History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 66

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

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"In Testimony Whereof, We have caused the Seal of Our sd Prov- ince to be hereunto affixed. Witness, Benning Wentworth, Esq., Our Governour and Commander In Chief of Our sd Province, the nineteenth Day of May, In the Year of Our Lord Christ, One thousand Seven hun- dred and fifty. " B. WENTWORTII.

" By His Excellency's Command,

with Advice of Council.

" THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary."

The French War .- Colonel John Goffe was in the French War in 1756, and was in command of our forces at one period. The following were also in the war from this town: William MeDougal, George Orr, Robert Holmes, Thomas MeLaughlin, Samuel Patterson, James Patterson, Nathaniel Patterson, John Orr and John Moor, the last of whom was taken prisoner at Fort William Henry and carried to France, from thence to England, whence he returned home.

In 1760 a regiment consisting of eight hundred men was raised by the province of New Hampshire, to join the expedition under General Amherst against Canada. This regiment was under the command of Colonel John Goffe, of Bedford, and, in fact, was made up, in a great measure, of men from the neighboring towns in Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties. Colonel Goffe had his rendezvous at Lytchfield, then the important town of Hillsborough County.

Captain James Walker was engaged in this war, from 1760 to 1763, as a sutler under Colonel John Goffe, his father-in-law. In 1764 he was appointed captain of a troop of horse by Governor Wentworth ; the commission, dated March 4, 1764, and signed by

Theodore Atkinson, Jr., secretary, and B. Went- worth, Governor, is in town in a good state of pres- ervation.

Revolutionary War .- The first reference on the town records to the War of the Revolution is under date of January 16, 1775,-

" Voted,-To adopt the measures of the Continental Congress.

" Voted,-Capt. Samuel Patten, Capt. Daniel Moor and Lieut. Samuel Vose be a Committee to carry said measures into execution.

" Voted,-Mr. James Martin, be appointed Deputy, in behalf of the town, to attend the Provincial Congress, to be held at Exeter, on Wednes- day, 25th inst., for the choice of a Delegate to represent their province at the Continental Congress, proposed to be held at Philadelphia, Tuesday, 10th of May next.

" Voted,-That we will bear our proportion, with the other towns in the Province, for sending Delegates to Philadelphia, Ioth of May next, if our grievances are not removed before that timo.

" Voted,-That James Martin have one dollar per day, for his time and expenses, while he is our Deputy at Exter, on the present occasion.'

" April 20, 1775.

" TO THE SELECTMEN OF BEDFORD.

" Gentlemen,-This moment the melancholy intelligence has been re- ceived of hostilities being commenced between the troops, under Gen Gage, and our brethren of Massachusetts Bay. The importance of ex- erting ourselves at this critical moment has caused the Provincial Com- mittee to meet at Exeter, and you are requested, instantly, to choose and hasten forward, there, a Delegate or Delegates, to join in the Committee and aid them in consulting measures for our safety.

"In great haste, and by order of the Committee, "Your Humble Servant,

"J. WENTWORTH."

" April 25, 1775. Voted,-Our Selectmen, inspect the families of our men that are gone to the army, and if they find any in want, to provide what is necessary for them, at the town cost.

"November 12, 1776. Voted, That the town pay ten dollars to each man that went to Ticonderoga, on the town's account, in July last, and seven dollars for a drum.

" Voted,-To dismiss the soldiers that went out of this town, that served in the Continental army in the year 1775, of their poll tax.

" Voted,-Wiseman Clagget, Esq., of Litchfield, to represent the towns of Bedford and Merrimack, in General Assembly, now sitting at Exeter, for the year 1777, agreeable to a precept to us directed.

" March 26, 1777. Voted,-Thomas Boies, James Vose, John Martin, Lieut. John Orr and John Aiken be a Committee of Safety.

" April 10, 1777. Voted,-To raise eighty dollars, to give as a bounty to each soldier that shall enlist in this town for the Continental army.

" May 19, 1777. l'oted,-That those men that went on behalf of the town, from Winter-hill to New York, and thence to Canada, and thence back to Ticonderoga, be free from their poll-rate for 1777.

"June 15, 1778. Voted,-The Selectmen of Bedford shall supply the soldiers' wives with the necessaries of life, at the rated prices, and that the town pay the overphis.

"February 19, 1779. Voted, The Selectmen of this town stand ready to supply Mr. Robert Morrill's wife with the necessaries of life, at the stated prices, if she come to this town, during her stay in the same, and his stay in the Continental army, for the town of Bedford, unless the Continental Congress make provision in such case."

