USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. I > Part 23
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FIRST MEETING-HOUSE AND TOWN BUILDING,
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received the benediction of its heat. Fire-boxes were sometimes used in winter, but usually the congregation sat through the long service of a cold winter day without heat. There were two ser- vices each Sunday, with sermons that seldom occupied less than an hour for delivery and more frequently required an hour and a half.
The tavern was then kept by John Gile, who was subsequently for many years one of the most thrifty, substantial, and enterprising citizens of the town. The inn was the only house in the immediate vicinity of the meeting-house, and to it the preacher repaired each Sabbath for his noonday repast. The best room was reserved for his use, and one who served there at this period has related 1 that it was her duty on Sunday morning to prepare the minister's luncheon, which usually consisted of a cold roast, bread and butter, and a decanter of rum. This was spread upon a table and covered with a cloth. No person was permitted to enter the room until the pastor had finished his meal and signified his willingness to receive members of his flock. The congregation brought their dinner and partook of it at the church or in the common room at the tavern.
The labor expended in securing a vote of the town in behalf of building the meeting-house and in its erection was both long and arduous, and this instance was no exception to the rule that a few persons have to bear the burden. An examination of the list of the original purchasers of pews reveals the names of those who accomplislied, amid many difficulties, this beneficent work. On the floor were forty-two pews, of which Deacon Asa Lewis purchased nineteen, or nearly one-half. Peter Bonney bought two ; Rev. David Goodall, Ephraim Curtis, Joseph W. Morse, Solomon Goodall, John Gile, Guy Ela, Robert Charlton, Sylvester Savage, James Williams, Hector T. George, William Burns, Joseph Robins, Simeon Dodge, Jonathan Rowell, David Haskins, Gideon Griggs, and Ebenezer Pingree one each ; Samuel F. Hammond, Anson Wheeler, Obadiah Carpenter, and Jason Bidwell each one-half of a pew. Of the twenty-two pews in the gallery Asa Lewis owned fourteen, Peter Bonney, John Gile, Abijah Allen, Levi Hildreth, Otis Allen, Solomon Goodall, Ebenezer Farr, Jr., and Elijah Farr one each. It is apparent that Deacon Lewis was the leading spirit in the enterprise. When he died in 1815, the principal part of his possessions was found to liave been invested in this meeting-house, and his estate was considerably involved in consequence of this manifestation of his Christian liberality.
1 Mrs. Samuel Goodwin.
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Rev. David Goodall was the first stated supply. He filled out the proportion of time allotted to the Congregationalists for the first year. He was succeeded the following year by Nathaniel K. Hardey, licentiate, who supplied the pulpit a large share of the time during three years, when his labors were terminated by death in 1819. These early pastors present a strong contrast. One had long since passed the golden flower of his prime, and the shadows were lengthening along his pathway. His early manhood had been beset with mental doubts and physical ills, but, patient and self-reliant in all things, his strong mind overcame the enemy of religion on the threshold, and by care and healthful exercise he strengthened a weak constitution and outlived man's allotted period. The other, strong in youth, robust in mind and body, carefully educated, early consecrated to the service of the Master, natur- ally looked forward to a long life devoted to his chosen work. Called to this field, his untiring labor and the rigors of the climate combined to plant in his system the germs of a fatal disease, and the glowing promise of a long career of usefulness was terminated before he had received his final commission to preach the gospel. They possessed in common a generous spirit and devoted attach- ment to their denomination. One gave abundantly of his posses- sion to advance its kingdom on earth ; the other sacrificed his life upon the altar of duty.
It does not appear that the conditions embodied in the vote of the town as to the division of the use of the meeting-house among the several denominations represented in pew ownership, and which necessarily opened the sacred desk to clergymen of several widely differing beliefs led to theological controversy. Such con- tention as occurred seems to have been between the advocates of Methodism, then active and growing in this section, and members of the Universalist persuasion who were particularly aggressive at that period. The results of the brief contention, if we may believe the traditions, were entirely satisfactory to the participants, as each succeeded in completely annihilating his opponent.
