History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 15

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 15
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 15

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).

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ker'a right drawn by Solomon Martin, Nehemiah Heath, Nathaniel Sanders, Nathanial Jones, Samuel Grainger, Thomas Blanchard, Nicholas White, Jonathan Pulsepher, Richard Hazzen, Jr., Samnel Toppan, Moses Bordman, Bezaliel Toppan, Thomas Learned, Joseph Hall, Nehemiah Carlton, Benjamin Niccols, Minister's lot, Ministerial lot, School lot, N. Parker.

At this meeting it was also,-

" Agreed and Voted, That a block-house of twenty-five feat in breadth and forty feet in length be built at Penny Cook, for the security of the settlers.

" Argeed and Voted, That Joho Cbaodlar, Moses Hazzan, Nehemialı Carlton, Nathan Simonds and Ebenezer Stevena ba a committee, and they ara hereby empowered to build, either by themselves, or to agree with workman to build, a block-house of twenty-five feet in breadth, and forty feat in length, as in their judgment shall be most for the security of the settlers.

" Agreed and l'oted, That Benjamin Stavana, Esq., he treasurer for tha aettlars.

" Agreed and Voted, That Timothy Johnson, John Oagood and Moses Day be chosen, appointed and empowered to examine the chargea that shall ariae in building a block-houaa at the place called Penny Cook, or any other charges that aball arise in the bringing forward tha settlement and to allow, as in their judgment shall ba juat and equal, and also to draw money out of the treasury for the dafraying of said charges.

" Agreed and Voted, That the sum of one hundred pounda ba raised and paid by thesettlers into the handa of Benjamin Stevens, Esqr., treasurer, for defraying the charges that ara past, or that ahall necessarily arise in bringing forward the intended settlement, to be paid in to said Benjamin Stevans, Esqr., by the first day of March next, in equal proportion.

" Enoch Coffin dissented.

" Agreed and Voted, That a committee of five persons on oath, threa whereof to be a quorum, be chosen out of the onmber of the intended settlars, to lay out the remaining part of the interval at the place called Panny Cook, that is not yet laid ont, so that the whole of the interval already laid out, or to ha laid out to tha settlars, shall be equal in quan- tity and quality.

"Agreed ond Voted, That John Chandler, Henry Rolfe, William White, Richard Hazzen, Junr., and John Osgood be a committee, choaeo and ampowered to lay ont the interval at the placa called Panny Cook, that is not yet laid out, ao that the whole of the interval already laid out or to be laid out to the settlers shall be equally divided among them as to quantity and quality.

" Agreed, That Jonathan Hubbard be admitted a settler in place of Daniel Davis, who was admitted a settler of Penny Cook by the Honora- bla General Court'a Committee, appointed to admit persona to settle Penny Cook.

" Agreed and Voted, That three peuce per tail for every rattlesnake'a tail, the rattlesnake being killed within the bounds of the township granted at Penny Cook, be paid by the intended settlers ; the money to he paid by the settlers' treasurer, upou sight of the tail.

While the proprietors were thus arranging the affairs of the new plantation, May 20, 1727, the government of New Hampshire made a grant of the township of Bow, which covered a large por- tion of the Penacook grant, and these conflicting grants led to a lengthy and expensive controversy, which was carried to the Court of St. James by the Hon. Timothy Walker, as agent for the Rumford proprietors, and decided in their favor by the King in Council, December 27, 1762.

REV. TIMOTHY WALKER.1-More than any other person, Rev. Timothy Walker is entitled to the ap- pellation of Father of Concord. He was the son of Deacon Samuel Walker, of Woburn, Mass., was born July 27, 1705, and graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1725, of which the Rev. Mather Byles

was the most eccentric and perhaps the most distin- guished member. After his settlement, in 1730, he first lived in a log house which stood on the brow of Horse-shoe Pond Hill, but in 1733-34 built the two- storied gambrel-roof house in which he afterwards resided until his death. The house, with some modern improvements, overshadowed by the stately elm-trees which Mr. Walker set out in 1764, is well represented by the fine engraving in this volume.