The following votes show the great depreciation of paper money at that time :

"September 17, 1779. Voted,-To raise three hundred pounds lawful money to purchase grain for Levi Whitman's wife.

"September 9, 1780. Raised ten thousand seven hundred pounds, lawful money, to purchase beef for the army.

" November 15, 1780. Voted,-To allow Fifty dollars per bushel for Indian Corn.

" May 24, 1781. Voted,-To raise thirteen thousand five hundred pounds, L. M., in Continental bills, to purchase beef for the support of the army the present year.

"May 3, 1783. Toted,-The Constable be directed to receive One Spanish Dollar in lien of one hundred and sixty dollars in Continental bills."

268

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

We only add the following to the votes relating to this interesting period.

"July 10, 17833. Toted, -We will not proceed to business, by reason of it Iming a day of rejoicing on account of the Peace."

The following are extracts from the journal of Hon. Matthew Patten :

" April 20, 1775. I received the melancholy news, in the morning, that tien, Gage's troops had fired on our countrymen at Concord, and had killed a large number of them. Our town was notified last night. We generally met at the meeting-house, about 9 o'clock, and twenty of our men went directly off for our army, from the meeting, to assist them. And our am John came home from Pawtucket, and intending to set off for our army to-morrow morning, and our girls set up all night baking bread and living things for him and John Dobbin.

"21 Our John and JJohn Dobbin, and my brother Samuel's two oldest sens, set off and joined berryfield men, and about six from Goffstown, and two or three more from this town, under the command of Capt. John Moor, of Berryfield. They amounted in number to 45 in all. Suncook men and two or three others that joined them marched on in about an hour after ; they amounted to 35. There was mne men went along after, belonging to Pennykook or thereabouts.

"22. I was uwaked in the morning by Mr. Chandler's man, with a letter from the Committee of the Provincial Congress, for calling another Congress of the Province immediately. And I went with it as fast as I could to John Hell's, but he had gone to the army, and both the other Selectmen.

"24. 1 went and notified on the River Row, to meet at the meeting- house, on our public distress. And I went to Col. John Goffe, to ask his advice, and we met toward evening, and acted on what we thought ne- century.

"25. 1 went at the service of the town, to Col. Goffe, and Merril, at Martiregor's, and cautioned them to take special care of strangers, and persons suspected of being tories, crossing the river by ferries ; to ex- amine and search, if they judged needful. And I got nine flints from Mr. MacGregor, for which I paid him Ils. &d., old tenor.

" July 23, 1777. The evacuation of Ticonderoga. I paid advanced wages. And this day I went to New Boston, to Capt. MeGaw's and mus- tered 52 men for Col. Moor. They were from Lyndeborough. New Bos- ton, Francestown, Prering and Antrim. My expenses was 1s. 6d. at MeGaw's. I went to Hugh Gregg's and lodged all night."

The following is a list of Revolutionary soldiers who went from this town :

Colonel Daniel Moor, Major John Hoffe, Captain James Aiken, Captain Thos. Melaughlin, Lieutenant John l'atten, John Patten, Jr., Sam'l Pat- ten, Jas, Patten, Itobert l'atten, Hugh Campbell. John Gault, Isaac Rid- dle, David Rille, John Riddle, Amos Martin, James Martin, Geo. Gault, Stephen Coffe (lost at sea), Hugh Thornton (died in service), Primas Chandler (taken at the Cedars and never after heard of). Samuel Barr, John Callahan . killed), James Moor, Robert Cornewell, John Caldwell, James Grear, Jonas Cutting, William Parker, John Kellen. John Mc Allister, Barnet Mct'nin, John Griffin, Luke Eagan, Solomon Kemp (killed), John O'Neill, Jonathan Dorr (killed), George Hogg, John Gard- ver, f.migrant Chubuek, Samuel Fugard, William Newman, Thomas Mc- Mary, Nathaniel Spoofford, Robert Dowrumple (killed), Patrick Larkin, William Houston, Hugh Jameson, Whitfield Gilmon, John Bell, James Houston, Valentine Sullivan (taken in the retreat from Canada ; died a prisoner), William Kerr, Jr., David Gregore, George Orr, John Ross, James Steel, Stephen Mack, Robert Morrill, Josiah Turrill, Patrick (' Murphy, Patrick O'Fling, Calvin Johnson (died in service), Hugh Matthews, Joseph Matthews, Thomas Matthews, William Caldwell, John Doblan, John Boies (taken prisoner and carried to Limerick, Ireland, thence to Mill Prison, England, Josinh Gordon, Phineas Aiken, John Manahan, Thomas Laney, William Goffe (killed), William Barnet (died in service , David (' Houston, John Burns, William Burns (wounded), James Smith, John Russell, Saunel Turrell, Levi Whitman.