When the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Hardy came to be filled, the Congregationalists felt that they were sufficiently strong to bear the expense of maintaining a settled minister. Their ownership of pews in the meeting-house entitled them to its use fully three-fourths of the time. The passage of the Toleration Act at the June session of the Legislature in 1819 provided that each sect or denomination might associate and form societies for the support of the Gospel, a provision deemed necessary by the repeal of the law which provided for the maintenance of public religious
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worship through the taxing power of the towns. Under the pro- visions of this statute a Congregational society was organized and co-operated with the church in extending a call to Rev. Drury Fairbank, of Plymouth, who was installed in the pastorate ill May, 1820.
This transaction may be considered as closing the political con- nection between the church and the town. While this union was never close or strenuous, it had been a constant source of irrita- tion, because the question annually came up in town meeting and the citizens were arrayed for or against the various propositions urged for the establishment of religious worship. The total sum appropriated for this purpose did not exceed five hundred dollars, and of this amount two hundred could hardly be considered as raised for religious purposes, as the contribution for building the meeting-house was really made to provide a building for use as a town house. From this time the only function the town was to exercise in relation to the maintenance of public worship was the annual election of tithing-men to preserve order and decorum on Sunday, and otherwise enforce the laws relating to good morals and public order.1
The political sentiment of the town in the years from 1810 to 1820 was largely influenced by the War of 1812, and the events which led up to that conflict. A large majority of the dwellers in the valley of the Connecticut were members of the Federal party and opposed to the policy of Madison's administration, which they believed disastrous to the commercial interests of New England, and calculated to render a war with Great Britain inevitable. With one or two notable exceptions the men prominent in the affairs of the town were of the dominant party. All the members of the
1 " Be it ENACTED by the Authority aforesaid, that the select-men in each town respectively, shall take due care tything-men be annually chosen at the general meet- ing for choice of town officers, whereof two at least shall be in each town, but not above ten in any, and upon any vacancy to fill up the number at any other town meeting; which tything-men shall have power, and whose duty it shall be carefully to inspect all licenced houses, and to inform of all disorders or misdemeanours, which they shall discover or know to be committed in them or any of them, to a justice of the peace immediately, or sessions of the peace within the province : As also of all such as shall sell by retail without licence ; and other disorders and misdemeanours committed in any such house ; and in like manner to prevent or inform of all idle and disorderly persons, prophane swearers or cursers, sabbath breakers, and the like offenders ; to the intent such offences and misdemeanours may be duly punished and discouraged ; every of which tything men shall be sworn before a justice of the peace, or at the sessions of the peace, to the faithful discharge of his office : Which tything men shall have a black staff of two foot long, tip'd at one end with brass or pewter about three inches, as a badge of his office, to be provided by the selectmen at the charge of the town." (Act of January 6, 1715, Province Laws of N. H., Ed. of 1771, p. 58.)
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Rankin family, David Goodall, Guy Ely, James Williams, Peter Bonney, and Ebenezer Pingree were of this political belief. Alex- ander Albee and David Goodall, Jr., were, at the start, the only leaders among the Jeffersonians. They were soon reinforced by Nathaniel Rix, Jr., who had for some years been a resident of Stanstead, Canada, to which he had removed from Landaff. He was so constituted that he could not seem to be what he was not, and when a contest between the land of his birth and that of his adoption was impending, he disposed of his property in Stanstead at a considerable pecuniary sacrifice, and returning to his native State purchased the David Hopkinson, or Rounsevel, place at the north end of the town and became a valued citizen of Littleton. Under such circumstances he naturally joined the ranks of the Democratic-Republicans, and soon became one of their most trusted leaders.
