USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hudson > History of Hudson, N.H., formerly a part of Dunstable, Mass., 1673-1733, Nottingham, Mass., 1733-1741, District of Nottingham, 1741-1746, Nottingham West, N.H., 1746-1830, Hudson, N.H., 1830-1912 > Part 18
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Burns, George,
Cutter, Richard,
Burns, George, Jr.,
Cutter, Seth,
Burns, William,
Davis, Asa, Esq.,
Burrows, Elder George,
Davis, Ensign Nathaniel,
Burrows, James,
Dakin, Justus,
Burrows, Nathaniel,
Durant, Samuel,
Burrows, William,
Eastman, Ichabod,
Butler, Gideon,
Eastman, Nicholas,
Caldwell, Alexander,
Farmer, Edward,
Caldwell, James,
French, Elder Samuel,
Caldwell, John,
Ford, Captain James,
Caldwell, Samuel,
Gibson, William,
Caldwell, Thomas,
Glover, David,
Campbell, David,
Glover, Robert,
Campbell, Samuel,
Gould, Joseph,
Chase, Ezekiel, Esq.,
Graham, Widow Eleanor,
Chase, Henry,
Greeley, Captain Ezekiel,
Chase, James,
Greeley, Joseph,
Chase, Joshua,
Greeley, Samuel,
Greeley, Zaccheus,
Hills, William,
Hobbs, Joseph,
Hale, Elder Henry, Hale, Henry, Jr., Hale, John,
Hood, William, Huey, Henry,
Hall, Doctor John,
Huey, John, Johnson, Moses,
Hadley, Eliphalet,
Hadley, Eliphalet, Jr.,
Kelley, Captain Joseph,
Kidder, Lieut. Benjamin,
Kidder, Elder Samson, Kinney, Widow Sarah,
Lawrence, David,
Lawrence, Jonathan,
Hadley, Enos, Hadley, Moses, Hadley, Parrot, Hadley, Seth,
Hadley, Stephen, Hardy, Ensign Daniel,
Livingston, Isaac,
234
HISTORY OF HUDSON
Hardy, Isaac,
Littlehale, Ezra, Marsh, David,
Hardy, John,
Hardy, John, Jr.,
Marsh, John,
Hardy, Moody,
Marsh, Captain Samuel,
Hardy, Richard,
Marsh, Elder Thomas,
Haseltine, Lieut. John, Haseltine, John,
Marshall, Widow Deborah,
Hills, Ensign Elijah,
Marshall, Daniel,
Hills, Lieut. Ezekiel,
Marshall, David,
Marshall, John,
Hills, Widow Hannah, Hills, Jeremiah,
Marshall, John, Jr.,
Hills, Nathaniel,
Marshall, Philip,
Hills, Oliver,
Marshall, Richard,
Hills, Philip,
Marshall, Richard, 2d.,
Hills, Samuel,
Marshall, Samuel,
Hills, Thomas,
Marshall, Thomas,
Merrill, Abel,
Merrill, Isaac,
Merrill, John,
Searles, Thomas,
Merrill, Ensign Nathaniel,
Merrill, Nathaniel, Jr.,
Merrill, Lieut. William,
Severance, Caleb,
Moody, Friend,
Smith, Lieut. Hugh,
Moore, Major Samuel,
Smith, John,
Myric, Joseph,
Smith, Page,
Ordway, Nehemiah,
Smith, Samuel,
Smith, Samuel, Jr.,
Smith, Lieut. Thomas,
Page, Isaac,
Smith, Timothy,
Peabody, Captain David,
Spalding, Lieut. Reuben,
Pemberton, James,
Steele, Joseph,
Perry, Ebenezer,
Steele, William,
Pierce, Joshua,
Stewart, Robert,
Pollard, Ebenezer,
Tarbell, David,
Pollard, Ensign John,
Pollard, John, Jr.,
Pollard, Joseph,
Tarbox, Lieut. Ebenezer,
Tarbox, Henry,
Taylor, William,
Searles, Jacob, Searles, Jonathan,
Seavey, Andrew,
Seavey, Nathaniel,
Page, Captain Abraham, Page, Ezekiel,
Marshall, Benjamin,
235
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
Pollard, Samuel,
Walker, John,
Pollard, Timothy,
Wason, James,
Porter, David,
Wason, Samuel,
Robinson, Andrew, Wason, Thomas,
Robinson, John, Wells, John,
Robinson, Peter,
Whittemore, Benjamin,
Robinson, Simeon,
Wilson, Joseph,
Richardson, Henry,
Winn, Abiather,
Winn, Joseph, Jr.,
Wyman, Seth,
Wyman, Thomas.
