USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 26
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It farther appears that both Salsbery and Newbery Counts them not to belong to Salsbery on this side of the foremen- tioned line, for that by a contract with ther ferry the Inhabitants of Salsbery are to pass ferry free but they will not let those families have that privilege by Reason they belong to another town &c.
Thus having done our honest Indeavor to propose as near as we Could such methods for knowing what distance the fami- lies in dispute were from the brink of sd River according to ther order and then proposed to which of the provinces they should pay, the Gentlemen of the Committee for the Massachu- setts would not accept of our proposals, and so the end of our meeting not attained &c. Dated at Hampton in New Hamp- shire this Eighth day of July 1708.
Nathll. Weare. Joseph Smith. James Philbrick."
If the government of Massachusetts had been anxious to nave settled the difficulties connected with the line, it would
194
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
seem that either of the propositions made by the committee on the part of New Hampshire might have been accepted with- out prejudice. But the truth is, the government of Massachu- setts did not care to have those difficulties settled, preferring to have the line remain an open question. This course of policy was dictated by various considerations. It was the interest of the governor of Massachusetts and his friends to let the lines remain unsettled, because Massachusetts claiming a large portion of the territory of New Hampshire, and that claim unsettled, the chances were greater that New Hampshire, and Massachu- setts would remain under the same general governor, at a hand- some salary and many perquisites. And it was the interest of the speculators, because they were obtaining grants of the best lands for tillage and lumber in the province of New Hamp- shire. An adverse policy, of course, obtained in New Hamp- shire. Here the people were sanguine, that the settlement of the lines would bring an independent government ; that pros- perity must follow such a state of things, and that at least, New Hampshire lands would be secured to New Hampshire people. Hence their settled policy was, a settlement of the lines and a separate government.
Accompanying the report of the committee in 1708, was a letter from Mr. Smith, one of the committee, which was as follows :
Hampton, 12 of July, 1708.
Mr. Story
Sir, Inclosed is ye Report of ye Committee for this prov- ince, directed to ye Governor and Council, you'll find we did nothing in ye affair, they demand almost to mr. Weares house, I mean to ye brooke at widdow Heaths and nothing will be done before ye Government direct how ye line shall be run &c.
Sir, I am your servant, Joseph Smith.
The closing sentiment of this letter foreshadowed the future policy of New Hampshire. They had attempted for years to obtain an amicable settlement of the lines with Massachusetts, without avail, and now their only hope was in an appeal to the King. Accordingly, their agent was instructed to press the subject upon the attention of the Lords of trade. But Indian hostilities soon diverted them from this minor subject, and very little attention was paid to it until after the year 1713. How- ever in 1716, the troubles upon the southern line, betwixt New Hampshire and Massachusetts had become so serious, that both Provinces united in another attempt to settle the lines. The committee from New Hampshire were specially instructed to
195
BORDER DIFFICULTIES.
unite in running the line three miles north of the Merrimack as far as the river extended. This was according to the decis- ion of the Lord Chief Justice in 1677, and was surrendering to Massachusetts all they then claimed, and all they could claim by any possible fair construction of the language of their char- ter. But notwithstanding this fair proposition, the Commis- sioners from Massachusetts, continued to form objections, and the Commission again broke up without accomplishing any- thing. The affair had now become so notorious, that the Lords of trade interfered and sent orders to have a map drawn for their use, upon which the boundaries should be delineated, and that the most authentic accounts and vouchers should be returned with the map, in illustration of the matters in controversy. Up- on this, in 1719, Commissioners from both Provinces met at Newbury. The Commissioners from Massachusetts putting in objections as usual, the Commission could do nothing, and the Commissioners from New Hampshire went forward and sur- veyed the line according to the decision of 1677, and made a return of the survey to the Lords of trade. It was at this point of time in the history of this controversy as to the lines; that the Scotch Irish emigrants settled at Londonderry. The excitement ran high, and these emigrants naturally enough sided with the people of New Hampshire. Having thus taken sides, their interest afterwards led them to become strong par- tisans in the controversy, for full one quarter of their land granted in their charter of 1722, and near thirty square miles of their land purchased of Wheelwright, were cut off by the line claimed by Massachusetts. It is not altogether improbable, that the Government of New Hampshire was induced to make the grant of Londonderry, somewhat by the prudent forethought of having a colony of these sturdy Scotch Irish to assist in carrying on this border controversy. Whether so or not, the Scotch Irish of Londonderry were in the thickest of the fight, and continued the controversy in the Courts of Law for half of a century, long after the line had been decided by the King in Council.