Another element that was potential in determining the party association of many persons at this period was the agitation for the repeal of the laws which compelled dissenters to pay taxes for the maintenance of religious teaching and worship in which they did not believe and never had a part. The question of repeal was new to the politics of the State. The Federal party had been the mainstay of the established order, and while in power there was no hope for its abrogation. But the declining power and defeat of this party in State and nation encouraged the dissenters to force the issue of repeal to the front, with the result that a large propor- tion of the membership of the Methodist, Baptist, Universalist, and other dissenting denominations became active members of the Democratic-Republican party.
At the first clash between these opposing forces in 1811, David Goodall, Jr., was elected representative, defeating Peter Bonney, the Federal candidate for that position. The personal popularity of the successful candidate was undoubtedly an important factor in the contest, as the vote for State officers and members of Congress shows that the Federalists were still the strongest party in the town, though the majority was less than twenty in an unusually light vote.
At the succeeding annual elections down to the close of the war in 1815, the opposition to the Federal party nearly faded away. The active spirits continued their efforts, but without results. The untimely death of David Goodall, Jr., in May, 1812, was a severe blow to his party. He was active, intelligent, courageous, and popular. His sympathies were broad and his bounty generous. Reared in a family devoted to the interests of the Federal party, he
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early manifested a tendency to do his own thinking and not to accept his political opinions, as he did his name, unquestioned from his father. He did not reach his majority until after the Presidential election in 1804, but he is said to have been the most ardent advo- cate in town of the re-election of President Jefferson, and thence- forth until his death was the leader of his party. The manner of his death was in keeping with his life. He had a business engage- ment at Waterford. The river was swollen to an impassable torrent ; no boat could live in its rapids. Mr. Goodall must keep his appointment ; his only resource was to swim the angry river. Conscious of his strength and unmindful of the protests of friends, he made the plunge, and when near the further shore, sunk beneath the waves. His character, attainments, and energy com- bined to render him an important and most useful citizen, and his death was widely and profoundly lamented.
In March, 1812, Captain Andrew Rankin was elected representa- tive. Jolin Taylor Gilman was the Federal candidate for governor, and, John Langdon having declined to stand for re-election, William Plumer became his successor as the candidate of the Democratic- Republican party. This town gave Gilman ninety-three votes, and Plumer but twenty-nine. At the November election for Presiden- tial electors and members of Congress, when Daniel Webster headed the Federal ticket for Congress, and John F. Parrott that of his opponents, more interest was manifested, and the Federal party increased three, and the Madisonians showed a gain of ten over the vote of the same parties in the preceding March.
In 1813, 1814, and 1815 Governor Gilman was successively re- elected, Governor Plumer being his opponent at each election. The vote of this town in 1813 was 102 Federal, and 31 Demo- cratic-Republican. In 1814 the vote for Governor was 120 to 19. The vote for State and county officers was uniform, the candidates on each ticket receiving the same number of votes, indicating that the names of all the candidates of the same party for the several offices were voted on one ballot.
In 1814 there was but a trifling change in the strength of par- ties. There appears to have been a division of sentiment among the Federalists, who had two candidates for Councillor in the field. The regular was Enoch Colby, who in this town received 96 votes to 20 cast for Mills Olcott, of Hanover, the candidate of the bolters. This was the year of the Hartford convention, which cast an ever-deepening shadow over the political fortunes of nearly all directly or remotely connected with it. Governor Gilman was prevented from calling an extra session for the election of VOL. I .- 16
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delegates to attend it only by the fact that a majority of his council was averse to such action. Delegate conventions of the Federal party were held in Cheshire and Grafton counties: the former elected Benjamin West, a distinguished lawyer of Charlestown, as its representative, and Mills Olcott was selected as delegate for Grafton County. This town was represented in the county con- vention by Peter Bonney. The vote for members of Congress was 106 for the ticket headed by Daniel Webster and 20 for that led by John F. Parrott.
