History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168

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Joshua Boynton was in West Dunstable in 1745, and a town officer in 1747. Three of his sons-viz., Joshua, Jr., Benjamin and Elias-were soldiers in the Revolution.

Ensign Josiah Brown came from Salem, Mass., and was in West Dunstable in 1743, and a town officer in 1747 and 1748. He was an ensign in the French War in 1758. Removed to Plymouth, N. HI., in 1764.

John Brown was also from Salem, and was in West Dunstable in 1743, and signed the call to Rev. Mr. Emerson. Married Kezia Wheeler, October 9, 1744. Died May 6, 1776.

Ephraim Burge was from Chelmsford, Mass. Settled in Hollis about 1760. Was a soldier in Cap- tain Emerson's company in 1777. His oldest son Ephraim B., Jr., was for many years a deacon of the Hollis Church, and his sons, Rev. Josiah B. and Dr. Benjamin B. were graduates of Harvard College. Died July 21, 1784, æt. forty-six.

Josiah Conant was from Salem, Mass. Came to West Dunstable in 1744. Married Catharine Emer- son, February, 1745. His two sons, Josiah, Jr., and Abel, were soldiers in the Revolution, and both dea- cons of the Hollis Church. Died December 14, 1756, æt. forty-four.

Lieutenant Robert Colburn came from Billerica, Mass., was in West Dunstable in 1738, and signed the petition for the charter. Married Elizabeth Smith in 1747. Settled in the part of Hollis known as Monson. His sons, Robert, Benjamin and Nathan, were Revo- Intionary soldiers. Died July 9, 1783, at. sixty-six.

Samuel Cumings, Esq., was born in Groton, Mass., March 6, 1709 ; married Prudence Lawrence, of Gro- ton, July 18, 1732. Was in West Dunstable in 1739, and signed the second petition for the charter. He was the first justice of the peace in Hollis, and was chosen town clerk in twenty-two different years be- tween 1746 and 1770. He was sergeant in Captain Powers' company in the French War in 1755. Two of his sons, Samuel and Thomas, were Loyalists in the Revolution, and Benjamin, his youngest son, was a Continental soldier. Died January 18, 1772, æt. sixty- two.

Jerahmael Cumings was a brother of Samuel Cum- ings, and born in Groton October 10, 1711. Mar- ried Hannah Farwell in 1736; was in West Dun- stable in 1738, and signed the first petition for the charter. He was the father of Rev. Henry Cum- ings, D.D., the first minister of Billerica, and of Captain Jotham Cumings, a soldier in the French

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

War of 1755 and an officer in the War of the Revo- lution. Died October 25, 1747, æt. thirty-six.

Deacon William Cumings is supposed to have come from Groton, and was in West Dunstable in 1744, and chosen deacon of the Hollis Church in 1745. He was ensign in the French War in 1755, in the company of Captain Powers, and all his three sons-Ebenezer, William and Philip-were soldiers in the Revolution. Died September 9, 1758, æet. forty-six.

Jonathan Danforth came from Billerica, and was in West Dunstable in 1743, and signed the call to Rev. Mr. Emerson. He was a grandson of the noted Massachusetts surveyor of the same name, and was a town officer in 1746. Died March 3, 1748, æt. thirty- three.

Thomas Dinsmore came from Bedford, Mass. ; was in West Dunstable previous to 1736, and was the third settler. Died December 10, 1748.

Zedekialı Drury was also from Bedford, and by trade a blacksmith ; was in West Dunstable in 1743, and signed the call to Mr. Emerson. About the year 1765 he removed to Temple, N. H.

Lieutenant Samuel Farley came from Bedford, Mass. ; was in West Dunstable in 1739, and was a pe- titioner for the charter. Married Hannah Brown, October 7, 1744. His son Benjamin was a soldier in the Revolution. Died November 23, 1797, æt. seventy- nine.