The following soldiers were with Lieutenant John Orr at the battle of Bennington, under General John Stark.

John Barnett, Samuel Reinox 9 wounded by a musket ball through each hip), Samuel Houston Robert Burns, James Walker, William Me- laughlin, William Moor, Adam South John Wallace, Jacob McQuade,

Samuel MIcAffee (died), Robert Matthews, Isaac Houston, Ilugh Riddle, James Wallace, John Aiken, John Bell, John Morrison.

Very few towns, probably, furnished a larger quota of men for the Revolutionary army.

The following connected with the Revolution is a curiosity and shows that in those days constituents felt at liberty to instruct their Representatives.

" BEDFORD, May 31, 1783.

"To Lieut. John Orr, Representative at the General Court of the State of New Hampshire :-

"Sir :- Although we have full confidence in your fidelity and public virtue, and conceive that you would at all times pursue such measures only as tend to the public good, yet, upon the particular occasion of our instructing you, we conceive that it will be an advantage to have your sentiments fortified by those of your constituents.

' The occasion is this ; the return of those persons to this country who are known in Great Britain by the name of loyalist, but in America by those of conspirators, absentees and tories :

" We agree that you use your influence that these persons do not re- ceive the least encouragement to return to dwell among us, they not de- serving favor, as they left us in the righteous cause we were engaged in, fighting for our undoubted rights and liberties, and as many of them acted the part of the most inveterate enemies.

" And further, -that they do not receive any favor of any kind, as we esteem them as persons not deserving it, but the contrary.

" You are further directed to use your influence, that those who are already returned be treated according to their deserts.

"SAM. PATTEN, ) " JOHN RAND, " JOHN GOFFE, " JOHN BELL, " GEORGE ORR,

A Committee chosen May 28th, by the Town of Bedford, to give in- structions to their Representative."

The following interesting item in Revolutionary history is from the " American Archives," compiled by Peter Force, Esq., and printed at the expense of government, by order of Congress. It is a circular, addressed to the selectmen of each town in the col- ony of New Hampshire, with the signatures from each town, to a declaration of attachment to the American cause. As the document is of considerable value, we subjoin it, so far as relates to Bedford,-

" COLONY OF N. HAMPSHIRE, &C .- COMMITTEE OF SAFETY. " April 12, 1776.

" To the Selectmen of Bedford :- In order to carry the underwritten resolve of the Honorable Continental Congress into execution, you are requested to desire all Males, above twenty one years of age (lunatics, idiots and negroes excepted), to sign the Declaration on this paper, and when so done, to make return thereof, together with the name or namnes of all who shall refuse to sign the same, to the General Assembly, or Committee of Safety of this Colony.

" M. WEARE, Chairman.

" ** IN CONGRESS, March 14, 1776.

"' Resolved, -That it be recommended to the several Assemblies, Con- ventions and Councils, or Committees of Safety, of the United Colonies, immediately to cause all persons to be disarmed, within their respective Colonies, who are notoriously disaffected to the cause of America, or who have not associated, and refuse to associate, to defend by Arms, the Uni- ted Colonies against the hostile attempts of the British Fleets and Armies.

" ' Extract from the Minutes, " 'CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.'

" In consequence of the above Resolution of the Continental Congress, and to show our determination in joining our American Brethren, in defending the lives, liberties and properties of the inhabitants of the United Colonies, Wo, the Subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our power, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, with arms, oppose the hostile proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies."

269

BEDFORD.

Signers in Bedford.