The vote for governor in 1815 was 116 for Gilman and 19 for Plumer. Rev. David Goodall was elected representative to the General Court. This was his final political service to the State, and his last public office with the exception of some minor posi- tions which he was called to fill in behalf of the town. He was the most prominent figure in the early history of the town. He achieved distinction as a divine, philanthropist, and legislator. In this triple capacity lie was known and honored throughout the State. David Goodall was born in Marlborough, Mass., August
24, 1749. His youth was not unlike that of most young men in the older towns of New England in that day, divided between labor on the farm and the acquirements of the rudiments of an educa- tion. He differed from his associates in mental capacity, and mainly devoted that superiority to leadership in their frolics and amusements. When twenty years of age he was prostrated by a long and painful illness, and during the period of convalescence his mind was given to the consideration of religious questions, with the result that he resolved to acquire an education and enter the ministry. When his health was sufficiently re-established, he entered with zeal upon his preparatory studies, became a student at Dartmouth College, and was graduated with the class of 1777. His collegiate course was frequently broken by calls to serve tlie State as a messenger to convey important information relating to military affairs to the headquarters of the army, which would not have been intrusted to a person who did not possess discretion and an intelligent patriotism. He also served as a private in Captain Israel Curtis's Independent company. He participated in the attack upon St. John, and was with Montgomery before Quebec.
During the intervals in his military service he began the study of theology with the Rev. Mr. Brigham, of Fitzwilliam. At the close of this period he became a licentiate and supplied pulpits for brief seasons and served as missionary among the poor of New York for several months. In 1781 he received a call to settle over the Congregational Church and society at Halifax, Vt. The
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missive was couched in terms of admiration of his talent as a preacher and respect for his character as a man. It also con- tained an explicit statement of the conditions upon which he was to be engaged. After reciting the fact that he would be expected to quitclaim one hundred acres of the lot assigned to the first set- tled minister which had been alienated by the town in settlement of a controverted claim to the whole, it says : " That you may be decently and honorably supported while attending to the work of the ministry among us, we freely and unanimously agree to give you a salary of the sum of forty pounds a year for the first year and increase it five pounds per year until it amounts to fifty-five pounds in silver, at six shillings eightpence per ounce, whichi sum of fifty- five pounds shall be paid you annually, as you continue our minis- ter." There is nothing ambiguous in this proposition. Reduced to dollars and cents, this church was to pay its first pastor $183.33 each year after the second year of service, not in the inflated paper money of the period, but in honest silver dollars of the value of six shillings eightpence per ounce. He was, as " the first settled minister," entitled to and received a deed of the remaining two hundred and sixty acres of the lot.
Mr. Goodall remained with the church at Halifax fifteen years. His ministry was successful, and he was universally loved and honored by the people. In the last years of this pastorate he was burdened by ill health, and advised by his physician to relinquish for a time his pastoral work. It appears that he accepted this advice with great reluctance and closed his official relations with the church early in 1796. In the summer and autumn of that year he supplied the church at Antrim. A call would doubtless have been extended to him had his health permitted him to continue his labor in the ministry. In the mean time, having purchased a consider- able tract of land and moved his family to Littleton, and finding his health improved by the climate and the influence of an out- door life, he did not care to hazard these improvements by resum- ing ministerial labors. While his retirement from pastoral work may be regarded as permanent, it was so in form only. For quite twenty years he continued to preach in this and neighboring towns, filling vacancies in pulpits for brief periods and holding services in communities that were without an established or regular service.