In addition to the one hundred and eighty-three names given in the foregoing list there were a few others-some young, unmarried men, sons of farmers, and farm laborers, whose names do not appear in this schedule, but who were assessable for a poll tax, which was paid by their employers.
CHAPTER XX
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
After the beginning of the Revolutionary war, Septem- ber, 1775, a census was taken by order of the New Hamp- shire convention, when the town was credited with a popu- lation of six hundred and forty-nine. Men in the army, twenty-two; slaves, four.
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
April 25, 1775, Abraham Page was elected to "join with the congress at Exeter, to act upon such matters as shall be thought proper and expedient for the public good."
On May 8 he was again chosen to "join the convention of Delegates that shall assemble from the several towns of this province to meet at Exeter on the 17th day of May current at 10 o'clock, and to empower him with the rest to adopt and pursue measures that shall be judged best to preserve the rights of this and the other colonies, and that he may act as he thinks best for himself and his constitu- ents for six months."
The town also "Voted that the persons who shall en- list to be ready on any emergency when called for, shall have forty shillings per Month for their wages."
ASSOCIATION TEST
In April, 1776, the Committee of Safety in New Hampshire, acting in accordance with the wishes of the Continental Congress, sent to each town a circular, a copy of which is given below:
In Committee of Safety, April 12, 1776.
In order to carry the under written Resolve of the Honorable Con- tinental Congress into execution, you are requested to desire all males above twenty-one years of age, (lunatics, idiots and Negroes excepted,) to sign to the declaration on this paper, and when so done to make return
236
237
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
hereof together with the name or names of all who shall refuse to sign the same, to the General Assembly or Committee of Safety of this Col- ony.
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 jurisdictions, who are notoriously disaffected to the cause of America, or who have not associated, and refuse to associate, to defend by Arms the United Colonies against the Hostile attempts of the British Fleets and Armies.
(Copy)
CHARLES THOMPSON, Sec'ry.
In consequence of the above Resolution of the Hon. Continental Congress, and to show our determination in joining our American breth- ren in defending the lives, liberties and properties of the inhabitants of the United Colonies,
We the subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage and promise, that we will to the utmost of our power, at the risque of our lives and fortunes, with arms oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and Ar- mies against the American Colonies.
Every man was required to sign this test or be regard- ed by his fellow citizens as an enemy to the country.
In this town one hundred and eighteen signed the pledge, whose names are as follows:
Asahel Blodgett, John Haseltine, Asa Davis, Samuel Smith,
David Cummings,
Ichabod Esman,
John Caldwell, Edward Farmer,
Daniel Wyman,
Timothy Emerson,
James Caldwell,
Robert Stewart,
Alexander Caldwell,
Samuel Wason,
James Caldwell, Jr., Samuel Caldwell,
Jonathan Searles,
Moses Barrett,
William Merrill, James Ford,
Joseph Caldwell,
Thomas Caldwell,
Eliphalet Hadley, .
