History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 148

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520

USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 148
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 148

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Eleven persons signed the covenant on the forma- tion of the church, and thirty-three united with the church under his pastorate.

Rev. Mr. Searle was born in Rowley, Mass., No- vember 16, 1746, and graduated at Harvard College in 1765; married Mrs. Margaret Tappan (nee) Sanborn. He died December 2, 1818.

Rev. Thomas Worcester was employed three months on trial in the spring of 1791, and in the following September was invited to settle. One hun- dred and twenty pounds was voted him as a settle- ment and eighty pounds yearly. This was quite a salary at that time for a young man only twenty- three years of age. He was ordained November 9, 1791, by the same council which had dismissed Mr. Searle on the day previous. The congregation which attended upon his preaching was for many years very large. He was a faithful and laborious pastor; his and dismissed March 15, 1864.

pulpit addresses were attractive, earnest and direct. During his ministry there were several seasons of the special outponring of the Holy Spirit. An extensive revival occurred soon after his settlement, and over eighty were received into the church. In December, 1792, thirty young converts made public profession of their faith. His brother, Samuel Worcester, united with the church February 13, 1793. William Webster, uncle to Daniel, united with the church September 8, 1796. Daniel Webster united with the church September 13, 1807. Another revival oc- curred about 1815, when more than sixty persons made public profession of their faith.

Under his pastorate 268 united with the church ; he administered the sacrament of baptism to 322 children, solemnized 307 marriages and attended 25 ecclesiastical councils.

He was dismissed by a mutual council April 23, 1823, and continued to reside in Salisbury until his death, December 24, 1831, aged sixty-three years. In 1806 he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Dartmouth College,

Rev. Mr. Worcester was a son of Noah and Lydia (Taylor) Worcester; born in Hollis November 22, 1768, and was one of five brothers, all distinguished as orators and writers for the religious press. March 11, 1792, he married Miss Deborah Lee.

Rev. Abijah Cross settled over the church Decem- ber 23, 1823. At the time of his settlement there were one hundred and eleven resident members and thirty-nine non-resident, making, at the time of Mr. Worcester's dismission, a total number of one hundred and fifty. Under Mr. Cross' pastorate there were added to the church seventeen members and nine dismissed. He administered the sacrament of bap- tism to fifteen. He was dismissed April 1, 1829.

It was during his ministry that an effort was made by Rev. Benjamin Huntoon, a native of Salisbury, to organize a Unitarian Society in town ; but, not find- ing a very large congregation, he continued in town but one year.

Rev. Andrew Rankin was settled over the church July 11, 1830, and dismissed in October, 1832. Dur- ing his pastorate seventeen were added to the church by profession, eleven by letter and about twenty con- verted by his preaching.

Rev. Benjamin F. Foster was settled Nov. 13, 1833, and dismissed July 23, 1846. Eighty members were ad- mitted to the church during his ministry in Salisbury.

Rev. E. H. Caswell succeeded Mr. Foster, June 28, 1848, and was dismissed the following February. Four were admitted to the church under his pastorate.

Rev. Erasmus D. Eldridge was settled January 12, 1849, and was dismissed November 1, 1854. During his ministry twenty-six were received into the church.

Rev. Thomas Rhatray was installed May 7, 1856, and dismissed April 15, 1857.

Rev. Horatio Merrill was installed March 17, 1858,

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Rev. Usal W. Condit was installed March 14, 1864, and dismissed January 13, 1869. During his minis- try nineteen united with the church.

Rev. Joseph B. Cook was installed January 13, 1869, and dismissed May 19, 1876.

Rev. William C. Scofield came to Salisbury in the fall of 1875, continuing until 1877.

Rev. George W. Bothwell spent five months, be- tween his junior and senior year (1879) in Yale Theological Seminary, at Salisbury, in which time five were added to the church. He is now supplying the Congregational Church in Portland, Mich.

Rev. Samuel H. Barnum graduated from Yale College in 1875, and from Yale Theological Seminary in 1879, removing to Salisbury November 9, 1879, where he remained until May, 1882, when he received a call to go to Durham, where he was ordained and installed April 24, 1883, and still continues.

Rev. Chas. E. Gordon removed to Salisbury in Nov., 1882, and supplied the pulpit in Salisbury and Webster, only a few miles apart, and Oct. 4, 1883, was installed pastor over both churches. The installation took place at the Webster Church. He resides at Salisbury.