Lieutenant Benjamin Farley was also from Bed- ford. Was in West Dunstable in 1738, and was a pe- titioner for the charter, and was the first inn-keeper in West Dunstable. He lived first on the farm oc- cupied by T. G. Worcester, about one-fourth of a mile south of the meeting-house. He was parish as- sessor in 1740 and 1741, and selectman in 1746. Three of his sons-Ebenezer, Christopher and Stephen- were Revolutionary soldiers. Died November 23, 1797, in his eightieth year.

Joseph Farley came from Billerica, and was in West Dunstable in 1743. Killed by the fall of a tree, November 24, 1762, æet. forty-nine.

Eleazer Flagg came from Concord, Mass,, and was the second settler in West Dunstable. He lived in the southwest part of the town, and during the French War of 1744 his house was fortified as a guard-house. He was parish assessor in 1742. His son John was a soldier in the French War, 1755, and his son Jonas in that of the Revolution. Died August 14, 1757, æt. fifty-three.

Phineas Hardy came to Hollis from Bradford, Mass. His name is first on the Hollis tax-lists in 1752. He was a soldier in the garrison at Portsmouth, N. H., in 1776, and his sons-Phineas, Thomas, Noah and Jesse-were all soldiers in the army. Died March 7, 1813, æt. eighty-six.

Stephen Harris was from Littleton, Mass., and settled in what is now the north part of Hollis about 1735. He was a petitioner for the charter of West

Dunstable in 1738, and first treasurer of West Dun- stable in 1740. Died September 20, 1775, æt. seventy- five.

Deacon Stephen Jewett is supposed to have come from Rowley, Mass., in 1751, and married Hannah (Farwell) Cumings, widow of Ensign Jerahmael Cum- ings, in 1752. He was chosen seleetman in 1766, deacon of the Hollis Church in 1770, and a delegate to the County Congress at Amherst in 1774 and 1775. All of his three sons-Stephen, Jr., Noah and Jonathan -were soldiers in the Revolution. Died May 23, 1803, æt. seventy-five.

Zerubbabel Kemp was born in Groton, Mass., Oc- tober 12, 1705. Married Abigail Lawrence, in Groton, November 23, 1737. Was in West Dunstable in 1743, and a town officer in 1748.

James McDonald also came from Groton and was in West Dunstable in 1739, and a signer of the second petition for the charter. He was a town officer in 1748 and a soldier in 1777, in the company of Cap- tain Goss. Died April 11, 1801, æt. eighty-three.

William Nevins came from Newton, Mass., and his name appears in the first tax-list in West Dunstable in 1740. He was selectman in 1771 and 1772, and moderator in 1773 and 1774. Five of his sons-viz., William, Joseph, Benjamin, John and Phineas-were Revolutionary soldiers. Died February 15, 1785, æt. sixty-seven.

David Nevins was from Bedford, Mass., and was in West Dunstable in 1788 and signed the first petition for the charter. He was parish collector in 1741. Removed from Hollis to Plymouth among the first settlers of Plymouth.

Deacon Enoch Noyes came from Newbury, Mass. Ilis name first appeared on the Hollis tax-lists in 1747. He was selectman in 1751, and chosen deacon in 1755. His two sons, Enoch and Elijah, were soldiers in the Revolution. Died September, 1796, æt. eighty.

Deacon Thomas Patch was from Groton. Married Anna Gilson in 1741, in Groton. He was in West Dunstable in 1743, and was chosen deacon in 1745. His sons, Thomas and David, were soldiers in the Revolution. Died May 1, 1754, æt. forty.