New Hampshire was now in earnest as to the settlement of the lines. Having made every reasonable offer of adjustment without avail, she now appealed to the King, and went on to put the people in possession of the lands in controversy by granting Chester and Londonderry, whose western bounds ex- tended to the Merrimack River, or nearly so. These grants were made to actual settlers. Massachusetts had before this made repeated grants of land east of the Merrimack, but being made to speculators, the lands had not been settled. She now
196
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
entered upon a different policy and commenced a series of grants to actual settlers. She adopted this policy, in order to hold possession of the soil. It had become apparent not only that the lines must be settled, but that the claim of Massachu- setts would be greatly restricted. Fearing this result, the leg- islature of Massachusetts commenced granting the lands in con- troversy to actual settlers from Massachusetts, in order that, if she should lose the jurisdiction over the lands, her people would have the fee in the soil. Accordingly, in 1725, Pennacook, now Concord, was granted to actual settlers from Andover, Bradford, Haverhill, and other towns in the immediate vicinity of the line so much in dispute, and who needed but very little inducement to take an active part in the controversy. A com- mittee was sent to lay out the township in May, 1726, and while thus engaged, the Governor of New Hampshire sent a com- mittee to remonstrate against their proceedings. About the same time, it was proposed in the Legislature of Massachusetts to grant a range of towns from the Merrimack to the Connec- ticut, under the pretence of having a line of settlements on the frontier, as a protection against the Indians, but in reality to secure the lands to the people of that Province. Massachu- setts at this time became so alarmed at the prospect of an un- favorable decision of the King, that she proposed a commission for the amicable adjustment of the line, which proposition was met by the assembly of New Hampshire with the decided an- swer, we have appealed to the King and will abide his de- cision. After this decided refusal. Massachusetts immediately set about securing the lands in controversy by grants to her people. Attempts were made to cover their sinister intentions with the veil of patriotism, but they could not be kept out of sight. They proposed these grants as rewards to those who had performed military service in the Indian wars, but their intention was so apparent, that Hutchinson even, the historian of Massachusetts, in speaking of the grants made about 1728 says :
" The government, under the old charter and new, had been very prudent in the distribution of the territory.'" ""' But all on a sudden, plans are laid for grants of vast tracts of unim- proved land, and the last session of Mr. Dummer's administra- tion, a vote passed the two houses appointing a committee to lay out three lines of towns," &c. "Pretences were encourag- ed, and even sought after, to entitle persons to become grant- ees. The posterity of all the officers and soldiers who served in the famous Narraganset expedition, in 1675, were the first
197
NARRAGANSET TOWNSHIPS.
pitched upon, those who were in the unfortunate attempt up- on Canada, in 1690, were to come next."
And again Douglas, in speaking of this same policy says :
"About the middle of the last century, the General Assem- bly of Massachusetts was in the humor of distributing the property of much vacant or Province land ; perhaps in good policy and forethought,-to secure to the Massachusetts peo- ple, by possession, the property of part of some controverted lands." * * * "Our Assembly, at that time, were in such a hurry to appropriate vacant lands, that several old towns were encouraged to petition for an additional new township; and when they were satiated, the Assembly introduced others, by way of bounty to the descendants of the soldiers in the Indian War of King Philip, so called in (1675, ) and these were called Narraganset townships ; and others to the soldiers in Sir Wil- liam Phipps' expedition into Canada, (1690,) which were call- ed Canada townships."*
The subject of granting lands to the soldiers who had served in the Narraganset war of 1675, was first broached in the Leg- islature of Massachusetts in June 1728, at which time, a com- mittee was appointed to lay out two townships for them. The same year the Legislature granted a township seven miles in width, and extending upon both sides of the Merrimack from "Hooksett Falls" to "Pennacook Falls," to the soldiers, and the heirs of such soldiers as fought in the battle of Pequau- quauke.
Upon the meeting of the grantees of the Narraganset town- ships in Boston in June 1729, it was found that their numbers were greater than had been supposed, amounting to eight hundred and forty. They therefore petitioned the Legislature for a further grant of land. "So that every sixty claimers might have a township six miles square." Upon this peti- tion, the House in June 1732 granted them five townships, so that every one hundred and twenty claimers, should have a township six miles square. But the Governor did not approve the grant and of course it was not passed. But in April of the following year the claimants were more successful. They presented their petition and the following action was had by the Legislature.
