lt. Caleb Tilton. Samuel Tilton. Daniel Tilton.
Esq. Toppan. Col. Jonathan Moulton. Jonathan Elkins. Jonathan Shaw. Micajah Morrill. John Taylor.
John Wingate.
William Sanborn. Thomas Folsom. John Folsom. Wid. Dorothy Smith. Capt. Josiah Robinson.
Stratham.
Wid. Dorothy Wiggins. Nathaniel Wiggins.
Ebenezer Barker.
Kingston. Edward Sleeper. Edward Fifield.
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
Nottingham. Maj. Joseph Cilley.
South Hampton. Dea. Benjamin Brown.
Hawke. Timothy Worth.
John Tuck.
Samuel Tuck.
Kensington.
Jonathan Perkins.
Philemon Blake.
Samuel Dearborn.
Samuel Lampree.
Jeremiah Dearborn.
Henry Lampree.
Capt. Samuel Page estate.
Joseph Brown.
Samuel Clifford.
Josiah Batchelder.
Dea. Jonathan Dow.
Richard Sanborn.
Joseph Wadleigh.
Josiah Dow.
John Batchelder.
Lt. Jessee Tuck.
Jeremiah Batchelder.
Benjamin James.
Stephen Brown.
Joseph Tilton, Esq.
Nathaniel Healey, Esq.
Elisha Blake.
Philbrick Palmer.
Moses Shaw.
Robert Pike.
Caleb Shaw.
Peter Hodgdon.
Capt. Nathaniel Gove.
Ezekiel Worthen, Esq.
John Green.
Josiah Brown.
Benjamin Brown.
Jeremiah Fellows.
John Blake. John Page.
John Melcher.
Capt. Winthrop Rowe.
Moses Sanborn.
Benjamin Melcher.
David Green.
John Weare's widow. Josiah Blake.
Lt. Joseph Clifford.
Benjamin Leavitt. Abraham Dow. Abraham Dow, Jr. Richard Tobey.
Seabrook.
Job Haskell. Henry Robie. Ebenezer Fogg. Nehemiah Chase.
Nathaniel Weare.
Joseph Dow.
Dr. Rowe. Jonathan Rowe.
Ebenezer Brown.
Lt. Sherborn Tilton.
Theophilus Page. Israel James.
Brentwood.
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PERSONS TAXED IN HAMPTON FALLS IN 1776
Benjamin Leavitt, Henry Robie, Job Haskell and Richard Toby lived in Hampton Falls but had polled into Seabrook in 1768. Toby was son-in-law of Job Haskell.
Dea. Joseph Worth was rated for the last time in 1776. Jonathan Fifield, Esq., was rated for the last time in 1777. Joshua Vickery was rated from 1778 to 1792, inclusive.
In the first volume of the history of Hampton Falls we give the petition of the selectmen of Hampton Falls to Jonathan Belcher, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire, for permission to hold a fair in this town in 1732, with the answer of Governor Belcher giving the permission. We now present an advertisement from a Boston paper dated April 17, 1732, announcing the time and place of holding the first horse show ever held in America. It was to be similar in character to the sale fairs held at that time in England. There is now no known record of these fairs which continued to be held annually for a number of years.
The Talerkly Rehearfal,
Monday, April 17. 1 7 3 2.
MAJESTY's mot Gracious SPEECH -
to buth Houses of Parliament, on Thusf- day the Thirteenth Day of January, 1731.
contrary to former Treaties, or teniding either to ag. grandine or reduce the Powerer. Weight , of any Poter . bate calculated purely for preferving a due Ballarice, and to avoid fuch Confusion, as new Changes and Con .
oat Portfmouth.
I "His is to give Notice of a Horfe Fair which is to be at Mr. John Brown's Innholder at Hampton-Falls about feven Miles to the Eaftward of Newbury Ferry upon the 20th and ant Days of April Infant ; at which Time'us expected that there will be brought thither fome Hundreds of Horfes, to be Sold or otherwife traded for.
the Author.
Advertifements are taken in
res
UNIQUE AD FOR. FIRST HORSE SHOW HELD IN AMERICA.
ost exactly 174 years ago today, Boston's annual horse show opens, t horse show on record in America lace within a few miles of Boston. nuel A. Green, librarian of the Mass- ts Historical Society, recently in the April 17, 1732, issue of The Rehearsal the unique advertise- f what he believes is the premier show, and has told The Boston of his interesting find.
The advertisement conveys the informa- tion that on April 20 and 21, just 174 years ago, "John Brown of Hampton Falls (near Newburyport) will hold on his estate a 'Horse Fair,' at which time 'tis expected that there will be brought thither some hundreds of horses."
This paper was one of the earliest pub- lished in Massachusetts, being printed weekly by John Draper, and was started in September, 1731. It is interesting to
note that the "lead story" of the issue in which the advertisement appears is the speech of the English King to Parliament, delivered over a year previously, but when it appeared in The Weekly Rehearsal it was considered a great piece of news, if not a "scoop."
. No further record of this first horse show in Massachusetts appears in the Rehearsal, and historians seem to be rather hazy on the question, but it is probable that it took place according to schedule.
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