Abraham Page, Seth Wyman,
Thomas Wason,
238
HISTORY OF HUDSON
John Haseltine, Jr.,
Eliphalet Hadley, Jr.,
Henry Huey,
Moses Hadley,
Jonathan Bradley,
Parit Hadley,
Stephen Hadley,
Samuel Marsh,
John Campbell,
Benjamin Marshall,
Thomas Searles,
Eleazer Cummings,
David Glover,
Ebenezer Cummings,
Nicholas Eastman,
Daniel Hardy,
Page Smith,
Samuel Hills,
John Strickland,
Philip Hills,
Timothy Emerson,
Seth Hadley,
Joseph Watson,
Simeon Barrett,
Joseph Gould,
Isaac Barrett,
Samuel Moore,
Oliver Hills,
Stephen Chase,
Richard Hardy,
Jonathan Blodgett,
Joseph Pollard,
Samuel Burbank,
Jeremiah Hills,
Samuel Burbank, Jr.,
William Hills,
Amos Kinney,
Richard Marshall,
Nathaniel Hardy,
Thomas Marsh,
Timothy Smith,
Elijah Hills,
Amos Pollard,
Thomas Hills,
Richard Cutter,
Ezekiel Hills,
Nathaniel Lewis,
Peter Cross,
Sanders Bradbury,
William Burns,
Nathaniel Merrill, Jr.,
Jeremiah Blodgett,
Isaac Merrill,
Timothy Pollard,
Samuel Durant,
Abiatha Winn,
John Merrill,
Jonathan Hardy, Jr.,
Abel Merrill,
Ezekiel Chase,
Justus Dakin,
John Walker,
Samuel Pollard,
John Pollard,
Joshua Chase,
Stephen Chase, Jr.,
Stephen Gould,
John Pollard, Jr,,
Stephen Lowell, Jr.,
Samuel Burbank,
Benjamin Whittemore,
George Burns,
Moses Johnson,
Ebenezer Dakin,
239
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
Nathaniel Merrill,
Levi Dakin,
Samuel French,
Henry Hale, Jr.,
George Burns, Jr.,
Henry Hale,
Samuel Greele,
John Hale,
Samuel Greele, Jr.,
Andrew Seavey,
Joseph Blodgett,
James Wason,
Joseph Winn,
David Tarbell,
Joseph Winn, Jr.,
Thomas Hamblet,
Ebenezer Pollard,
Nathaniel Merrill, Jr ..
In obedience to the written Request we have Desired all the Persons therein to sign, and find none to Refuse Except Captain Joseph Kelley.
Dated Nottingham West this 3d day of June, A. D. 1776. SAMUEL MARSH,
JOHN CALDWELL, WILLIAM BURNS,
Selectmen of Nottingham West.
Captain Joseph Kelley previous to that date kept a tavern at his residence, which stood about four hundred feet easterly from the present Taylor's Falls bridge, the northerly half of which was in what is now Main Street, and the southerly half in Campbell's Avenue. He was also the proprietor and manager of "Kelley's Ferry," which crossed the Merrimack a short distance south of where Taylor's Falls bridge now stands. He was a man of bad repute, and was feared by his neighbors. He afterwards removed to Wentworth, in this State, where he became a pauper, and as such, was the cause of a considerable ex- pense to this town. He escaped from jail at Amherst, Oc- tober 14, 1772, which also caused the town of Nottingham West much trouble and expense.
At a special town meeting, June 12, 1775, " Voted to make choice of five men as a Committee of Inspection for this town."
Made choice of Moses Johnson, Samuel Greeley, Elijah Hills, Timo- thy Smith, and John Haseltine, and also Deacon Ebenezer Cummings and Asa Davis for said committee.
At the same meeting, Article four of the warrant was dismissed, which was
240
HISTORY OF HUDSON
To see what measure or measures the Town will take to provide arms.
At a town meeting September 18, 1775,
Voted to allow John Haseltine, Jr., for attending ye Congress at Am- herst, £0-5-9-2.
At an adjourned town meeting September 30, 1776,
Voted to allow Major Samuel Greeley and the selectmen, Viz .: Asa Davis, John Haseltine, and William Burns, for expenses on their march to Lexington fight, five dollars-£1-10s .- 0d.
At the annual meeting March 10, 1777, "Voted to choose Lieutenant Ezekiel Hills, Captain James Ford and Lieutenant David Cummings, a Committee of Inspection and Safety in this town."
April 7th, Voted to raise eighty dollars as a bounty for each of those men that should enlist into the Continental Army for three years.
Voted to choose a committee and empower them to set a value upon what each man hath done in this present war, and to make their return to the town. Chose Lieutenant William Merrill, William Burns, Lieutenant John Haseltine, Jr., John Caldwell and Samuel Wason as a committee to effect the same.
April 15th, Voted to raise twenty dollars for each of those men that should enlist into the Continental Army, as an additional bounty to what has been already raised.
Voted to accept the report of the committee last chosen, to set a val- uation on what has been done in this Town towards carrying on the pres- ent war.
The report of the committee was not recorded.
During most of the time of the war all the money in use as a circulating medium of exchange was the Conti- nental paper money issued by Congress, or the bills of credit of the States. This currency was issued in such large quantities, both by the States and Congress, that from the excessive amount in circulation it began to depre- ciate rapidly, and to an alarming extent, as early as the second year of the war. In 1777, the depreciation had be- come so great that the wages of the soldiers in the army was nominally more than twice as much as in 1775.