The Baptist Societies .- The earliest information we have of the Baptist faith in the town was on May 25, 1789, when a meeting was held at the school- house at the Centre Village, and the society organ- ized by the choice of Daniel Brottlebank moderator, and Jonathan Cram clerk. Lieutenant Joseph Sev- erance, Jonathan Cram and Lieutenant Moses Clough were chosen a committee to procure preaching. On the 23d of the following June seventy-six persons adopted and signed a covenant.

For a time the society held meetings at private houses and in a school-house which they had bought of the town. The congregation rapidly increasing, on the 9th of October, 1790, it was "Voted to build a meeting-house."

March 17, 1791, it was "Voted to build the meet- ing-house 52 feet long and 40 feet wide, and to be finished throughout as early as 1794. Chose Jona- than Fifield, Joseph Fifield, John Clement, Benjamin Pettengill and Abel Elkins a committee to erect the frame, and Benjamin Pettengill, Jr., Abraham Fifield, Samuel Bean, David Pettengill, Edward Fifield, Wil- liam Eastman, Benjamin Pettengill, Reuben True and Bailey Chase a committee to sell pews." The house was erected within the specified time, and stood just north of the present location, the main entrance be- ing on the east side. On each end was a porch, supporting small steeples similar to the one standing on the north end, but not so high. In each of these porches was an entrance. In the north tower was a bell. The interior was like most of the churches at that time,-box pews, a large pulpit on the west side of the house, a gallery opposite and on the two sides. An upper and lower set of windows furnished light. In 1839, Deacon William Parsons remodeled the church to its present general style.

Elder Elias Smith, was the first settled minister, and preached the first sermon in the new church in the spring of 1791, taking his text from 1 Kings viii. 27. In November, 1792, he again visited Salisbury and baptized nine persons. January 7, 1793, he re- turned, and in February was invited to become the pastor of the church. Accepting the invitation, he permanently remained until 1796, when the enthusi- asm began to abate and new doctrines were accepted by some of the members. In the latter part of the year he left his Salisbury pulpit and preached at Woburn, Mass .; but in February, 1798, he returned, remaining until the following January, when, with his family, he returned to Woburn. As early as 1801 he opened a store in Salisbury, which did not prove of pecuniary benefit. In 1808 he began the publication of the Herald of Gospel Liberty, the first religious newspaper published in the United States. He died at Lyme, Conn., June 29, 1846, aged seventy- seven years.

Rev. Otis Robinson, the second settled pastor, was invited to settle in the fall of 1809, and was ordained in the spring of 1810, and continued for sixteen years. In 1826, after a very gratifying revival of re- ligion, in which many were added to his church, Mr. Robinson was dismissed from his pastoral charge at his request and continued to reside in town until his death, March 1, 1835.

Rev. Ebenezer E. Cummings, D.D., was ordained and installed September 17, 1828. Old church troubles existed among the members of the church. The pastor labored assiduously for the union and har- mony of his people, and knowing that no good could come of a church which was divided against itself, he refused to longer remain. He asked a dismission, which was granted January 5, 1831. The leading members of the two churches which then existed met in consultation, decided to forget the past and to go on together in a Christian life. A new church was formed January 19, 1831, and an invitation ex- tended to Mr. Cummings to become its pastor. In a letter, bearing date June 4, 1831, he consented to re- main, bnt was not installed. In the spring of 1832 he removed to Concord, where he was settled over the First Baptist Church, March 2, 1832, continuing till January 11, 1854. Still resides at Concord. The records of the society have not been kept in a man- ner to afford reliable information ; consequently we shall give only the following:

Rev. John Learned, installed in September, 1838, remaining one year ; Rev. John Burden, came in the fall of 1839; Rev. Stephen Coombs, occupied the pulpit from July, 1833, to January, 1856; Rev. Sammel H. Amsden, installed in 1856; Rev. Joseph B. Damon ; Rev. Thomas B. Joy, 1863 ; Rev. Albert \. Ford, 1864-66 ; Rev. Joshua Clement, 1866-67 ; Rev. Joseph Storer ; Rev. J. Q. Sinclair, one year ; Elder Hiram Stevens; Elders Boswell and Elias Dane; Elder Peter M. Hersey ; Rev. A. H. Martin, 1869-75.

Union Meeting-House is located at the south- west part of the town and west of Blackwater River. As early as 1791 the residents of the west part of

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the town had their share of the minister fund paid to them, which they used towards defraying the expenses of a minister. In 1832 they decided to erect a union house of worship, each denomination to occupy the pulpit one Sunday in succession through the year.