Mr. Walker was of full middling stature and size, not corpulent, but portly in form and of dignified manners. He had blue eyes and a light complexion. Naturally, his temper was quick, but well restrained and governed. If, at any time, he was hetrayed into hasty expressions or acts, he was prompt to acknowl- edge the fault and ask the forgiveness of any one injured. He was exact and precise in all his domestic arrangements and business transactions, keeping a diary in a little book done up in the form of an al- manac. Though not talkative, he was agreeable in social intercourse and occasionally facetious. Accord- ing to the custom of the times, he wore a large pow- dered wig and a three-cornered cocked hat, short clothes and shoes with large buckles. He was held in high regard by all his parishioners. After service on the Sabbath, both morning and afternoon, the whole congregation stood until Mr. Walker went out, he respectfully bowing to those on each side as he passed down the broad aisle.

Mr. Walker served the town as a wise counselor in relation to every matter of public interest, and, in connection with Benjamin Rolfe, Esq., who married his eldest daughter, drew up the first petition for help against the Indians addressed to the governments of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and also many of the papers in the long controversy with the proprietors of Bow. As fully related in Dr. Bouton's "History of Concord," he thrice visited England as agent of the town in that vexatious litigation, and through his judicious and persevering efforts and his personal influence with his counsel, Mr. William Murray (afterwards Chief Justice Mansfield), secured forever the rights of the proprietors of Rumford (now Concord).

As a preacher, Mr. Walker was instructive and practical, dwelling more on the duties than on the doctrines of religion. He was calm and moderate in his delivery ; his sermons, of which a few still exist, were written out in full on sheets of paper, folded in the 18mo form, and would occupy about thirty minutes each in their delivery. His style was good, perspicuous and didactic, with but few illustrations, but well supported with quotations from Scripture.

In his theological views Mr. Walker was orthodox, according to existing standards. He received the Westminster Assembly's Catechism, which was then also used in the families and schools of the town. In distinction, however, from the preachers who, in his day, were called "new lights," he was accused of

1 Thia aketch of the life of Rev. Timothy Walker was prepared by Mr. J. B. Walker, though derived largely from the sketch of Mr. Walker by Rev. Dr. Bonton, in hia " History of Coacord."

CONCORD.

being an Arminian, but called himself a Moderate Calvinist. He was highly conservative as regarded innovations and new measures. Hence, in the period of the great reformation, under the preaching of Rev. George Whitefield and others, Mr. Walker was among those ministers who did not favor the excite- ment which was generally awakened. In January, 1743, he preached and published a sermon to his people entitled, " The Way to try all Pretended Apostles," from the text Rev. ii. 2. In this sermon he dwelt at length on the evils produced by itinerant preach- ers, especially the divisions they caused in established churches and societies. Hence, he warned his people not to go after them or hear them preach. "Nothing," he says, " I am well satisfied, has so much contributed to the evils that do so cloud the present day and look with such a direful aspect upon us as the indulging an unmortified itch after Novelties, and having the Persons of Strangers, whom we know nothing of, in Admiration, and setting them up above the Place of Instruments. If, therefore, yon would not become accessory to the guilt of those who are endeavoring the subversion of our religious constitution, keep out of the way of temptation as much as may be; ponder well the first step that leads to a compliance with these errors."

At this time all of Mr. Walker's hearers were of one way of thinking in religious matters, and his object was to keep them together and make them steadfast in the " religion and church order which was very dear to our forefathers." Conscious of the power he had over his people, he not only charged them not to go after or to hear these pretended apostles preach, "but," said he, "if any of you think yourselves un- able to manage a controversy. with them, invite them to accompany you to my house, and I will gladly

undertake this, or any other service I am capable of, voted Christian minister. Upon the breaking ont of for the benefit of your souls."