241
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
The General Court and the people both became alarmed at this condition of the only currency then in use. In the hope of arresting or lessening the evil, the New Hampshire Legislature, early in the spring of 1777, passed a law, regulating and establishing the prices at which the common necessaries of life might be sold. Some of the more common articles named in this law, with the prices fixed for them, may be found in the following list :
s. d.
s. d. s. d.
Wheat per bushel 7,6. Cheese per 1b. 0, 6. Beef per lb. 0, 3.
Rye,
66
4, 6. Butter, " " 0, 10. Tow cloth per yard, 2, 3.
Indian Corn, “ 3, 6. Coffee, 66 1, 4. Flannel, ¥ 3, 6.
Oats, 2. 0. Cotton, “ 3, 0. Linen cloth,“ 4, 0. Peas, 66 8, 0. Wool, 66 2, 2. N. E. Rum per gal. 3, 10.
Beans, 66
6, 0. Flax, 66 1, 0. W. I. Rum 7,8. Salt,
10, 0. Pork, 0, 412 Molasses,
4,0.
At a special town meeting, July 14, 1777, "Chose Cap- tain Abraham Page, Deacon Thomas Marsh, John Cald- well, Samuel Durant, Lieutenant Peter Cross, Captain James Ford, Lieutenant Ezekiel Hills, a committee in order to set prices upon such articles in the Town as they think fit, agreeable to a late Act of the General Court.
"Chose Deacon Ebenezer Cummings and Seth Wy- man in addition to the Committee of Safety and Inspection last chosen."
It appears that the report of the committee chosen "to set a value upon what each man hath done in this present war," as returned and accepted by the town, April 15, 1777, was not satisfactory to a majority of the town's peo- ple, for at a special town meeting held October 9, 1777, a vote was passed "to reconsider the vote passed to accept the report of the committee in regard to what each man had done in the present war." "Voted to choose Lieuten- ant Ezekiel Hills, John Caldwell, John Hale, Lieutenant William Merrill and Samuel Wason to set a valuation upon what had been done towards carrying on the present war, and to make report thereof to the town."
242
HISTORY OF HUDSON
The report of this committee was returned at a town meeting, December 22, 1777, which report was not record- ed, but the original report has been discovered, of which the following is a copy.
PORTSMOUTH MEN.
yr.
Nº mos.
Nº dollars.
Daniel Hardy,
1777.
1
3.00
Joseph Cross,
1777.
1
3.00
Captain Samuel Marsh, By his son,
1777.
1
3.00
BENNINGTON MEN.
yr.
Nº mos.
Nº dollars.
Captain James Ford,
1777.
2
28.00
Ensign Nathaniel Merrill,
1777.
2
28.00
Page Smith,
1777.
2
28.00
Samuel Smith,
1777.
2
28.00
John Pollard, Jr.,
1777.
2
28.00
Timothy Smith, By his Son,
1777.
2
28.00
Jonathan Bradley, and
1777.
2
28.00
Samuel Wason,
1777.
2
28.00
Joseph Winn, Jr., By his Son,
1777.
2
28.00
Lieutenant Peter Cross, By his Son,
1777.
2
28.00
Ensign John Pollard, By his Son,
1777.
2
28.00
Isaac Barrett,
1777.
2
28.00
Eliphalet Hadley, Jr.,
1777.
2
28.00
John Hale,
1777.
2
28.00
John Merrill,
1777.
2
28.00
Justus Dakin,
1777.
2
28.00
Joseph Blodgett, By his Son,
1777.
2
28.00
Moses Johnson, By his Son,
1777.
2
28.00
THE VOLUNTEERS.
Weeks
Dollars
Lieutenant David Cummings,
3
7.00
Ensign Elijah Hills,
3
7.00
Asa Davis, Esq.,
3
7.00
Sergeant Henry Hale, Jr.,
3
7.00
Corp, Samuel Marsh, By his Son,
3
7.00
Deacon Ebenezer Cummings, By his Son,
3
7.00
Samuel Pollard,
3
7.00
Abiatha Winn,
3
7.00
Joseph Greeley,
3
7.00
Thomas Hamblet, in equal shares,
243
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
We, the subscribers, being Chosen a Committee to Sett a Value On the Several Terms of Service Each man hath done in this War, have agreed as is above described, (Viz.) That those that served one month at Portsmouth Shall have Each man 3 Dollars. Those at Bennington 2 Months 28 Do. Each, and the Valuation at Stillwater 3 Weeks, 7 Do. Each.' And the men that turned out on the Alarm Last Summer by Or- der £0-25-9d Pr. Day.