William Pool was from Reading, Mass. Married Hannah Nichols, at Reading, June 19, 1751, and came to Hollis during the French War of 1754, his name being first found on the Hollis tax-lists in 1758. He was selectman in 1771. Died in Hollis, October 27, 1795, æt. seventy. His oldest son, William W., was a soldier in the Revolution in 1775, and again in 1778. James, the second son, settled in Maine, and became a successful merchant. His youngest son, , Hon. Benjamin Pool, born January 17, 1771, settled in Hollis, and was many times chosen to important town offices. He was justice of the peace from 1810 to 1822, and justice of the peace and quorum from 1822 till his decease. He was also representative to the New Hampshire General Court from 1804 to

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1809, and State Senator in the years 1818, 1819, 1820 and 1821. Beside these three sons, Mr. Pool had eleven daughters, ten of whom lived to adult age, and were all married, and most of them became the mothers of large families. He died April 20, 1836, æt. sixty-five.

Captain Peter Powers was the first settler in Hollis. Was born in Littleton, Mass., and married Anna Keyes, of Chelmsford, in 1728. Settled in West Dunstable in 1730. He was parish committee in 1740, and held many other important parish and town offices. He was the first captain of the West Dunstable militia, the commander of an expedition to explore the Coos country in 1754, and captain of the Hollis company in the expedition to Crown Point in 1755. Stephen, Whitcomb and Levi, three of his sons, were soldiers in the French War in the same company ; and four of them-viz., Stephen, Francis, Nahum and Samson-were soldiers in the Revolution. Died Angust 22, 1757, æt. fifty-six.

Moses Proctor came from Chelmsford, Mass. Was in West Dunstable in 1738, and signed the first peti- tion for the charter. He settled in the west part of the town, on Proctor Hill, which was named for him. His name is found on the first West Dunstable tax- list in 1740, and he was selectman in 1749. The life of Mr. Proctor is said to have been shortened by the bite of a rattlesnake, and he afterwards waged so suc- cessful a war of extermination against those reptiles that no rattlesnakes have been known in Hollis since his death. Died May 21, 1780, æt. seventy-three.

Abraham Taylor was born in Concord, Mass., and came to West Dunstable previously to 1738, and was agent of the inhabitants with Captain Powers in ob- taining the charter. In 1740 he gave the land for the Hollis meeting-house, burial-ground and com- mon. He was parish assessor in 1740, 1741, 1742 and 1743. Died June 3, 1743, æt. thirty-six.

William Tenny came to Hollis from Rowley, Mass. His name appears first on the Hollis tax-lists in 1747. He was selectman in 1769 and 1770. Ilis son, Cap- tain William Tenny, was a soldier in the Revolution. Died March 22, 1783, æt. sixty-one.

Peter Wheeler is said to have come from Salem, Mass., and settled in the part of Hollis known as Monson. He was a petitioner for the charter of West Dunstable in 1738, and his name was on the first West Dunstable tax-list in 1740. He is said to have been noted in his day for his exploits and success in hunting, especially of bears. He was a soldier in the French War in 1755, and his sons, Ebenezer and Lebbeus, were soldiers in the Revolution. Died March 28, 1772, æt. sixty-seven.

John Willoughby came from Billerica. He was in West Dunstable in 1745, and was a soldier in the French War in the years 1755, 1757 and 1758. His son, John W., Jr., was a captain in the War of the Revolution in the regiment of Colonel Webster. Died February 2, 1793, æt. eighty-five.

Rev. Francis Worcester was born in Bradford, Mass., June 7, 1698. Married Abigail Carleton, of Rowley, in 1720. Was settled as a Congregational minister in Sandwich, Mass., for ten years before coming to Hollis. Removed to Hollis in 1750. Af- terwards preached as an evangelist in New Hamp- shire, but was not again settled in the ministry. IIc was the author of a small volume of " Meditations", in verse, written in his sixtieth year ; also of several moral and religious essays, reprinted in 1760, entitled " A Bridle for Sinners and a Spur for Saints." His oldest son was Deacon Francis Worcester. His sec- ond son, Jesse, was a soklier in the French War, was taken prisoner and died at Montreal in 1757. His youngest son was Captain Noah Worcester. Died October 14, 1783, æt. eighty-five.

