USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 2
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
continued by legislative act. By this the two towns became en- tirely disconnected, and the west parish became an independent town.
There was considerable opposition on the part of the old town. We can readily believe that the passage of the causeway was im- possible at times, as at first there was only a ford at the river, and later a low bridge, all of which would be overflowed during the season of high tides. Fifty years later, when the first stages began to run from Portsmouth to Boston in 1761, they did not come over the causeway, but went up and forded the river at what has since been known as Coffins Mills, then through the Old Mill road, up to the Exeter road, then down to what has since been known as the Lafayette road at Hampton Falls hill.
The meeting house was located very near the site of the Weare Monument. It was at first a rude building, neither clapboarded or plastered. It would appear that the meeting house was too small to comfortably seat the congregation as on March 23 it was voted that James Prescott be appointed to take care that the alleys in ye meeting house be kept clear, and any person that re- fuseth to have their chairs removed out of ye meeting house shall pay a fine of five shillings, James Prescott is appointed to prosecute said act, and have one half for his pains, and ye other half for the benefit of ye parish. James Prescott was a prominent citizen, he lived in a garrison house near the residence of the late Newell W. Healy. He was dismissed from the Hampton Falls church with twelve others to form the church at Kingston in 1725, where Mr. Prescott was then living. It was also voted that any person who allowed his dog to come into the meeting house should pay a fine of five shillings. It appears by the record that a num- ber of persons were at different times appointed to sweep and have general care of the meeting house. There was great com- plaint that the glass in the windows was broken, and that there was considerable trouble in keeping the windows in repair as the boys seem to have been busy in that direction. A number of votes were passed requiring the pew holders to keep the windows against their pews in repair, or they would be boarded up and made tight. It was voted to put a window or windows back of the pulpit.
The men sat on one side of the house, and the women upon the other; each had a gallery. September 26, 1726, it was voted that
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THE MEETING HOUSE
the hind seat in the women's gallery may be built up for the use of the young women, provided they maintain the glass against said seat, and that they bring in their names to ye selectmen, within a month's time. There is no record to show how the young women acted in this matter. In 1737 it was voted to put a new roof on the meeting house, and that they put on spouts to carry away the water from the eaves; for plastering under the beams; for win- dows and clapboards, and for all things to put the meeting house in good repair, which appears to have been done. Shutters were probably put on the windows, as after this there are no votes in relation to broken glass. April 3, 1739, an article was inserted in the warrant, "To see if the parish would vote to purchase a bell." We find no note of any action being taken, the record being silent. .
There is no record showing the dimensions of the house. After the meeting house had been repaired in 1737, we find nothing re- lating to the meeting house until 1780, when it had become very much out of repair, and another meeting house had been built in another part of the town, when it was voted to sell the old meet- ing house, and devote the proceeds to the support of the poor. We have never found any record as to the amount received from the sale of the old meeting house. The town meetings were held in this house until 1770, after which they were held at the new meeting house. After permission had been given in 1709 that the rates raised on the south side of the river could be used by the new parish, they lost no time in securing a minister. Thomas Crosby, the schoolmaster, was the first to conduct religious serv- ices on the Sabbath, but he was not qualified to administer the sacrament and some other duties of an ordained minister. He was a son of Rev. Seaborn Cotton's wife by a previous marriage.
About this time occurred the death of Rev. John Cotton, and it was ordered that the new parish bear their part of the expense of his funeral charges. They now engaged Rev. Theophilus Cotton, a graduate of Harvard College in 1701, youngest son of the Rev. John Cotton of Plymouth, Mass., who was a brother of Rev. Seaborn Cotton of Hampton. Rev. Theophilus Cotton was born at Plymouth, Mass., May 5, 1682. He was a nephew of Rev. Seaborn Cotton, cousin of Rev. John Cotton, and an uncle of Rev. Ward Cotton, all of whom had been settled over the Hampton church at different times. He was also a cousin of
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
Rev. Dr. Cotton Mather of Boston. He married Mary, widow of Dr. Gedney of Salem, Mass. They had no children. He finished the course at Harvard at the age of nineteen. Of the next eight years of his life we know nothing. He probably studied theology with his father, preaching as opportunity offered. He came to Hampton Falls sometime between December, 1709, and May 16, 1710, and preached for nearly two years before the church was organized.