"At a great and General Court or Assembly, for his Majes- tie's Province of the Massachusetts Bay, begun and held at Boston, upon Wednesday, the Thirty-first of May, 1732, and
"Summary, Historical and political, &c. of the British Settlements in Amer- ica, by William Douglas, M. D. 8vo. 2 vols. 1755.
198
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
continued by adjournment, to Wednesday, Fourth day of April 1733, and then met.
April 26, 1733.
"A Petition of a Committee for the Narragansett Soldiers, showing that the e are the number of Eight Hundred and For- ty Persons, entered as officers and soidiers in the late Narra- ganset War. Praying that there may be such an addition of Land granted them, as may allow a Tract of six miles Square, to each one hundred and twenty men as admitted.
"In the House of Representatives, Read, and Ordered that the Prayer of the Petition be granted, and that Major Chandler, Mr. I'dwaru Shove. Col. Thomas Tilestone, Mr. John Hobson, and Mr. Samuel Chandler, (or any three of them, ) be a com- miftee fully authorized and empowered to survey and lay out five more Tracts of Land or Townships, of the Contents of Six miles Square, each, in some of the unappropriated lands of this Province ; and that the said land, together with the two towns before granted, be granted and disposed of to the offi- cers and soldiers or their lawful Representatives, as they are or have been allowed by this Court, being eight hundred and for- ty in number, in the whole, and in full satisfaction of the Grant formerly made them by the General Court, as a reward for their public services. And the Grantees shall be obliged to as- semble within as short time as they can conveniently, not ex- ceeding the space of two months, and proceed to the choice of Committees, respectively, to regulate each Propriety or Town- ship, which is to be held and enjoyed by one hundred and twenty of the Grantees, each in equal Proportion, who shall pass such orders and rules as will effectually oblige them to settle Sixty families, at least, within each Township, with a learned, orthodox ministry, within the space of seven years of the date of this Grant. Provided always, that if the sid gran- tees shall not effectually settle the said number of families in each Township, and lay out a lot for the first settled minister, one for the ministry, and one for the school, in each of the said townships, they shall have no advantage of but forieit their re- spective grants, anything to the contrary contained notwith- standing. The Charge of the Survey to be paid by the Prov- ince.
In Council read and concur'd. Consented to, J. BELCHER."
"A True Copy of Record : Examined Per SIMON FROST, Dep. Sec'y.
"It is hereby Certified, that by an order of the Great and
199
NARRAGANSET TOWNSHIP.
General Court, pass'd the eighteenth of April, 1734, Seven years from the first of June, 1734, was allow'd the Narragan- sett Claimants.
Attest : SIMON FROSt. Dep. Secr'y. These seven townships were laid out immediately, and were designated as Narraganset townships No. I, II, III, &c. Narra- ganset townships Nos. III, IV, V, and VI, were located in this immediate neighborhood. Narraganset No. III, was also called Souhegan West, and was situated on the North side of Souhe- gan river. It was incorporated by the name of Amherst, in 1760. Narraganset No. IV, was located on the west side of the Merrimack at "Amoskeag Falls" .* It was laid out to 120 gran- tees living in 41 towns in Massachusetts ; viz :
Northampton, Hadley; Suffield, Enfield, Deerfield, Worces- ter, Woodstock, Oxford, Brookfield, Killingly, Lebanon, Mans- field, Norwich, Pomfret, Windham, Bristol, Taunton, Swanzey, Rehoboth, Little Compton, Dighton, Attleborough, Norton, Freetown, Barrington, Bridgewater, Middleborough, Plympton, Kingston, Rochester, Pembroke, Marshfield, Ashford, Colches- ter, Haddam, Hebron, Wrentham, Bellingham, Horseneck, North Kingston, and Walpole.
It was described in the order, "One Plat laid out to the Nar- raganset Grantees called by them Number Four, laid out on Merrimack River, of the contents of six Miles square, exclusive of fifty acres allowance for the use of the Fishery at Amoskeag Falls and three thousand and seventy acres for poor lands and Ponds, in the whole 26,160 acres, beginning at the pitch pine tree standing on the westerly side of Merrimack River at the foot of Annahooksett Falls on Suncook Line." This township extended down the river to Narraganset No. V, and took in the Amoskeag Falls as the records say, "Reserving such quantity of land as the Court think proper, for fishery at Amoskeag Falls." And at the same time it was "Ordered that John Blais- dell, Mr. Samuel Chandler and Mr. Hutchins be a Committee to repair to Amoskeag Falls, take a view of the lands and re- port what land may be separated for the public and common benefit of His Majesty's Subjects, in smoking and packing Fish there."+
The committee reserved fifty acres for the fisheries at
* As this word at this period, began to be pronounced and written nearly as it is at the present time, it will hereafter be written in this work, Amoxkeag, although its derivation, the pronunciation of the Indians, and its orthography in the early writers, show that the original word is Namnaoskeag.