Deacon Francis Worcester was the oldest son of Rev. Francis Worcester. Born at Bradford March 30, 1721. Married Hannah Boynton, of Newbury, Mass., October 28, 1741. Came to West Dunstable in 1744. Was chosen deacon of the Hollis Church in 1746. He was selectman in Hollis six years, mod- erator of the annual town-meeting eleven years, and town treasurer twenty years, between 1746 and 1768. In 1768 he removed to Plymouth, N. H., and was deacon of the church at Plymouth ; representative to New Hampshire General Court in 1777 and 1778, and State Councillor in 1780, 1781, and 1783. Died Octo- ber 19, 1800, æt. seventy-nine.

Captain Joshua Wright came from Woburn, Mass. ; was in West Dunstable in 1739, and signed the second petition for the charter. He was selectman in 1749 and 1769; a soldier in the French War in 1760, and captain of the Hollis militia company in 1775 and previously. His sons, Lemuel and Uriah, were sol- diers in the Revolution. Died August 5, 1776, iet. sixty.

At the date of the charter (says Judge Worcester) the rude, primitive dwellings of the settlers who had petitioned for it, with their stump-covered embryo farms, were widely and sparsely scattered over a large part of the new parish. Robert and William Colburn, David, Thomas and William Nevins, Stephen Harris and Philip Woolerich had located on the south side of the extinct town of Monson, now the north part part of Hollis; Samuel Farley, James, Joseph and Randall McDaniels, Melvin and Whitcomb, in the easterly part of Brookline, formerly the west part of Hollis. The house of Abraham Taylor was about sixty rods north of the present meeting-house in Hollis; that of Samuel Cumings about thirty rods west of the meeting-house; that of Benjamin Farley, the inn-keeper, on the road leading to the south of the meeting-house; Jerahmael Cumings lived on the same road with Farley, about one-half mile farther south ; Josiah Blood, also on the same road, about three-fourths of a mile from Cumings; Joshua Wright about one-half mile east of Blood; William Blanchard in the east part of the town, near Flint's Hill; William

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Shattuck still farther east, near the old east school- house.

The farm of Peter Wheeler was in the northwest part of the town, about westerly from Long Pond; Moses Proctor settled in the west part, on Proctor Hill; Henry Barton in the westerly part. The house of William Adams is said to have been upon the site of the present southwest school-house, about two and a half miles from the meeting-house. Samuel Parker lived in the same neighborhood ; James Whiting on the road to Brookline, near Whiting's Hill; Nathaniel Blood in the same part of the town ; and Enoch Hunt in the extreme south part, next to Pepperell. Thus it may be seen that the settlers in the extreme north part of the settlement were from six to seven miles distant from those in the south part, and those living at the extreme east and west parts were even more remote from each other.

Many of the ancestors of the early settlers were of German origin, who afterwards became Northmen or Normans, and fought their way into Britain very early in its history. They were a brave and resolute race, inured to danger and hardships; their descend- ants were peculiarly fitted to become the pioneers of New England, and many of them settled in Massa- chusetts some time between the years 1630 and 1650.

One of the causes which promoted the early settlement in the region west of the Merrimack River was the fierce controversy that raged between New Hampshire and Massachusetts in regard to the State line boundary question, that engaged the attention of these States from 1731 to 1741. Both States were using their utmost endeavors to obtain jurisdiction over as many towns as possible; consequently, they en- couraged emigration in every possible way.