On the 9th of December, 1711, forty-nine members of the old church at Hampton were dismissed in order to form the Hampton Falls church, and four days after, amid the solemnities of a day of fasting and prayer, the new church was organized with twenty- one male and thirty-five female members. Four weeks later, January 2, 1712, Mr. Cotton was ordained. His salary, at first, was sixty pounds and firewood and the use of the parsonage land of thirty acres, to which was added twenty pounds and more land a few years later. When the church records were burned in 1858 it was supposed that all history of the Hampton Falls church was lost, but among the things saved was a little book which had been kept by Mr. Cotton and Mr. Whipple, the first two minis- ters of the town, as a journal of happenings in the church during their ministry. This little book was highly prized, as it shed con- siderable light upon what was done in the church previous to 1752, although not a complete chronicle of events. The Rev. Sereno T. Abbot, who was for many years pastor of the Line church, had copied our record. In 1900 Mrs. Abbot gave me this copy which had been made by her husband which appears to be a full record of our church from its organization until its final dissolution about 1830. By the aid of the two journals we are enabled to present a pretty full and complete history of the church in this town. We gather the following from Mr. Cotton's diary, in his own hand writing:
"The inhabitants of Hampton Falls having given me a call to settle amongst them in the work of the ministry did thereupon call in some of the neighboring ministers to keep a day of fasting and prayer with them to seek the blessing of heaven upon them. As also to gather them into a church estate that they might be capacitated to proceed in that affair."
This fact was on the 13th of December, 1711. The ministers who carried on the work of that day were the Rev. Mr. Odlin
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THE MEETING HOUSE
who began with prayer, Rev. Mr. Cushing who preached and gathered the church, and the Rev. Mr. Googin ended with prayer. At this solemnity the following covenant was read and acknowledged by those whose names are signed thereto:
"COVENANT OFF THE CHURCH OFF HAMPTON FALLS.
"We whose names are hereunto subscribed apprehending our- selves called of God to joyn together in Chh communion in hum- ble dependence on free grace for assistance and acceptance. We do this day in presence of God his angels and this assembly Avouch the Lord to be our God and the God of our children which we give unto him accounting it a signal yt he will accept of us and them to be his people. Promising that by the help of his spirit & Grace to draw unto God (whose name is Jehovah) as our choic- est good, and to our Lord Jesus Christ as our prophet Priest and king by faith and gospel obedience as becometh his covt people forever making at all times the holy word of God the rule of our faith and practice. We do also give ourselves one unto another as a church of Christ in all the ways of his worship, according to the holy rules of his word promising in brotherly love faithfully to watch over one anothers souls, and to submit ourselves unto the discipline of Christ in the church. And duly to attend the seals & Conserves of whatever ordinances Christ has commanded to be observed by his people so far as the Lord has or shall by his word and Spirit reveal unto us to be our duty. Beseeching the Lord to own us, humbly craving help at his hands for the per- formance of our engagements and covenant obligations."
The covenant adopted at this time continued to be used in the government of the church as long as the town church was in exist- ence. The signers of the covenant were:
Theophilus Cotton.
Moses Blake.
Nath'l Weare, Esq.
Thomas Cram.
Samuel Shaw.
John Cram, Esq.
Benjamin Batchelder.
Jacob Green.
Joseph Tilton.
Peter Weare.
James Prescott, Jr.
Nath'l Weare.
John Morgan.
John Clifford.
Nath'l Sanborn.
Israel Clifford.
William Brown.
Timothy Blake.
Philemon Blake.
(Jacob Basford) Afterward dismissed to Chester
Number of men, 21.
Those who had not been dismissed from other churches but were living here and considered to be under the care of this church were:
Isaac Green.
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
Mrs. Heath, Haverhill Church. Mrs. Sanborn, wife of John, New Church.
Mrs. Greenleaf, New Church.
Mrs. French, Boston Church.
The other women who signed the covenant were:
Mary Cotton, dismissed from Cambridge Church.
Mehitable Tilton.
Margaret Tilton.
Hannah Gove.
Naomi Blake, Sr.
Sarah Gove.
Sarah. Blake.
Mary Green.
Abigail Blake.
Sarah Green.
Mary Fifield.
Elizabeth Shaw.
Mary Philbrook.
Esther Shaw.
Mary Weare.
Mary Cram, dis. Exeter.
Mariah Prescott.
Mary Cram, Jr.