EZEKIEL HILLS, JOHN HALE, SAMUEL WASON, WILLIAM MERRILL, JOHN CALDWELL,
? -Committee.
During the first and second years of the war, many men from Nottingham West had performed military duty in the army at Bunker Hill, Cambridge, New York and other places, whose names are not included in the fore- going report.
They had probably received payment for their services through the officers and paymasters of the Continental Army.
"It was put to vote to see if the Town would accept of the report of the committee that was chosen to settle what each man hath done in this Town in this present war. Voted in the Negative. It was put to vote to see if they would accept any part of the report of the above commit- tee. Voted in the Affirmative. It was put to vote to see if the Town will pay any money back to those persons that have over done their Rates in the war .. Voted in the Neg- ative. Made choice of Asa Davis, Esq., to collect the war Rates this present year."
The protracted and sanguine struggle for American Independence caused the colonists at home, as well as those at the front of war, much anxiety and distress. Fre- quent town meetings were held and action taken to meet the demands of the occasion. Terms of enlistment of the soldiers were, in many cases short, and hence new calls for troops had to be made. There was no unified system of government, which caused great confusion and often entire lack of harmony between the different provinces. This
244
HISTORY OF HUDSON
fact, coupled with others that might be mentioned, not the least of the latter being the straits of the colonists to raise sufficient funds to carry on the conflict, became a leading topic of the day. At a special town meeting held Febru- ary 9, 1778, Nottingham West-
Voted. To accept of all and every of the Articles of Confederation excepting the first clause of the 9th Article, and the whole of 13th Article.
A little over a month later, at the annual meeting March 16, John Caldwell, Captain Marsh, Dea. Ebenezer Cummings, Thomas Smith and George Burns were chosen a "Committee of Safety and inspection for the present year." At a special meeting held two weeks later, William Burns was chosen "to sit in the Convention at Concord, in order to form a new plan of Government."
At this same meeting it was "Voted to allow Gideon Butler for the service he has done in the war equal with others in the Town that served the same term of time."
June 24, 1778, in the midst of threatening rumors in regard to the movements of the enemy, another special meeting was called, when "The Town voted to choose a committee. Viz: Asa Davis, Esq., William Burns, Timo- thy Smith, Ens. David Lawrence, Dea. Ebenezer Cum- mings, Ens. Daniel Hardy, Lieut. John Haseltine, Jr. and Empower them to hire and agree with any men or number of men, and what sum of money they will give, provided at any time the militia should be called upon to march in order to stop our enemy on any sudden emergency."
On November 2, at a special meeting, the town voted that what was formerly Nottingham West should pay the six hundred dollars, which had been paid by subscription, to Richard Cutter and John Campbell for service in the war during the current year .* Capt. Abraham Page, for some reason not stated, objected to this action. The fam- ilies whose heads were in the army were voted two hun- dred dollars, or thirty-six pounds, each.
* 1778 was the year of the annexation of Londonderry Claim.
245
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
At the annual town meeting, March 1, 1779, the num- ber of the selectmen, which had been three each year since 1749, was increased to five. The board chosen at this time consisted of Capt. Samuel Marsh, Ens. David Lawrence, Moses Johnson, Samuel Wason and Samuel Greeley, num- bered among the most able and patriotic men of the town. This was the darkest period of the Revolution, as related to the finances of the war, when strong men were needed as leaders to manage the business affairs of the town. This explains the increase in the number of the board, as well as the care with which they were selected. It was only a little while prior to this that Washington had written:
"Our affairs are in a more distressed, ruinous and de- plorable condition than they have been since the com- mencement of the war."
This fact was due largely to the state of the finances. The currency had depreciated greatly during the last year, and with but vague hopes of a successful termination of the war, it was likely to continue its downward tendency. In the face of this, blindly hoping to help the situation, Congress voted to issue one hundred and thirty-one mil- lions of dollars in Continental bills. The very magnitude of the issue served to depreciate the market value of a dol- lar, especially with a government lacking credit and divided in its own management.
"A wagon load of money," Washington wrote to the President of Congress, "will not purchase a wagon load of provisions."
The depreciation in the currency during the year 1779 was more than five-fold, and where at the beginning of the year one dollar had the purchasing power of twelve and one-half cents, at the close it had fallen to a small fraction above two cents! In other words, where in January it re- quired eight dollars to purchase the normal value of one dollar, in the following December it required $41.50.