+Col. Journals of Mass. p. 127.
200
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Amoskeag, and the township was surveyed and return made of the survey as follows, to wit :
"This plan discribeth a tract of Land Laid out for the Nar- ragansett Soldiers Being the Second Town Ship for Said Sol- diers Laid out on Maramack, and Contains the Contents of Six miles Square and fifty acres Allowance for Fishery at Amas- ceag Falls, and Three Thousand and Seventy acres allowed for Poor Lands and Ponds. In the whole place is 26,160 acres bounded as follows, Beginning at a pitch pine tree Standing on the westerly side of Maramack River at the foot of Hannah Hooksetts Falls, Being In Suncook Line and Running on said Suncook Township four miles West Seventeen Degrees South to a white pine tree, being the South west Corner of Suncook, then Running West four miles and 40 Rods on a Township on the West of Suncook and penycook Laid out for the Nara- ganset Soldiers, (to a heap of stones) then Running North Five miles and one hundred and forty Rods on Province Land to a white pine Tree being the North west Corner of ye Ist Nara- ganset Town on Maramack River, then Running on Said Town Ship Six miles and one hundred and ten Rods (East ) to Mara- mack River, then on Maramack as sd River Runs Eight Miles and 145 Rods to the pitch pine Tree at the foot of Hannah Hooksett falls before mentioned.
Surveyed and Plan'd by order of the Great and General Court's Committee.
In October, A. D. 1733.
Per STEPHEN HOSMER JR.
Surveyor
The grantees became dissatisfied with their grant, and in 1737 secured other grants instead of it within the limits of Massa- chusetts. Narraganset No. IV covered very nearly the same ground formerly embraced within the limits of Goffstown, which was incorporated in 1761. The southeastern section of what was Narraganset No. IV, and subsequently Goffstown, including the village of "Amoskeag," is now a part of Man- chester. This part of Narraganset No. IV; belonging to Man- chester, was the fourth grant of land within the present limits of Manchester.
Narraganset No. V, also called Souhegan East, comprised the part of Manchester west of the Merrimack taken from Bed- ford, the whole of Bedford, and the north part of Merrimack.
The grantees to whom it was assigned, belonged to Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Milton, Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham,
*See Files Secretay's Office. Mass.
201
SETTLEMENT OF TYNGSTOWN.
Dedham, Stoughton, Brookline, Needham, Hull, Medfield, Scit- uate, Newport, New London and Providence. The committee for the township, were Colonel Thomas Tilestone, Jonathan Williams, and Joseph Ruggles. Merrimack, comprehending part of this township, was incorporated April 2, 1746. Bed- ford was incorporated in 1750.
Meantime, the Government of New Hampshire had not been idle. In 1727 the Governor, with advice of Council, granted several townships, among them Canterbury and Bow, that in- terfered directly with the claim of Massachusetts, or townships she had granted. Thus the west line of Canterbury extended to the Merrimack River, overlapping some thirty square miles of land claimed by Massachusetts. While in the grant of Bow they went a step farther, and granted a township containing eighty one square miles, by such metes and bounds as not only covered a large part of Suncook, lying on the east and west sides of the Merrimack and just granted by Massachusetts, but cov- ered a large part of Pennacook, granted by that government in 1725, and already settled ! This was looking the controversy full in the face, if not taking it by the horns! But Massachu- setts soon followed the example, and in 1735 granted the town- ship of Tyngstown, to Ephraim Hildreth, John Shepley and oth- ers, three miles in width upon the east side of the Merrimack, and extending from the north line of Litchfield to the south line of Suncook. 'l'his grant over.apped large portions of Ches- ter and Londonderry, already granted by New Hampshire in 1720 and 1722. It is probable that Hildreth, "hepley and oth- ers petitioned for lands at Amoskeag as early as 1727, when "pretences" were first sought after by Massachusetts for grant- ing lands in New Hampshire. Be this as it may, in December 1734, Ephraim Hildreth and John Shepley presented the follow- ing petition to the Legislature of Massachusetts.