February 26, 1834, a meeting was held to "take action in relation to the erection of a place of worship." A committee, consisting of John Couch, Paul True, David Hobbs, David Stevens, Benjamin Scribner, Israel B. Bean, William Conch, Daniel Wat- son and David Harvey, was appointed to confer upon the most judicious ways and means of building the house. They selected the present site. Forty-two persons pledged themselves twenty dollars each to- wards building and finishing the house. Joshua S. Bean, Caleb Smith, John S. Eaton and John Couch (3d) were the church committee. The house was com- pleted and dedicated at once.

So far as known, each denomination has had the following permanent ministers : Christian, 10; Meth- odists, 11; Congregationalists, 2; Universalists, 2.

East Village (or Franklin) Church .- For years there was no church in Pemigewasset, East Republican vil- lage or Salisburyville, in that part of Salisbury now in- cluded in Franklin. To attend religious services the people were obliged to go to Searle's Hill, subsequently to South road, or to Sanbornton or Northfield. As the village increased in population and wealth, the neces- sity of permanent ministrations of the gospel was plainly seen. In Feb., 1820, it was decided to establish a Congregational Church, and erect a meeting-house. The lot on which the house now stands was selected.

A subscription paper was circulated for the purpose of raising money to build the house. On this paper were the names of the most active citizens of that village, and over four hundred dollars were subscribed. The lot was given by Ebenezer Eastman, one of the most influential men in the place. The organization was effected March 20, 1820. Parker Noyes, Esq., was chosen clerk; Captain Blanchard and Messrs. Hale, Ladd, Clark, Haddock, Sanborn and Samuel George were chosen a committee to construct the house. The work of completing the house after the erection of the frame was awarded to Benjamin Rowe for three hundred and sixty dollars. He did not fin- ish his contract, and Captain Blauchard, James Gar- land and Richard Peabody were appointed to finish the house. On three sides of the interior of the church galleries were built, which contained thirty- two pews. The pews were sold July 4, 1820. The Rev. Thomas Worcester, then pastor of the church at South Road, delivered a patriotic oration which was received with great enthusiasm. William Haddock sold by auction the choice of pews, as represented on a plan which he held in his hand. The sum received from the sale was $2202.25. The church was com- pleted by November 25, 1820, and dedicated Decem- ber 13th, Rev. Asa McFarland, of Concord, preaching the dedication sermon.

The church was organized June 11, 1822, under the advice and direction of Rev. Samuel Wood and Rev. Mr. Price, of Boscawen ; Rev. Thomas Worcester, of Salisbury; and Rev. Abram Bodwell, of Sanbornton. A church covenant and confession of faith was adopted and signed by fourteen persons. Paul Noyes was the first deacon. The church had no settled pastor before the organization of Franklin.

Rev. William T. Savage, D.D., for a long time pastor, in his twenty-third aniversary sermon, deliv- ered in 1872, said,-

"In the department of preaching, the church and society for some six years from the beginning seems not to have had a regular pastor. In formal documents and loose papers allusion to the following ministers as baving occupied the pulpit for one or more Sabbaths are found : Rev. D. Dana, Rev. M. B. Murdock, Rev. Ahel Wood, of Warner ; Robert Page, missionary ; Rev. David McRitchie ; Steader and Holt, missionaries ; and Rev. Moses Bradford, of Francistown. In 1826, Rsv. Ahijab Cross, pastor of the church at Sonth Road, preached fifteen Sabbatbs. In 1827, Rev. George Freeman officiated eleven Sabbaths, and in 1828, Rev. Reu- hen Farley sixteen Sabbaths."

County Conference .- The Merrimack County Con- ference of Congregational Churches was an outgrowth of the Hopkinton Association, and was the result of a special meeting held at the dwelling-house of the Rev. Dr. Wood, of Boscawen, April 4, 1827. Among the articles presented was the following : "This Con- ference shall be composed of pastors and delegates from the Congregational Churches within the bounds of the Hopkinton Association. It shall assume no control over the faith or the discipline of the church."

The first meeting was held on the fourth Tuesday of June, 1828, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, in the Congregational Church at Salisbury, the Rev. Abijah Cross, then pastor. In 1838 the Association again met at Salisbury, and June 10, 1884, the Con- ference again assembled, Rev. C. E. Gordon, pastor, eleven churches being represented by their pastors and delegates, the session continuing two days.

Educational .- At the first town-meeting it was voted "to raise some money for school purposes." In 1772 twelve dollars was voted to support a school; it was also voted " to raise half a day's work on the sin- gle head, to be done on the south end of the sixty- acre lot, which was laid out for the school." This lot was situated on Searle's Hill, on the centre range- way, opposite the ten-acre meeting-house lot. The school-house was built in the summer of 1772 and was the first in town.