Elizabeth Prescott.
Elizabeth Cram.
Abigail Prescott.
Sarah Cram.
Elizabeth Clifford.
Sarah Swett.
Deborah Clifford.
Susanna Batchelder.
Deborah Morgan.
Elisabeth Shaw, Jr.
Ruth Brown.
Alex Tilton.
Mariah Tilton.
Deborah Shaw.
Number of women, 32. Whole number, 56.
At the time Hampton Falls church was formed, forty-nine members from the Hampton church were dismissed to become members of the Falls church, among them Deacon Samuel Shaw, who lived where Mr. Birtwell now lives. He had been a deacon of the Hampton church for some time, but resigned to take the same office in the new church. Nathaniel Weare, Esq., was elected associate with Deacon Shaw. One man and eleven women who had been recommended by other churches were soon admitted to membership. Three women who were constant dwellers here, but had a membership elsewhere, were considered to be under our care.
Theophilus Cotton was ordained pastor over the church at Hampton Falls January 26, 1712, Rev. Mr. Rogers of Portsmouth giving the charge and Rev. Mr. Cushing of Salisbury the right hand of fellowship. The other ministers who assisted at the gathering of the church were Rev. Mr. Googin of Hampton and Rev. Mr. Odlin of Exeter. It was voted that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be administered twice a quarter of the year, omitting the winter quarter, the whole seven times a year, the last being the first Sunday in December. It was voted to have a con-
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THE MEETING HOUSE
tribution frequently to defray the expense of the Sacrament; later it was voted that every communicant shall give one shilling and six pence for the maintenance of the Lord's Supper. This was in 1715. It was voted that Deacon Shaw should be paid two shillings six pence per day for his trouble in providing the elements and care of the utensils. This vote was never complied with by Deacon Shaw. It was also voted that the church be called together at the end of the year (if need be) to call those to account who had been defective in paying the respective sums. And if any fall short, through poverty, to have contributed to make it up. This was in relation to the expense of maintaining the Lord's table.
On October 16, 1717, at a church meeting held at the house of Dea. Samuel Shaw, it was voted that an assistant be appointed to assist the deacons in collecting the rates for the support of the Lord's table. Although the sum was small, one shilling six pence (twenty-five cents) in those days, when money was scarce and not many means of earning it, it was not strange that some were in arrears. It was voted that the deacon who provided the elements should be paid two shillings six pence (forty-two cents) for the expense of the elements at each Communion.
At this meeting another vote was passed which had an im- portant bearing on the future of the church and was urged as a cause, a hundred and more years later, for the division of the church, when some left the old church to form the Line church.
"Voted that the Rev. Mr. Cotton the pastor administer the seal of baptism to Adult persons & their children, they owning the covenant. If they dare not yet proceed to ye other seal of the Covenant. Provided he is clear in the matter, and any offer themselves therefor who in his judgment off Charity are suitable subjects for that ordinance."
This vote allowed and authorized the use of the Halfway Cove- nant, which was in use and authorized in a majority of the Con- gregational churches in this state. When the effects of this cove- nant became apparent it was gradually eliminated until it ceased to be used. By it any person could own the covenant for the baptism of their children, and, in this way, unregenerate and often immoral persons were admitted whose presence was a source of weakness and a detriment to the progress and well being of the
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
church. There are a great many entries on our church record where parents owned the covenant for the baptism of their chil- dren. It is a mystery to us at the present time why children of proper age and understanding should not be admitted on their own request.
At a church meeting, February 20, 1724, Nathaniel Batchelder and Benjamin Sanborn were chosen deacons, Deacon Shaw hav- ing died September 12, 1725. Application was made by James Prescott, Sr., Jonathan Sanborn, Deborah Clifford, Mehitable Sanborn, Margaret Sanborn, now Sleeper, for a dismission from this church in order to be incorporated into a church at Kingston, and they were dismissed. At this time some charges were pend- ing against James Prescott, and at this meeting he convinced the church of his innocence and was granted his dismission.
"May 10, 1726 I took along with me Col. Weare to the house of John Cass and before him and the mother of John Casses wife Dealt with her for with drawing from our communion, and for embracing the principles of the Quakers who proved obstinate. I did thereupon as pastor of ye church in the name of Christ Reject her and renounce her as one belonging to our communion and the good Lord have mercy on her and all here. Amen."