The people were told the land would be given them, and by this means they were induced to favor emigra- tion. It is at this period that we are to look for the settlement at the north part of Hollis, and this was the cause that led to it. One of its first settlers was Sanmel Leeman, of Reading, Mass., who came here in the spring of 1736, and settled at the William Kittredge place, so called, and was then forty-four years of age, having been born at Reading in 1692. He became a prominent and influential citizen. It ap- pears from the old Monson records that he was one of the petitioners for the town charter, and was chosen third selectman at the annual town-meeting of March 31, 1748, and again in March, 1749; removed to Hollis in the spring of 1750, where he died Jan- uary 27, 1756. There is an interesting history in con- nection with the Leeman family, -- it is stated that for ten generations succeeding, the eldest son was named Samuel. The fourth Samuel Leeman resided at Beadle, England, from which place he emigrated to Charles- town, Mass., in 1638. His son, Samuel (and grand- father of the subject of this sketeh), settled in Groton, Mass., shortly after its settlement, and was compelled to leave there in consequence of the Indian invasion

of March 13, 1676. He returned to Charlestown, where he enlisted for King Philip's War, serving as private in Captain Samuel Mosely's company dur- ing the war. Mosely was afterwards employed by the Colonial Court of Massachusetts to guard and protect the settlers in Dunstable and vicinity from Indian invasion.

The tenth Samuel Leeman was born in Monson August 7, 1749, at the William Kittredge place. Upon the breaking out of the Revolutionary War he enlisted into Captain Dow's company, and marched with that company from Hollis common, on the afternoon of April 19, 1775, for Concord and Lexington. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill, in Captain Levi Spald- ing's company, Colonel James Reid's regiment, and afterwards enlisted into Captain Isaac Fry's company, of Wilton, as ensign, under the command of Colonel Alexander Scammel, and was present with his reg- iment at the battle near Saratoga, where he was killed October 10, 1777, aged twenty-eight years ; he was un- married.

Another of the early settlers was William Colburn, who came from Billerica, Mass., in the spring of 1738, bringing his family and entire effects in an ox- cart, plodding their way through the Dunstable wilder- ness, guided only by marked trees. Ile settled at Patch's Corner, about one hundred rods north of the Silas S. Wheeler place, near the road leading to the North District school-house. The old cellar hole is still to be seen. He was the ancestor of nearly all the Colburns in Hollis, and was then forty-eight years of age. His log hut was occupied a portion of the time in the spring and summer of 1747 by an Indian scout- ing-party, who were sent by the General Court of New Hampshire on petition of the inhabitants of Am- herst and Monson, to guard them against Indian inva- sion ; but no Indians appeared during that season to molest the settlers. Mr. Colburn died April 3, 1769, aged seventy-nine, leaving two sons, Robert .and William.

Robert was lieutenant in the militia, and built what has been known for a period of over a hundred years as the old Thaddeus Wheeler house about the year 1776. Mr. Colburn was a large land-owner, owning from the east line of the Thaddeus Wheeler place to the top of Birch Hill. He first married Elizabeth Lee- man, daughter of Samuel Leeman, March 2, 1745; she died, and he married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Elias Smith. By her he acquired a large landed estate : that she inherited from her father. He died July 9, 1784, leaving a large family.

This portion of Hollis was then included within the boundaries of the ancient township of Monson, a town which had a corporate existence of twenty- four years, lying between Hollis and the Souhegan River, in Amherst; but before 1746 it was known as West Dunstable, or Dunstable West Parish.

The northwest (or Birch Hill) portion of what is now Hollis was surveyed off, in parallel lines, into

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lots of eighty rods wide and two miles long, the south- west corner being in Rocky Pond, and running north over the top of Birch Hill, the first lot being granted to one Wadsworth, who had fought in the Narragan- set War; the next lot east was granted to Humphrey Hobson, whose father, it was said, served in King Philip's War ; the third lot was granted to one Clark ; the next to Joseph Lemmon, one of the original pro- prietors of Dunstable,-these grants covering an area of five hundred and fifty rods wide and two miles long, embracing all of the northwestern section of Hollis and a part of the town of Milford.

The first settler within the territory above de- seribed was Moses Saunders, of Marlborough, Mass., who came here in the spring of 1739, having purchased the south end of the Lemmon grant, and commenced a clearing, built his log hut and erected a saw-mill about this time, which is supposed to be the first one in town. The dam is still to be seen a few rods northeast of the dwelling-house of Daniel Bailey, apparently as good as when first used for a mill now over one hundred years old.