In 1778 the town was divided into four school dis- tricts. The school-houses were wooden-framed, boarded and shingled and furnished with windows and fire-places. One was located near Smith's Cor- ner. It was built by Beniah Bean for three hundred and ninety-eight dollars. The second at South Road, built by Deacon John Collins for six hundred and eighty dollars. Another was situated at the Centre Road, nearly opposite F. W. Fifield's present resi- dence, built by Edward Fifield for six hundred and seventy-eight dollars ; and the last was at North Road, Mr. Andrew Pettingell receiving four hundred and

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ninety-four dollars for building it. Such buildings soon after could have been completed for less than half the cost of these. But money was so much de- preciated that labor commanded eight dollars per day. The amount raised annually for schools at this time was about five hundred dollars, while three thou- sand dollars were appropriated for the improvement of roads.

In March, 1784, it was "Voted to sell all the school lands and put the principal in the bank and use the interest for the support of schools in the town annu- ally." It was also voted at the same meeting "to sell the school-houses belonging to the sd town and the money be contributed to the use of the town."

The sale of the school-houses brought, in the aggre- gate, $63.75 each, and the land was sold to Ephraim Colby for three pounds, fifteen shillings and three pence per acre. In 1786 the town raised two hundred and ten dollars, in lawful money, for the support of schools, and ordered each district to provide its own school- rooms.

In 1791 a school-house was built at the Lower vil- lage (now the Orphans' Home District in Franklin). In this building Daniel Webster attended school and later in life taught. The second school-house, at the South road, was built by subscription in 1787. After the academy was removed from its original location to South road the school was transferred to one por- tion of it and has since continued.

In 1819 the town was divided into eleven school districts and there were school-houses in nine of them. Changes were subsequently made, increasing the number to fourteen.

No. 1, located at South road, was organized in 1820.

No. 2, known as Centre Road District, was formed April 2, 1823.

No. 3, called "Sawyer's," organized in 1820.

No. 4, located at Scribner's Corner, at the west part of the town.

No. 5, at the North road.

No. 6, the Mills District ; school located there as early as 1806. In 1884 a new, commodious building was erected.

No. 7, at "Smith's Corner," at the west part of the town. The first school-house was erected in 1782. The second was twenty by twenty-five feet, erected in 1789. In 1825 the district was reorganized and a new school-house erected.

No. 8, located at "Thompson's Corner." The first school-house in town was on a site included within the limits of this district.

No. 9, on Lovering's Hill. Established in 1826.

No. 10, " Watson District," on the southern spur of Kearsarge Mountain. A school-house was built here as early as 1812.

No. 11 is on Raccoon Hill, known as the "Shaw District." The school-house was built in 1847 and thoroughly repaired in 1876.

No. 12, located at "Shaw's Corner." The second

school-house was erected in 1820 and the third in 1881.

No. 13, situated at the Lower village (now the Or- phans' Home in Franklin). The present building is of brick.

No. 14, at the East village in Franklin. Ebenezer Eastman gave the land for " educational purposes " in 1816. The first school-house in that part of Salis- bury was built in 1805-6.

SALISBURY ACADEMY .- At the close of the last century Salisbury was the residence of an unusually number of prudent, intellectual and scholarly men. They had pride in the good name of the town, and looked forward with cheerful anticipation to a higher position which it might hold in the State, and saw the advantages which would result from a permanent institution of learning, and, at length, united in the establishment of an academy. The petition was pre- sented to the Legislature for an act of incorporation at the winter session, in January, 1795, and the act of incorporation was granted December 22, 1795.

The board of trustees, by authority of the Legisla- ture, had the charge of the institution. The academy was erected on the ridge of Garland's Hill, and was two stories high. Soon after its erection the Fourth New Hampshire turnpike was built, which prac- cally left the academy on an old road and away from the business portion of the town. It was proposed to move the building to South Road village and open it under new management, and for that purpose contri- butions were solicited, the removal taking place April 29, 1805.

In January, 1806, the district school began on the lower floor, the upper room being reserved for academ- ical purposes. Extensive repairs have been made as needed, and in 1883 a projection was added to the south end of the upper story, new floor laid, the stair- way made more convenient and the room fitted up into a fine hall. The academy has had three char- ters. For a long period it gained and sustained a rep- utation for good scholarship and excellence in all its departments. Its standing was not inferior to the best institutions of its kind in the State. Follow- ing are the list of teachers, so far as known:

Thomas Chase was the first instructor when it was located on Garland Hill. He was succeeded by James Tappan, Rev. Samuel Worcester, Rev. Noah Worces- ter, D.D., Ichabod Bartlett, 1804; Hon. Richard Fletcher, 1809; Samuel I. Wells, Esq., 1813-16; Na- thaniel H. Carter, A.M., 1811; Lamson Carter, 1815; Stephen Bean, Rev. Benjamin Huntoon, 1817-19; Rev. Daniel Fitts, D.D., 1819-22; Zachariah Batch- elder, 1822; W. Bailey, 1813; Henry Greenleaf, 1822; Caleb Stetson, 1825-26; Henry Fitts, William Clag- gett, 1826-27 ; Alfred Kittredge, 1828; Caleb B. Kitt- redge, 1829-32; Rev. B. F. Foster, 1838-39; Charles T. Berry, 1840; Elbridge G. Emery, 1842-43; David Dimond, 1843; Caleb P. Smith, William S. Spauld- ing, A.M., 1844 45; S. C. Noyes, J. H. Upton, -

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Clark, Hon. William M. Pingree, Rev. E. S. Little, Dr. J. Q. A. French, Dr. Crockett, D. B. Penticost, Rev. E. D. Eldredge, John A. Kilburn, 1851; John W. Simonds, John R. Eastman.

Social Library .- Early in the year 1794 several of the citizens of Salisbury agreed to organize a volun- tary association for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a library. The first regular meeting was held March 27th. Colonel Ebenezer Webster was chosen chairman and Andrew Bowers clerk. An act of incorporation was granted in 1798. Rules and regulations were adopted in March, 1799. In 1859 there were four hundred and ninety-six volumes in the library. It was this library that Daniel Webster referred to when he said that his early reading was gathered from a small circulating library.

Literary Adelphi .- This society was organized June 25, 1813, when the academy was at the height of its prosperity. It was composed largely of mem- bers of the academy, who generally conducted its lit- erary exercises. The last meeting of the society was held in June, 1819.

CHAPTER III. SALISBURY-(Continued). INDIAN HISTORY.

As there has been so much written about the killing of Sabatis and Plausawa, by the Bowens, and the trouble which arose from it, we will not burden this volume with a repetition of it, but refer the inter- ested reader to the New Hampshire State Papers, or Dearborn's "History of Salisbury," pp. 225-239, in- clusive.

For several years previous to 1754 Indian depre- dations had been committed in the vicinity. On the 11th of May, 1754, the Indians made their attack ou Nathaniel Maloon and family, who had some time previously removed to Stevenstown (Salisbury). Maloon was captured in Contoocook (Boscawen). He was taken to his home, where they took, as prisoners, his wife, his children (Mary and Rachel, John and David; also Sarah, then an infant of thirteen months). The eldest son, Nathaniel P., was at work in a field a short distance from the house, planting corn. The father was ordered to call him, which he did; but the son saw the Indians, and, understanding by the signification of his father's voice that he wished him to escape, he dropped his hoe, fled to the woods, swam the Blackwater and reached the fort at Contoocook.

The Indians plundered the house and then returned to St. Francis, Canada, with their captives. After suffering great indignities they were shipped in a French vessel for France. The ship was captured by a British man-of-war. Maloon and his family were

landed at Portland, and from that place they returned to their former home, having been gone nearly four years.

Rachel was not redeemed until 1763, and David not until 1761.

On the 16th of August, 1754, an attack was made on Philip Call's house, which stood near the Salis- bury fort. Mr. Call, his son Stephen and Timothy Cook were at work on the farm. The savages sud- denly appeared at the door of the dwelling-house, and as Mrs. Philip Call opened it she was struck down, killed and scalped. Stephen Call's wife, being within, concealed herself and infant, John, behind the chimney and was not discovered. Both Philip and Stephen escaped. Timothy Cook was pursued, and, in crossing the Merrimack River, was fired upon and killed.

Samuel Scribner and Robert Barber had located with- in half a mile of our northern boundary line, near Em- erystown (Andover), and were then our most northern settlers. They had got out the timber to build a house, and at the time of their capture were mowing in the meadow now owned by Elbridge Shaw. Scribner's back was to the Indians. Barber saw them coming and shouted out to Scribner, "Run, Scribner ; run, for God's sake ! Run ! the Indians are upon us !" But he did not hear him, and he was grasped from behind by an Indian. Barber ran, but went directly into an ambush of the savages. An Indian, holding up a scalp before Barber, asked him, in broken English, if he knew it. He said, " Yes ; Mrs. Call's." The In- dians took them along as prisoners, and, after a jour- ney of thirteen days, reached St. Francis, Canada. Scribner was sold to a Frenchman at Chamblee. Barber was sold to a Frenchman about a mile from St. Francis, and on the 26th of September, 1775, made his escape. After Scribner's return he built the large two-story house at North road.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 148

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1520

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520