History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 90

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

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Church History .- The history of the church in Deering is so thoroughly identified and interwoven with that of the town, especially in the earlier portion of the same, that it is difficult to draw the line be- tween them. Deering, like many of her sister-towns, drew her first settlers from the earlier Scotch-Irish settlements of Chester and Londonderry. Not a few of them were born in Ireland, emigrating to the latter towns, and then, after a short stay, removing to settle in Deering. They carried with them the religious belief's and tendencies peculiar to those people, and no sooner had they established themselves in their humble homes than they made provision according to their means for having public worship. These meetings were held in private dwellings and barns. From three to six days' preaching were all the town was able to pay for during the first decade in the . history of the town. The town voted in 1779 "to settle a minister at a convenient season." No minis- ter, however, was presented with a call for ten years afterwards. A movement was made in 1780 to erect a meeting-house. Nothing came about, however, until 1786, when the town voted to build a house fifty-five feet long, forty-five feet wide, two stories high, with a convenient porch at each end. Two years previous to this vote a dispute arose in relation to the location of the meeting-house, the centre of the town being found, by a committee chosen for this purpose, after an actual survey, to be near where the buildings of Albert Gregg are now located. The in- habitants of the town not being able to agree upon this locality to set the meeting-house, it became necessary to petition, through the selectmen, Evan Dow and James Whitaker, the General Court for a committee to locate the same. Captain Joseph Si- monds, John Duncan and Robert Wallace were ap- pointed June 12, 1784. This committee attended to their duties, and July 5, 1784, reported as follows :

" The Committee appointed to settle the place to build a meeting-house in said Town meet, and Upon viewing the Premises and Considering Arguments, Report that the place agreed on is East of the centor ; about 15 Rods South-East of James Shearer's house, on Elifelet Merrill's lote, and about five Rods South of the Road through the Centor of Range's Right, said place being Marked, which is submitted by the Committee.

" JOSEPH SYMONDS,

"JOHN DUNCAN, Commetey."

" ROBERT WALLACE,

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The next year, 1785, the town voted to petition the General Court to grant a tax on the non-resident lands within the limits of their territory (many of the proprietors or their heirs still holding large tracts which were constantly increasing in value). This was done through the selectmen, Nenian Aiken, Alexander Gregg and Samuel Anderson. An act was passed November 1, 1785, granting a tax of one penny per acre on all lands, except those owned by Quakers. The town voted in 1787 to clear the lot selected for the meeting-house, identified as the place where the town-house now stands, including the common above. At the annual meeting in March, 1788, the town voted to lay out the certificates in the hands of the committee for underpinning the meeting-house for lumber, etc.

"Voted, also, that each Surveyor of highways come with all his hands in his District, and work one Day fixing and laying out the stone for Underpining the Meeting-house, and that the Select Men appoint the lay for each Surveyor to work in his warrant.

"Toted, to Raise 40 Dollars, or twelve pounds, to be paid in Grain, Rye at four -hillings per bush., and Indian corn at three shillings per bush., to buy Nails-the Committee for preparing for Raising the Meet- ing-house to purchase the same.

At an adjourned meeting, held March 18th, the same Year, the town voted to purchase four barrels of rum for raising the meeting-house, and the committee pro- vide one meal of victuals for spectators on the town's cost.

"Tudod, to pay sixty Dollars' worth of the Grain for Raising the Meeting-house by the first day of May next, and the other hundred dol- " lars voled to be paid in Grain at or before the fifteenth of August next.

"Voted, that each person leave said Grain at Lt. Alex. Gregg's, Mr. Thomas Merrill's or Capt. Robert Alcock's."

There not being considered a sufficient number of men competent to assist in the raising of the meeting- house frame within the limits of the town, invitations were extended to the adjoining towns for help. The vall was responded to, and on the day appointed the people of the town assembled, together with those invited from outside, and the body of the house frame was raised the first day without accident, leaving the roof to be raised on the following day. Those from out of town were quartered for the night among the inhabitants, each one taking one or more of the strangers, according to their means of accommo- lation, and on the following day the raising of the frame was completed. It was not until two years afterwards, however, 1790, that the house was closed in, and the pews put in, and the whole structure placed in a suitable condition for religious worship.

Rev. Solomon More, of New Boston, and Rev. Jon- athan Barnes, of Hillsborough, organized the first church in the year 1789. The Congregational form of government was adopted. It was, as is alleged, constituted of nine persons, all males, five by letters from other churches and four by profession. The town voted to extend a call about the same time to Rev. Mr. Gillet to settle with them at ninety pounds, as a settlement, and sixty-five pounds as an annual salary. The call was not accepted, and after a lapse of two

years the form of church government was changed to Presbyterian.