To his Eexcellency Jonathan Belcher Esq. Cap. General & Governor in Chief in & over His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, the Hon'ble Council & House of Representatives in General Court assembled, Derem- ber 13th, 1734.
The Petition of Ephraim Hildreth & John Shepley, in Behalf of themselves & other Soldiers under the late Capt. William Tyng, most Humbly Sheweth,
That the said Capt. Tyng in the Year 1703, raised a com- pany of Volunteers in the winter Season to go in Quest of the Indian Enemy. That they had performed a Difficult March on Snow Shoes as far as Winipissiokee Lake, & killed six of the Enemy, & were about thirty days on said expedition. That
202
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Said Tyng & Company were the first Company, that ever undertook a March in the Winter Season on Snow Shoes, which has since been very Serviceable to the Province. That your Petitioners Some Years since Petitioned this Hon'ble Court for a Tract of Land for a Township to be Settled in Such Way & manner as might Consist with the Wisdom of the Court which Petition has Sundry times been favored by the Hon'ble House of Representatives & by them Referred to this Court but is mislaid & can't be found.
Your Petitioners therefore most humbly pray Your Excellen- cy & Honours to take the Premises into Your wise Considera- tion and that they may have a Grant made them of Lands ly- ing on the East Side Merrimack River, between Suncook & Litchfield to extend three Miles West of the River which will contain about twenty three thousand Acres, exclusive of Mr. Rand's farm and three Farms pitched upon by the Hon'ble Col. Turner, & Col Dudley, and that the grant may be made to such Persons as were in said March and the Descendants of those that are Since dead, and your Petitioners will Settle the same with sixty English families in such Time, and under such Conditions, as may be thought proper by your excellency & Honours * * * People claiming a right under New Hampshire will be hindered from encroaching thereon. We would also inform Your Excellency & Honours that the plece for Fishing at Amoskeag is included with the lands petitioned for, which we humbly propose Should be Reserved for the use of the Province and in Duty bound shall ever pray &c.
EPHRAIM HILDRETH. JOHN SHEPLEY.
From this petition it will be seen, that the petitioners were prejudiced against the "Scotch Irish" and in favor of the claim of Massachusetts, as they artfully bring into their petition their willingness to stipulate to settle the tract asked for, with "sixty English families" and that "people claiming a right under New Hampshire would be hindered from encroaching thereon." We know not how much influence their suggestions had upon the Legislature, but those or some other considerations secured the immediate attention of the House to their petition, so that the petitioners whose prayers had hitherto been postponed from session to session, had the satisfaction of obtaining their grant from the House, on the same day their petition was presented, an unusual despatch of public business, that shows that some important considerations dictated the action of that body.
The proceedings of the Legislature were thus, as endorsed on the back of the petition.
203
SETTLEMENT OF TYNGSTOWN.
In the House of Representatives, December 13th, 1734. Read and ordered that the Petitioners have leave by a Sur- vey'r and Chainmen on Oath to Survey and lay out between the Township of Litchfield and Suncook or Lovewell's Towne, on the east side of Merrimack River [A] the Quantity of six miles square, exclusive of Robert Rand's grant, and the three Farms pitched upon by the Honr'ble Samuel Thaxter, John Turner, and William Dudley, Esq., to satisfy their grants and also exclusive of Two hundred acres of Land at the most con- venient place at Amoskeag Falls, which is hereby reserved for publick use and benefit of the I habitants of this Province, for taking and curing Fish there, and that they return a plot there- of to this Court, within twelve months, for confirmation to the Petitioners and their associates, their heirs and assigns Respec- tively. Provided the Grantees do Settle the above Said Tract with Sixty Families, within four Years from the confirmation of the Plat, each Family to have an House of Eighteen feet square and Seven feet Stud at least and four acres brought to & plowed or stocked with English Grass, & fitted for mowing, and also to lay out three lots with the others, one for the first Minister, one for the Ministry, and one for the School, and within Said Term Settle a Learned orthodox Minister and build a convenient House for the public Worship of God, and whereas Divers of the Persons for whose benefit this Grant is made are Deceased, it is further ordered the Grant shall be and belong to Some one of his Male Descendants wherein Preference shall be given to the oldest Son [B] and further it is ordered that those Persons, Shares in this Grant Shall revert to the Province who shall not Perform the Condition of the Grant as above.
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