John Wallace, Jr., James Caldwell, William Caldwell, James Mat- thews, John llarrison, John Aiken, Adam Dickey, Matthew Patten, John Goffe, Daniel Moor, John Moor, Jr., Thomas Matthews, Robert Griffin, John Burns, Robert Burns, William Burns, John Brien, William Moor, James Houston, John McKinney, Asa Barnes, Samuel Terrill, Jr., Wil- liam Kennedy, Robert Morrel, Andrew Walker, Nathaniel Patterson, Robert Matthews, James Vose, George Comeray, Ilugh Campbell, James McAllister, John Mclaughlin, John Gardner, Amaziah Pollard, James Steel, James Aiken, Whitfield Gilmore, James Smith, John Orr, Barna- bas Cain, John Moor, James Wallace, James Mardin, John Goffe, Jr., John Riddle, Samuel Patten, John Boies, James Lyon, John Bell, John Wallace, Robert Walker, James Walker, Patrick Larkin, John Vickary, William McCleary, Joseph Bell, Samuel Fugard, Thomas V. Vose, James Carnes, Samuel Patten, Hugh Orr, John McIntosh, Jacob McQuaid, James Wesley, John Little, Thomas Gault, Thomas Boies, Samuel Vose, William White, Joseph Wallace, Lieutenant John Moor, Joseph Ilous- ton, Daniel Moor, James Gilman, William Moor, David McClary, James Patterson, Matthew McDuffie, Thomas Mclaughlin, Benjamin Smith, Zechariah Chandler, Richard McAllister, John Smith, James Little, Stephen French.

CHAPTER II. BEDFORD-(Continued.).

BY REV. IRA C. TYSON.1

To gather up the records of the past and present, and faithfully transmit them to the future, is a duty which one generation owes to another. Especially is this true with reference to the history of God's people, whose experiences of faith afford an illustration of Di- vine grace and mercy.

The early struggles of the church of Christ in the New World, its growth and development amidst all the adversities through which it passed, its aspect as a moral and spiritual power in the land during this centennial year, with the grand future which seems to open up before it, are points of ever-increasing in- terest as the lapse of time brings us nearer to the glorious consummation.

A general interest attaches to the history of the New England churches. In all the great cities of the West, and in every village and hamlet, are to be found the representatives of these old New England towns. To them, as well as to ourselves, the history of the church in which their early lot was cast, and within whose walls there cluster so many precious memories, must ever be a matter of absorbing interest. To gather up these recollections of the past as connected with the Presbyterian Church in Bedford is the object we have at present especially in view. This task is the more pleasing from the fact that in all its history this church has sustained an honorable record. Its early struggles, the blessings of Divine grace which have been visited upon it, along with the general character of its ministry, afford us material for the most pleasant retrospect, and give us facts to make up a history which no church need wish to forget.

The Presbyterian Church in Bedford claims a com-

mon origin with those who planted the venerable church in Londonderry, N. H. Although the date of its organization is a few years later, yet the most of the original settlers came direct from Londonderry to Bedford. In the original memorial to Governor Shute, of Massachusetts, dated 1718, wherein the memorialists, "Inhabitants of ye north of Ireland," requested encouragement to come to this country and settle, we find many names of those who were elosely identified with the early history of this town. They trace their origin, therefore, back to Scotland, and to Scottish Presbyterianism. Their ancestors were the men who came from Argyleshire, in 1612, to the counties of Ulster, Antrim and Londonderry, in the north of Ireland, who were foremost in the memorable siege of Londonderry, by which the Papal restoration in England, under James II., was successfully re- sisted ; and who, having thus fought for their liberties, especially for the liberty to worship God, refused con- formity to the Church Establishment, and chose rather to suffer the privations of a life in the wilderness than yield to the dictation of a persecuting hierarchy.

While the most of the early settlers of Bedford were thus of Scottish extraction, receiving the title of Scotch-Irish, because of their temporary residence in the north of Ireland, there was, also, a Puritanical element in the early settlement of the town. The government of Massachusetts, claiming jurisdiction over the province of New Hampshire, gave to the soldiers who fought in the Indian War of 1675, com- monly known as the Narragansett War, grants of land in various places in Massachussets and New Hamp- shire. These grants of land were numbered from one to seven. No. 5 comprehended all the territory of the present town of Bedford, with that portion of the town of Merrimack lying north of the Souhegan River and west of the Merrimack, with so much of Manchester as is embraced within the present limits of Piscataquog. These lines were altered at a more recent date.

The tract of land thus assigned to the Narragansett soldiers received the name of Souhegan East. A few of the original proprietors only became actual settlers, the others for the most part selling out their rights to those who were willing to enter and occupy the land. Those who came were mostly from towns in the vicinity of Boston, and were probably of Puritanic extraction. But the Scotch-Irish element, in a short time, largely predominated.