The town also voted at this time to give Rev. Dan- iel Merrill a call by a majority of two. The church did not acquiesce in this call; but Mr. Merrill was employed for a season to preach, and under his labors fifty persons were added to the church, the most of whom were heads of families. After five years under the Presbyterian the church returned to their original Congregational form of government.

In 1798 the church extended a call to Rev. Chris- topher Page to settle as minister. The town acquiesced and voted Mr. Page seventy pounds salary and twenty- five cords of wood, or eighty pounds exclusive of the wood. Although Mr. Page did not accept the call, he preached here for a time.

For two years after Mr. Page removed the town voted, respectively, one hundred and one hundred and fifty dollars to hire preaching; but it is uncertain whether those sums were expended for that purpose.

No steady supply of the pulpit was secured after Mr. Page's departure until 1800, when Mr. David Long received a call, which he did not accept, al- though he preached a few months.

In 1801, Rev. Mr. Sleigh was invited by the town to become their settled minister.

The church was opposed to his settlement, while the majority of the town strongly favored him.

Through the agency of certain ministers, it is said, another church was formed, over which Mr. Sleigh was installed. He continued his labors with this church until 1807, when he was dismissed at his own request, and his church soon became extinct.

In the mean time the old orthodox church had kept up its organization by having occasional preaching and the administration of the Lord's Supper.

The town, from this time up to 1819, as has been stated elsewhere, raised annually small sums of money to hire preaching.

The year 1819 marks the date of the passage of the Toleration Act.

The men who labored here after the removal of Mr. Sleigh were Rev. James Richards, afterwards a foreign missionary. Rev. Jabez Fisher supplied the pulpit for about five years. During his labors fifteen were admitted to the church by profession. After his re- moval there were only occasional and interrupted supplies until 1829, when Rev. Eber Childs became pastor of the church, until dismissed, by his own re- quest, in 1834.

Rev. Peter Holt succeeded Mr. Chikls in 1835, con- tinuing his connection with the church as pastor until 1840.

After a period of three years Rev. William Rich- ardson was installed. He was dismissed, at his own request, in 1847, in consequence of an affection of his eyes He removed to Manchester, N. H., and be- came interested in real estate, thereby acquiring a large property. Both he and his wife, an estimable

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lady, are deceased, leaving no issue. Rev. Edmund Burt labored here two years after Mr. Richardson's departure.

He was succeeded by Rev. Wm. Gale, who remained three years, during which period he succeeded in or- ganizing an academy, which has been at various times quite an effective means of education to the youth of the town.

Rev. James W. Perkins, to whose article in the "New Hampshire Churches" we are indebted for some portions of this sketch, began his ministry with this church in 1854. After Mr. Perkins' ministry, which was closed on account of his feeble health, Rev. Mr. Nutting supplied the pulpit for one year, followed by Rev. Samuel Gerould in 1859, succeeded by Rev. E. F. Abbot.

Rev. Morris Holman preached to this church for several years. and in 1877, Rev. A. B. Palmer was the stated supply; in 1878, C. H. Taintor; no meeting in 1880; in 1881, H. C. Cowell, also in 1882; in 1883, Rodney C. Cochran; in 1884, George A. Diekey. The organization of this old church has become extinct or nearly so.

In 1829 the old meeting-house was abandoned as a place of worship, the orthodox society building a new one a few rods farther to the north, within the limits of the common. At this time there existed quite a numerous class of people at the easterly part of the town-Methodists, Free-will Baptists, etc .- who had no place of worship. They made a propo- sition to the town, at a special meeting called for the above purpose, to finish up the old house and occupy it for public worship. The town voted to relinquish their right to the old house and give the new society three hundred dollars towards the expense of build- ing a new town-house, provided the latter ineurred the remaining expenditure. This proposition would probably have been accepted, but a new and unex- pected opposition now arose. Many of the pew- owners in the old house refused to give up their right and title, although no longer occupied by them. The meeting broke up with much ill-feeling on the part of both parties, and a society was immediately formed at East Deering, under the name and title of the Free Salvation Society, and in December, 1829, a plat of land was purchased of James or Amos Peaslee for a church site, and the next year Mr. Reuben Lov- eren built, by contract, the church now standing at East Deering, as he had the one at the Centre the year before. For many years the Methodists and . Free-will Baptists held, alternately, meetings, and also the Universalists, who owned a share in the house. The Baptist and Universalist societies have become extinct, while the Methodist society hokls regular meetings every Sabbath, A. B. Russell being the present pastor.