In the distress of this period the town voted to take care of the families of the soldiers. But it refused to pay
246
HISTORY OF HUDSON
Benjamin Whittemore one hundred dollars in behalf of his; son for services in the Continental Army. April 5, a com- mittee was elected similar to one chosen the year before to look after "and agree with men as they think proper to stop our enemy on any emergency." This committee con- sisted of Timothy Smith, Samuel Pollard, Capt. Moses Barrett, Daniel Marshall, Dea. Ebenezer Cummings, Wil- liam Burns and Samuel Wason.
June 21, the selectmen were allowed their accounts for money "paid to sundry persons in procuring soldiers for the Cont" army: Viz: Jonathan Perry, £150, also £60 to James Brown, Likewise £20 to Capt. James Ford." It was also voted to give the selectmen "discretionary power to hire and agree with the remainder of our present Cota of men for the Cont1 army during the war." September 13, the following accounts or bounties were allowed :
What was paid Isaac Foot, Viz : 33 bushels Indian Corn & 30£ in cash-277-10-1. Also allowed 50 bushels Indian Corn to Roger Merrill- £375-00-0. Likewise allowed {90 that was paid Jon. Cook, it being a Town Bounty £78; also allowed value at £75; Likewise 13 1-2 bushels of Indian Corn & 6 1-2 do of Rye.
Also allowed to James Pemberton 60 bushels of Indian Corn-£450.
At this meeting the town refused to accept the Decla- ration of Rights and plan of Government, as offered by the provincial convention, which had recently convened.
November 1, a committee was chosen to state the prices of articles bought and sold in town, and the names of this board were Thomas Marsh, Ens. Nathaniel Davis, Lieut. Ezekiel Hills, Daniel Marshall, John Hale, Lieut. Peter Cross and Timothy Smith. The report of this com- mittee was accepted at an adjourned meeting, November 15, but it was not recorded.
At the annual meeting, March 6, 1780, the selectmen were allowed "the interest money they have paid for pro- curing Soldiers for the army in the year 1779."
It was also voted at this time to raise eight hundred pounds of lawful money to repair the highways, "and that
247
NOTTINGHAM WEST IN THE REVOLUTION
labor be set at £4-10s a day per man till the last of Au- gust, and after that £3 Do. and a pair of oxen to be half as much as a man." This shows the great depreciation of the currency, when it required four pounds and ten shil- lings of lawful money to pay a man for a day's labor on the highway.
July 3, 1780, at a town meeting held at the house of Samuel Greeley, Innholder,
Voted as a Town to hire six soldiers for the term of six months to join the Continental army and chose a committee to effect the same ; Namely, Asa Davis, James Ford & David Lawrence, and likewise gave the said committee discretionary power to hire and agree with any men or number of men upon any Emergency, in behalf of the Town for the pres- ent year.
February 5, 1781:
Voted to raise our Quota of men to fill up the Battalion in the Cont! army, and choose a committee in order to procure and agree with the men in behalf of the Town : Namely, Timothy Smith, Captain Samuel Marsh, Daniel Marshall, Lt. Ezekiel Hills, Lieut. David Cummings.
One month later, at the annual meeting held March 5, 1781, it was voted to give the "committee last chosen dis- cretionary power to agree with the soldiers for young cat- tle, and to give them obligations for the same in behalf of the Town."
Three thousand pounds was voted at this meeting as the sum to be raised by the town for the repair of high- ways, and twelve pounds was fixed as the price of labor per day for a man, and six pounds for a yoke of oxen.
At a special meeting, May 8, 1781, Timothy Smith was elected to represent the town at Concord, on the first Tuesday of June following "in order for the forming a plan of Government."
Received of Hugh Smith, one of the Constables for the year 1780, four hundred and thirty four bushels, eleven quarts one pint in full of his Corn Rate.
We say Rec'd by us. ASA DAVIS, DAVID LAWRENCE, JAMES FORD.
Selectmen of Nottingham
West, for ye year 1780.
July ye 12th. 1781.
248
HISTORY OF HUDSON
July 9, 1781, it was voted to pay the beef tax "already assessed into the State Treasury, as much as is needed to make up the deficiency of the Cont. tax."
It was voted that the same committee chosen the pre- vious year should "hire and agree with soldiers in behalf of ye Town as occasion may require."
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