This was the beginning of considerable trouble with the Quak- ers to which we will give some attention later.
In 1719 Mr. Cotton appears to have been out of health and perhaps incapacitated from attending to his ministerial duties. At a meeting of the parish December 19, a committee was chosen to discourse with Mr. Cotton concerning the carrying on of the work of the ministry the ensuing winter, which they accordingly did. He answered them by saying that he hoped to be able to carry on the work of the ministry himself either at his own home or in the meeting house the ensuing winter. It was also voted that Deacon Shaw and James Prescott be a committee to dis- course with Mr. Cotton concerning his preaching our lecture on lecture day and bring his answer to them at the annual meeting in March.
The service on lecture day was held in the latter part of the week which preceded the Sabbath when the Sacrament was ad- ministered. It was not held earlier than Thursday. Lecture day is mentioned a great many times on our record. It would appear that the sermon on that day was prepared with greater
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THE MEETING HOUSE
care and the solemnity of the service exceeded that on the Sab- bath. It corresponded with what has since been known as con- ference day.
Between June 1, 1718, and July 22, 1726, Mr. Cotton visited the Isles of Shoals a number of times to administer the ordinance of baptism. During his ministry Mr. Cotton baptized four hun- dred and sixty-seven persons, seventy-two of whom were at the Shoals; thirty-four owned the covenant. He solemnized ninety- nine marriages and ninety-seven were admitted to full communion of the church. All of them are recorded upon our church record. At that time there were a number of hundred persons living at the Shoals engaged in the fishery business, and it was a field where missionary work was needed. We are unable to find that any of the ministers of the nearby towns were engaged in this work ex- cept Mr. Cotton.
Mr. Cotton's salary was at first sixty pounds per year, a little later twenty pounds were added and the use of the parsonage land; an ox five years old was valued at five pounds and eight shillings, another of the same age at four pounds and twelve shil- lings, a heifer at one pound ten shillings, a steer at four pounds fifteen shillings. From this it would appear that Mr. Cotton's salary was worth seven or eight yokes of oxen.
The year Mr. Cotton died (1726) he presented the church with three silver communion cups. They bear an inscription, and are now in possession of The First Congregational Church (Unitarian) in this town. An effort should be made for the future preserva- tion of these cups.
Those who owned the covenant to have their children baptized subscribed to the following:
"You promise to walk in all the commandments and the ordi- nances of the Lord blameless, so far as God shall afford you light and direction."
The church records contain the following notice for August 16, 1726:
"Died, the Revd. Theophilus Cotton Pastor of the Second Church in Hampton after a faithful discharge of that Office for nigh 15 years and was decently buried the 18th following at the charge of the parish."
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
He was buried in the old buryingground; a monument over his grave bears this inscription:
"Here lies the body of ye Revd. Theophilus Cotton ye first minister of ye church at Hampton Falls who after he had served God faithfully in his generation, deceased August the 16th, 1726, in ye 45th year of his age. 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.' "
Mr. Cotton wrote a bold, round hand which was easily legible.
The church appears to have been in a peaceful and prosperous condition during the whole period of Mr. Cotton's ministry. In his quiet country parish he spent the active years of his life in diligent labor for the good of a people by whom he was highly esteemed, and he enjoyed the respect of the neighboring ministry. The Rev. Mr. Googin of Hampton, who preached the funeral sermon on the next Sabbath after his death from II Corinthians 5:4 and John 5:35, gave him a good character.
At a parish meeting held six days after Mr. Cotton's death, the selectmen were directed to settle with Mrs. Cotton. She was voted the free use of the parsonage during the summer. The selectmen were instructed to negotiate with her for the entertain- ment of supplies for the pulpit and they were to assess every man's estate in the parish except Quakers (who were exempt from pay- ing ministerial rates) in order to pay the charges of our Rev. Mr. Cotton's funeral.
Mr. Cotton appears to have owned the house he had lived in, as November 30, 1726, it was voted to take up with Mrs. Cotton's offer and give her for her buildings and land, and all things there- on, except his movables, three hundred and fifty pounds in lawful money or lawful bills of credit.
Mrs. Cotton appears to have been married again as in 1729 she is spoken of as Madam Newmarch.
In the petition for a new parish is the following request:
" That as we have been at equal expense according to our estates in purchasing and holding the parsonage of the town, that now we may have some land appointed and laid out for a parsonage as convenient as it may be had for the Falls side according to the worth of the town."