which marks the last resting-place of many of the first settlers of Deering. Tradition points out a spot in the southeast corner of the grounds where the skeleton of a man was discovered lying beneath a fallen tree. An axe near by and several felled trees, inelu- ding the one which rested on the body, indicated that he had commenced a clearing, interrupted by the accident through which he lost his life. The deer- skin breeches he had worn were recognizable, but no trace of his identity was ever found, and his remains were interred near the place where they were found. He was supposed to be some fugitive from justice or a deserter from the army. It soon after occurred to the settlers to use this locality as a burying-place for their dead, and on September 15, 1783, the town voted "to give Bray Wilkins seven dollars for Clearing and fene- ing the graveyard according to law." This old bury- ing-ground is full of graves, with but few headstones, and the names of most of those interred there must be forever unknown.

A burying-ground was laid out in the eastern part of the town on the south end of lot No. 13, Ringe's right. At the annual meeting in 1785 the town voted " that Nat' Gove have four dollars and three-quarters for clearing and fencing the same."

In 1811, John Hogdon, of Weare, gave to the town of Deering one-half an aere of land, located in the west part of the town, by the side of the old turn- pike, for to be used as a burying-ground, Ebenezer Gay, David Ellingwood, Samuel Morrill, the commit- tee chosen by the town, giving bonds to fence and keep in repair the same forever. These conditions have been complied with up to the present time and the area of the original grounds enlarged.

In 1851 a new burying-ground was laid out near the church at East Deering, and which has lately been enlarged.

In 1825 the town purchased of Isaac Wilkins about one acre for a burying- ground. It is located on the farm of Andrew Wilkins, No. 7, in the south range, Packer's right. These grounds were enlarged a few years ago to meet the necessities of the population in that part of the town.

Robert AAlcock, about the year 1809 or 1810, laid out a family burying-ground near the residence of the late Luke Otis, giving at the same time a plot of land adjoining the same as a publie burying-place, pro- vided the town would assume the expense of fencing, etc. The proposition was accepted, and large addi- tions have been made to it by private enterprise, the latter additions being utilized by the population of Hillsborough Bridge, one-third of a mile distant.

Notices and Genealogies of the Earlier Settlers of Deering .- Alexander Robinson, the first settler of Deering, settled on the farm now owned and occupied by William T. Smith. This farm is in the sonth range of Ringe's right, or No. 13. We can find no trace of his family, but we learn from the town records

Burying-Grounds .- On the easterly slope of Wolf Hill, in full view from the little village of the Centre, which it overlooks, is located the old burying-ground | that he offered the town his property, provided the

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

latter would take care of himself and wife. The proposition was not accepted.

William Forsaith, said to be the second settler in Deering, came from Chester. He settled on the lot west of that of the David Wilson farm, which is in the north range of the great lot or right No. 11. He married Jane Wilson, sister of David Wilson, who settled on the lot east of the above-described lot. His children were,-

Mathew, who married Jennie MeClure.

William, who married -- Rose, from Lyndeborough.

Mary, who married Hugh More, of Francestown. Dr. James Forsaith, who married Nancy Forsaith, of Chester.

Jonathan Forsaith married Naomi Butterfield, of Goffstown.

Thomas married a lady in Portland, Me.

Jennie married Jonathan Butterfield, of Goffstown.

Esther married Reuben Wilson, of New Boston. Robert married Nancy ( aulwell, of Henniker.

J siah married a huly in Boston, Mass. sarah married Renben Page, of Weare.

Children of Jonathan and Suomi Forsaith.

Willam Forsaith, twice married,-first to Lydia Downing ; second, t. Belphe George. Children by first marriage, -Marilla married, first, Charles todman ; second, James Richards, of Goffstown ; I'msula married s low Wyman, of Hillsborough. Mr. Forsaith has resided in Deering durin_ the whole of his active and useful life, and, although nearly ninety years old, still retains his faculties so as to relate many incidents which tonk place in his early life, and consequently in the earlier history of the town. He relates that hi- grandfather, William Forsaith, carried a bushel of send-corn on his back from Chester to his farm in Deering, a task that not many young men would like to undertake even on a wager.

John married Sarah Carter.

Rodney married Eliza Curtis.

Alfred married in Maine and died there.

Naomi married David Carter.

Jane married William Mc Ferson.

Woldend married in Maine.

I'miline married Jeremiah Benuet.

Jsinh married in Maine and removed to Pennsylvania.