His theological views were those of the most uncompromising Calvinistic school. He studied divinity at a time when the teach- ings and influence of Jonathan Edwards were potent with his denomination, and he accepted and preached those doctrines with- out reserve. Next to his Bible the "Freedom of the Will " was
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the best worn book in his collection. His sermons were pre- pared with care, and delivered with an earnestness which evinced his sincerity and carried conviction to the minds of his hearers. A large collection of his sermons were found among his effects, but they disappeared many years since and nothing remains to enable us to form an opinion of their literary merit. It is said they were constructed with logical sequence under heads which sometimes reached twelfthly, and were copiously illustrated with anecdotes and information drawn from history and experience. Their abundance sometimes gave the discourse an appearance of having been ill considered or hastily prepared ; but an intelligent hearer states that this habit grew out of the magnitude and varied character of his information, and that the illustrations were not, as a rule, a part of the written sermon, but were interpolated dur- ing its delivery. From the sacred desk he preached the truths of religion without fear, withholding nothing which he believed might be profitable to his congregation. His only settled pastorate was successful, and established his reputation as a minister among his contemporaries. A writer of his time 1 has said he was " a man of great moral excellence, useful as a minister, a missionary, and a legislator." His influence on the early history of the town cannot be calculated, but it was great and long-enduring.
He was first elected to the General Court in 1800 as the repre- sentative of the class composed of Littleton, Bethlehem, and Dal- ton, and was continuously re-elected until 1807, and in 1809, and again in 1815, was elected as the representative of the town. While he had been preceded in this office by James Williams and James Rankin, each for a single term, the long-continued service which he rendered gave him an opportunity, which he was the first of our citizens to enjoy, to share in shaping the legislation of the State and earn a reputation for statesmanship. At the close of the legislative year, in March, 1816, he was tendered a re-election, but he declined, with the remark that he " had been in the noise and bustle of the world long enough." His legislative record has been exceeded in length of service and influence only by that of Harry Bingham among our representatives.
David Goodall's legislative career would indicate that he was a modest man, not given to pushing his interests or manifesting a desire to attract the attention of his fellow-members. At that time the House of Representatives had no standing committees to which petitions and bills were referred. Legislation had its origin, almost exclusively, in petitions and resolutions introduced by mem-
1 Whiton, History of Antrim, p. 46.
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bers. These were referred to a special committee appointed by the Speaker and consisting of from three to twelve members, the number being determined largely by the importance of the subject- matter. Generally there would be two, and sometimes three, sessions during the year, and questions involving special legisla- tion - such as incorporating turnpikes, ferries, toll-bridges, and banks, or levying a special tax in a town - would be referred, notice given of a hearing to be held during vacation at the most convenient place for the parties interested, and the conclusions of the committee embodied in a report which was handed in at the adjourned session. If the report was favorable it would be accom- panied by a recommendation that the petitioners, or other inter- ested parties, " have leave to bring in a bill." Under this system matters were heard before the bill was before the House.
Mr. Goodall's first vote, as a member of the House, was given against a motion to establish permanently the State Treasury at Concord. His first committee assignment was, with Messrs. Web- ster and Towle, to consider the expediency of passing an act to encourage the destruction of the Canadian thistle. An ardent Federalist, his vote on all political questions was recorded in favor of that party. As his legislative experience was enlarged, and his ability and character became known to his associates, his useful- ness and influence were correspondingly increased, and he became one of the recognized leaders of the House, and was more fre- quently called to serve on committees than any other member. The principal questions then, as now, occupying the time of the legislature were those calculated to enlarge the facilities of inter- communication and transportation, mainly by granting charters to turnpike corporations. Our representative was opposed to allow- ing corporations to take private property by a process of condem- nation, and voted against all charters that did not contain a provision providing for the purchase of the right of way. He was a strong advocate of all measures calculated to advance the cause of education, and while possessing a strong tendency in favor of economy in the appropriation of public moneys, he voted for the grants and annual appropriations in behalf of Dartmouth College and grants for the benefit of other educational institutions. In 1804 he was chairman of the committee appointed to consider the resolution asking for the passage of an act requiring towns to appoint a board of School Inspectors for the supervision of the public schools, and it was mainly through his efforts that such a law was finally enacted. Another class of legislation, consuming much of the time of legislators, was that relating to the incor-
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