The Scotch-Irish and Puritans, however they may have differed in national characteristics, made com- mon cause in religious principle. The same religious persecution which drove the Puritans from England forced the Presbyterians of the north of Ireland to seek for freedom and independence in these western wilds. They were alike men of deep religious convie- tions, and made the service of God the principal business of life. It was because of these deep convie- tions that they were willing to give up the comforts

1 A Historical Discourse.

270

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

and luxuries of civilized society, and endure the privations that are incident to the settlement of a new country. The very first duty to which they turned their attention was the building of a meeting- house and the settlement of an ordained ministry. To secure these privileges at the earliest opportunity, lands were set off in the original grant for the first minister who should settle among them, and other lands for the use of the ministry afterwards.

At that carly day the idea of the church and state existing independently of each other, however it may have existed in the minds of some, had not been practically carried out to any extent. We find, there- fore, that the business of the church, as well as that of the town, was all done in town-meeting. The town voted to build meeting-houses, to support the gospel, to call ministers, to apply for their dismission and everything else pertaining to the cause of religion. This may account for the fact that we have no sessional records of this church prior to the year 1804, or any other church records except those which are found in regular reports of the town

The meeting of Narragansett grantees, at which they divided themselves into seven distinct societies, and assigned Souhegan East to No. 6, was held in Boston Common, June 6, 1733.

The proprietors of No. 5 took immediate measures to have their land divided up into lots for occupancy, and voted that each alternate lot should be marked for a settler. The land was then an unbroken wilder- ness; nor does it appear that there were any actual settlers in the town until the fall of 1737. The pro- prietors, however, continued to hold meetings in Bos- ton, and in the winter of 1737-38, a number of settlers having taken up lands in the town, the question of building a meeting-house began to be discussed. At a proprietors' meeting in February, 1738, a committee was chosen to fix upon the cost and dimensions of a meeting-house, and report. They even went so far at this meeting as to locate the proposed meeting- house " on a knoll of common land, about twenty- five rods eastward of the Eleventh Range." Subse- quently, the southern part of Souhegan East was set off' to Merrimack, which necessitated the location of the meeting-house in another place. But the "knoll" referred to took the name of "Meeting- House Hill," and is so called to this day.

For the convenience of non-settlers, the meetings of the proprietors continued to be held in Boston, at the house of Luke Verdy, inn-holder, and also at the house of Pelatiah Glover, sign of the " Three Horse- Shoes." At these meetings the question of building a meeting-house continued to be carnestly discussed. Several times it was put to vote whether they should proceed to build, but each time negatived. The settlers were as yet few in unmber, their means limited and the way did not appear to be open to begin the building of a meeting-house. Money, how- ever, was raised for the purpose and placed in the

hands of a building committee. The names of this committee were Edward White, John Goffe and Moses Barron.

The settlers, however, were not altogether destitute of religious privileges. At several of the proprietors' meetings, held from 1738 to 1748, they voted money to pay for preaching, appointed committees to secure the same and named the places where preaching services should be held. The sums thus raised pro- vided for only a part of the time ; the rest of the year they were accustomed to go to Londonderry, a dis- tance of twelve miles, crossing the Merrimack River at Goffe's Falls, and performing the journey, many of them, on foot.

The first Presbytery in New England was organized at Londonderry, April 16, 1745. It was called the Presbytery of Boston. It was composed of Rev. John Moorhead, of the Federal Street Presbyterian Church, Boston ; Rev. Robert Abercombie, of Pelham, N. H .; and Rev. David McGregore, of Londonderry, with the congregations under their charge. The elders who met with them were James McKean, Alexander Con- key and James Heughs. They voted "To act so far as their present circumstances would permit them, according to the word of God and constitution of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, agreeing with that perfect Rule." At a meeting held in Boston, 1746, this Presbytery licensed its first candidate to preach the gospel. His name was Daniel Mitchell, a native of the north of Ireland and a graduate of the Uni- versity of Edinburgh.

At a meeting of the Presbytery of Boston, held in Boston, November 11, 1747, we find the first reference to Souhegan East. The following is the minute upon the records of Presbytery :

"Upon application made by Andrew Cochran, in ye name of the In- habitants of Souheggen and Litchfield, for Mr. Mitchell to supply them for a time, the Presbytery appointed him to supply them until the second Sabbath of March next."

At a meeting held in Pelham, June 14, 1748, Mr. Mitchell reported "that he had obeyed the appoint- ment of Presbytery and their committee."

There were, doubtless, other men who supplied them before this ; but Mr. Mitchell's name is the first which appears in any of the records ; certainly the first sent them by the Presbytery. In their application we observe their attachment to Presbyterian order and their desire to secure the institutions of religion among them. Mr. Mitchell was afterward settled over the Presbyterian Church at Pembroke, N. H., and died December 16, 1776.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 66

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