Children of Mother and Jennie Forsaith.

Wiat Forsaith married Catherine Rose, of Lyndeborough, settled in Mrxandria, N. H.

Mary married Hugh More, of Francestown.

David married Nancy Mills, daughter of Robert Mills.

James married Betsy Wilson, daughter of Alexander Wilson, who set- tled the farm now occupied by William Forsaith. Margarel married Samuel Bell.

Lucinda married John Wilkins.

Zala removed to New York.

I vrus removed West.

Children of David and Nancy Forseth.

Alonzo died unmarried.

Hvid settled in Stoughton, Mas.

sadly married Horaer Grove of Deering.

Mathew married Elaira Wilkins.

.loht settled in Luwell, Mass.

Hola it married Mary \ Ellsworth ; died in the war.

borge settled in California. Jane, unmarried , rondes in Hearing

were married Colby ; resides in Antrim Waren lived in the Wrest

H a " married a daughter of John Gage ; resides in Manchester, =

settlers found on record of land within the limits of the town. The date of the deed is April 10, 1770. It is the only deed of land in Deering recorded in Rock- ingham County. He married Priscilla More in Ire- land; came to Marblehead, Mass., in 1765, his wife joining him in 1768 with a child six years old, and removed the same year to settle on the above- described lot.

Children of Samuel Patten.

Jonathan, born in Ireland, married Abigal Blood.

John died unmarried.

Samuel Patten married Hannah Booes, or Bois, of Londonderry. Betsy married Aaron Travis.

Polly died unmarried.

Jesse married Polly Gove ; settled in Henniker, N. H.

Children of Jonathan aut Abigail Patten.

Esther married Hiram Hurd ; settled in Neport, N. H.

David married Alice Tubbs ; settled in Hancock, N. II. Johnathan married Phila Hurd.

Mary married Edward Chase.

Abigail married David Wilkins.

Eliza married Rev. Ebenezer Chase.

Children of Samuel and Hannah Patten.

John married Mary Kimball.

Samuel married Lydia Whitaker.

Sophronia married Henry Codman.

Hannah died unmarried.

Eliza died unmarried.

Alonzo married Rhoda Ladd.

Melissa married Benjamin F. Gove.

Children of laron and Betsy Travis.

Priscilla married Daniel Hook.

Jesse married Sarah Lacy.

Samuel married Hannah Lacy.

Mary married Caleb Philbrook.

Gilman married Lucretia Brown.

Reuben married Eunice Stearns.

Children of Jonathan and Phila Patten.

Nyrhe married Joseph Stearns, Jr.

Phila married David Chase ; settled in Henniker, N. II.

Abigail married Benjamin Martin, deceased.

Edward married Mary Conant ; removed West.

Sarah married Mark Peaslee, deceased.

John removed West and married there.

Children of John and Mary Patten.

George C. married Lucy A. Roper, of Francestown, N. H.

Nancy S. married Joli N. Currier ; settled in Manchester, N. Il.

Children of Alonzo Patten.

Edwin settled in California.

Joseph is a physician and resides in Bethlehem, N. II.

Children of George C. and Lucy A. Patten.

William H. Patten married Velona E. Dodge.

Helen L.

Susie H. married Arthur S. Hood, Manchester, N. II.

NOTE .- The family of George C. Patten are all that remains of the Pattens in Deering.

William MeKeen, one of the first settlers of Deer- ing, was the son of Samuel MeKeen, who settled in Amherst, N. H. His father was a brother of James MeKeen, of Londonderry, known as Justiec McKeen. The ancestor of the MeKeens was James McKeen, who lived in Ireland. He was a zealous Protestant and took part in the defense of Londonderry. He had three sons,-James, John and William. The wife of John, whose name was Janet, had by him four children,-James, Robert, Samuel and Mary. He

Manuel Patien settled the farm now occupied by .Joseph N. Gove and George C. Patten. He bought three adjacent lots of land-viz., Nos. 20, 21 and 22- in the south range of the Atkinson right, the last- numbered, lot 2, being his first purchase, and is worthy of notice as being the earliest deed to actual intended to emigrate with his brother James, but died

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DEERING.

before the embarkation. His widow, however, with her four children, came over with the other emigrants. Her son Samuel, as above stated, had by his wife, whose name was Agnes, a numerous family. William was the sixth son, and married Ann Graham or Grimes, a sister of Francis Grimes, one of the earlier settlers of Deering. They had six sons and four daughters,-

John married Ann Ramsy, Greenfield, N. H.

David married Nancy Ferson, Deering, N. H.