In accordance with this request and the vote of the assembly it was voted by the commoners and proprietors
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"that we have no waste and unimproved lands therefore we cant lay out according to the act of the Assembly bearing date of Oct. 23d 1710. Yet we the commoners of the town of Hampton do agree that the new parish shall have on this part for a parson- age out of our pasture land as convenient as may be. They giv- ing up all right in the parsonage place in the old parish at the town to the commoners and proprietors grant to the inhabitants of the new parish five acres for a house lot."
The five acres were laid out opposite the Governor Weare house, west of the schoolhouse and extending along the road to the old cemetery. Sixty acres of pasture land were laid out at Grape- vine Run, now owned by Warren H. Batchelder. Eight acres of thatch ground at Parsonage Island, situated on the Seabrook River, on Plum Island side where the towns come together. The parsonage house had been bought from Mrs. Cotton with one acre of land, and the out buildings. The house and five acres were called the lower parsonage. The sixty acres at Grape- vine Run were called the upper parsonage, and are frequently spoken of upon the record. The parish paid Mrs. Cotton three hundred and sixty pounds for her house and land. At nearly every parish meeting a committee was appointed to look after the parsonage fence, and a number of times it was voted to build stone walls, and the price of labor for both men and oxen which might be allowed to those who did the work. The Quakers were allowed twelve acres for a parsonage near Foggs Corner. When the parsonage lands were granted in 1716 it was understood that the new parish relinquished all claim to the remaining par- sonage or common lands in the old parish. Yet in 1745 Hamp- ton Falls, Kensington and North Hampton made an effort to claim some of the remaining land. On the 24th of June, 1745, some of the Hampton Falls men, headed by Col. Ichabod Robie, attended a town meeting at Hampton and attempted to vote but were not allowed and were forced to retire. This controversy continued for a number of years; much ill feeling was generated and legal process threatened until 1760 when Hampton Falls voted to relinquish all further claims which ended a long and bitter con- troversy between the towns.
After the death of Mr. Cotton the parish immediately set about to secure a successor. Unsuccessful negotiations had been had with a Mr. March who afterward settled in Amesbury. At a meeting of the parish October 4, 1726, the three deacons were 3
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
appointed to treat with Mr. Whipple. After some discussion Mr. Whipple was hired for one hundred and twenty pounds and the use of the parsonage; in 1732, twenty pounds were added to his salary.
Rev. Joseph Whipple, pastor of the Hampton Falls church, was born at Ipswich, Mass., in 1701, and was graduated from Harvard College in 1720. On January 4, 1726-7, Joseph Whipple was ordained pastor of the church in Hampton Falls. The Rev. Mr. Googin made the first prayer; the Rev. Mr. Wigglesworth preached from II Corinthians 5:11; the Rev. Mr. Cushing gave the charge; the Rev. Mr. Odlin extended the right hand of fellow- ship, and the Rev. Mr. Parsons made the last prayer.
Mr. Whipple disapproved of the course of Whitefield and was one of the ministers who cautioned the Boston ministers against admitting him to their pulpits.
During Mr. Whipple's ministry there was a great depreciation in the currency which caused a great deal of inconvenience to both pastor and people and frequent additions were voted by way of equalization. Twenty pounds was voted additional to his salary in each of the years, 1734 and 1735. He gave a receipt in full of all demands to date, December, 1739, for one hundred and fifty pounds, the same year, because there had been a great rise in the price of provisions and other necessaries of life and the wood upon the parsonage was almost gone. A meeting was held to determine whether they would help Mr. Whipple or not. There is no record of this meeting. In 1740, at the annual meeting in March, methods were considered how to make Mr. Whipple's salary as much as it was at the time he settled with them. And thirty pounds was voted him that year in money or passable bills of credit. An attempt was made to adjust Mr. Whipple's salary so as to end all controversy in relation to it in the future. Thirty pounds was voted in 1742, and forty pounds in 1743 and 1744. This was in addition to his regular salary of one hundred and twenty pounds. In 1747 nothing was voted by way of increase of his salary. In September of that year he called for more, considering himself entitled by his contract with the parish to enough to make his salary equal in purchasing value to what it was when he was settled, namely one hundred and twenty pounds in lawful money. The parish then voted that Mr. Whipple's salary should yearly be as much as it was when he
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