Mr. Saunders reared a family of four children here, the births of whom are found recorded in the old Mon- son records.

In the spring of 1747, fearing an Indian invasion, he became alarmed for his personal safety, and left with his family, and returned to Marlborough. Tra- dition says that he thought he saw Indians lurking in the woods for several days before he left ; they seemed bent on the destruction of every saw-mill and its owner, and quite a number of mills were destroyed about this time in various sections of the State. Their motive for doing this, as Dr. Belknap says, "was to retard the settlements, and prevent the clearing off their hunting-grounds."

Mr. Saunders sold his property here, after a few years, to Daniel Bailey, of Marlborough, who moved his family in the spring of 1761, and the property has ever since remained in the Bailey family,-a period of one hundred and twenty-five years,-and been transmitted to the fourth Daniel Bailey, its present owner. Daniel Bailey, Sr., served in the old French War, and also in the Revolutionary War, and his son, Joel Bailey, was at the battle of Bunker Hill, in Cap- tain Levi Spalding's company and Colonel James Reid's regiment. His son Andrew was at the battle of Bunker Hill, in the company of Captain Moore, of Groton; and his son Aaron was also at the battle of Bunker Hill. His son, Daniel Bailey, born at Marl- borough, Mass., December. 5, 1755, was also in the Revolutionary War ; was at the battle of White Plains, in Captain William Reed's company. After the war he occupied the old homestead, and became an influ- ential citizen ; was captain of State militia, served several years as one of the selectmen of the town, and represented Hollis in the Legislature of 1813 ; he died in March, 1847, being then over ninety-one years old.

WHIPPING-POST .- At a town-meeting in June, 1746, " Voted, That the selectmen provide stocks;" and at a town-meeting in the month of January next after, "Voted, To Accept the Account of Josiah Conant for making the Stocks." The town whipping-post, the fitting companion of the stocks, held its place near the front of the meeting-house, not far from the west line of the common, till after the commencement of the present century, and was in use within the men- ory of persons still living, with its inseparable asso- ciate, the "cat-o'-nine-tails." The varied practical uses to which the stocks and whipping-post were ap- plied may be readily inferred by reference to a few of the cotemporary criminal laws for the punishment of minor offenses, most of which were within the juris- diction of justices of the peace. Some of these pun- ishments were as follows :

PROFANE CURSING AND SWEARING .- "For the first offence, a fine of one shilling. If not paid, the culprit to be set in the stocks two hours. For more than one profane Oath at the same time, a tine of two shillings and to be set in the stocks not more than three hours.'

DRUNKENNESS .- " For first offence, a fine of five shillings ; if not able to pay, the convict to be set in the stocks not more than three hours."

DEFAMATION .- " If found guilty, the offender to be fined twenty shillings. If not paid, the offender to be set in the stocks not more than three hours."

ROBBING GARDENS AND ORCHARDS .- " If the prisoner was not able to pay his fine, to be set in the stocks or whipped, at the discretion of the Justice."

INSOLENCE OR VIOLENCE TO WOMEN ON THE HIGHWAY .- " For first offence, whipping not exceed- ing ten stripes. For second offence, to be burnt in the hand."

PETIT LARCENY .- The offender to forfeit treble the value of the property stolen, and to be fined not exceeding five pounds, or whipped not more than twenty stripes. If not paid, the culprit to be sold for a term of time to be fixed at the discretion of the court.

CHAPTER II.

HOLLIS-(Continued).

Ecclesiastical History-Congregational Church-Baptist Church-In- surance Company-Library-Physicians-College Graduates-Popula- tion.

Congregational Church .- The church in this town was probably not organized until 1743, more than three years after the date of the charter.

In the mean time, however, the inhabitants had manifested a very commendable zeal in their efforts to comply with the laws in respect to the support of the ministry. At their first parish-meeting, a com- mittee was chosen "to provide Preaching till the

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168