Robert married Sally Barnes, Deering, N. H. William, Jr., married Lydia Hadlock, Deering, N. HI. Moses never married.

Samnel never married.

Rose married -- Clough, Whitefield, N. H.

Mary married - Withington. Betsy married William McNeil, Rockingham, Vt.

Jane never married.

Agnes never married.

Children of William, Jr., und Lydia McKeen.

Walter married Leonora Gould, Hillsborough, N. II. Albert married Vienna Paine, Bellingham, Mass. Nathan married Susan Hubbard, Candia, N. H.

Levi married Carrie Massey, Nashua, N. H.

J. C. Dodge died young.

Sarah married A. W. Diekey, Deering, N. H.

Children of Albert and Vienna MeKeen.

Frank A. married Clara Bowers.

Susie A. married George H. Andrews.

Mary E. married J. N. Andrews.

Children of Robert und Sally Mckeen.

Leonard married Angeline Dickey, Deering, N. II.

Elbridge married first, Jane Colby ; second, -- Colby. Adaline married Galusha Smith, Boston, Mass.

NOTE .- The name of MeKeen has become extinet in Deering.

William and Thomas Aiken were two of the first settlers of Deering. They were grandsons of Edward Aiken, who emigrated, like the MeKeens, from the north of Ireland about the year 1722, and settled in Londonderry. He had three sons, Nathaniel, James and William. Nathaniel settled on his father's farm, and had five sons,-Edward, John, James, Thomas and William. The two latter settled, as above stated, in Deering. William settled the farm occupied by the late Levi White, and Thomas settled the lot just west of William's. William died when about fifty- three years of age. Thomas died in 1831, aged eighty-two years. He was a good mechanic ; he made wheels for spinning linen, reeds, spools, etc. His old shop is still standing, and many of his wheels are still extant. William and Thomas each had a son John. William's son had light hair, while Thomas' son had dark hair. To distinguish them, therefore, they were known re- spectively, as red John and black John. Red John had a large family, only two of which are now living, -Electa, widow of the late David Wilson, of Deering, and Joseph, who lives in Cambridge, Mass. The names of those deceased were Calvin, William, Martha, Relief, Luther, Harriett, Rebecca, Jane.

The children of Black John were Elmira, Cyrus, Caroline, Hermon, Fanny, James. Hannah, a daughter of William Aiken, married John Gillis, of Deering,- his farm joined Thomas Aiken's on the west. The

children of John and Hannah Gillis were William Aiken Gillis, Thomas, Worcester, John, David, Horace, Hannah, who married Reuben Boutwell, is now a widow and lives in Hillsborough, N. H. Mark, James M. and Charles are not living.

The name of Aiken as well as Gillis is now extinct in Deering.

David Wilson settled the farm known for more than a century as the "David Wilson place." The house now standing on the farm was built by him in 1786. His children were,-

James married Mary McNeil.

Betsy married John Grimes.

Jenny married Josiah Morse.

Nancy married Hugh Bell.

Hannah married, first, Robert Gibson ; second, James Cochran.

Sally married first, - Hill ; second, - Dustin.

Susan married Nathan Murdough.

David, Jr., married first, Jenny Dickey ; second, Margaret Dins- more.

Children of David and Jenny Wilson.

Eliza, who died at the age of nineteen, unmarried.

Sally, who died at the age of three.

Hannah married James Forsaith.

Sarah M. married Luther Aiken.

David F. married Electa Aiken.

Susan married George Smart.

Mary, who died at the age of seventeen, unmarried.

James, who died at the age of forty-one, unmarried.

William D. married Sarah F. Chase.

The only child of David and Margaret Wilson was Eliza D., married George A. Ramsdell, of Nashua, N. H.

Reuben Loveren settled the farm now occupied by Robert P. Cressey. His father, Ebenezer Loveren, of Kensington, purchased, in 1773 and 1774, several lots ofland in Atkinson's right, in Deering, notably lot 25, in the north range, identified as the lot on which the farm buildings now stand. Also, part of lot 27- twenty aeres in the south range, identified as the lot on which the farm buildings stand on the Josiah Lov- eren place. Reuben Loveren came and settled on lot 25 about the year 1777, being seventeen years of age.

He laid his camp by the side of a large boulder still recognizable, east of the highway leading by the buildings half-way between the highway and Dudley Brook. Although he died in 1815, at the early age of fifty-five, the large house on the premises, and the massive stone fences or walls which cover this large and noble old homestead bear witness to his industry and energy. He married Sarah Hilliard, and had a numerous family,-

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 90

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