In 1771, Mr. Walker felt called on to give his

people another warning against innovations and what his son-in-law, Major Benjamin Thompson, after- he called disturbers of the peace and order of the wards Count Rumford, to join the royal cause, in

October, 1775, and retire within the British lines at Boston. But it was at the same time an exalted in his peculiar views. To counteract this influence, Mr. gratification that his only son, Timothy, afterwards

churches. A Baptist elder, Hezekiah Smith, had preached in the vicinity, and awakened much interest Walker preached a discourse, May 12, 1771, entitled, "Those who have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, described and cautioned against." The text was 2 Timothy iii. 5. The sermon was " published at the desire of many of the hearers." It is dedicated "to the church and congregation under the author's pastoral care, having been composed and delivered solely for your benefit, without the most ‹listant view of its farther publication, is now respect- fully inscribed by him who esteems it his highest honor and greatest happiness to serve your best in- terest.

"TIMOTHY WALKER."

During his ministry of fifty-two years there is no regular record of church proceedings after 1736; but

in his memoranda there are entries made of those who owned the covenant, were admitted to com- munion, baptized, married and died, together with notices of private affairs, the weather, journeys, etc. From the memoranda kept by Mr. Walker, it appears that his interest in his people did not cease upon their removal from Concord. About 1764-65, considerable numbers of them became first settlers of Conway and Fryeburg, in the Pigwacket country, on Saco River. These he was in the habit of visiting until they had established religious teachers, preach- ing to them, giving them pastoral counsel and bap- tizing their children. Many of them were members of his church, many of them he had married, many of them he had known from infancy. His big heart yearned after them, and he considered them a portion of his own home-flock until he had seen them securely established in the care of another shepherd.

Mr. Walker was largely dependent for the support of himself and family upon the farm given him by the proprietors of the township as an " enconragement to his settlement with them in the wilderness of Pena- cook. His salary as pastor was at one hundred pounds per annum, to " rise forty shillings per annum until it comes to one hundred and twenty pounds, and that to be the stated sum annually for his salary. Mr. Walker was twenty-five years old at the time (November 18, 1730) of his settlement, and the prudence and fore- sight of his people is clearly seen in the farther pro- vision relative to his salary, that "anything to the contrary above mentioned notwithstanding, that if Mr. Walker, by extreme old age, shall be disenabled from carrying on the whole work of the ministry, that he shall abate so much of his salary as shall be rational."

Mr. Walker was an ardent patriot as well as a de- the Revolution it was a great grief to him that circumstances beyond the control of either compelled Judge Timothy Walker, was intensely earnest in his devotion to American interests. His family, like many others of that period, was represented in the ranks of the patriots and royalists both. But this fact never abated in the least degree his own patriotic zeal and activity. And it is a fact, of which all his descendants feel proud, that in all contests from that time to the present in which their country has been a party, they have ranged themselves instinctively and deliberately on the side of its friends.

The news of the battle of Lexington reached Con- cord in the evening and spread like wild-fire through- out the town. The next morning, before daylight, his neighbor, Esq. John Bradley, seeing a bright light in the pastor's study, went at once to learn the occa-

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

sion of it. As he approached the house, through the uncurtained windows he saw his venerable pastor striding back and forth across the room, apparently absorbed in deepest mental anxiety. As he entered the room he was immediately accosted with the re- mark, " There is no other course left us but to fight, John. Yes, John, we must fight, we must fight." It is unnecessary to say that the good parson voiced the spontaneous sentiment of the province, which did fight, losing more soldiers in the Revolution than it had male children born while it lasted.

One Sunday in July, 1777, when in church and in the midst of his afternoon sermon, his quick eye ob- served the unexpected entrance of Colonel Gordon Hutchins, Concord's representative in the General Court, which had just adjourned at Exeter. Pausing abruptly in his discourse, he turned to him and said, " Are you the bearer of tidings, Colonel Hutchins?" Upon learning that forces were wanted immediately to check the progress of Burgoyne and his army, he remarked at once to his congregation, "Those of you who can go had best retire and get ready to march to-morrow morning;" upon which a portion of the audience went out, while with the remainder the service went on to its conclusion. The following night was a busy one in Concord, and in the early morning of the next day their aged minister invoked God's blessing upon a well-equipped band of brave men, and dismissed them to Bennington and to vic- tory.

Mr. Walker possessed a quiet humor, accompanied by a strong common sense, which manifested itself on not infrequent occasions, some of which have been remembered. As an instance of these, tradition says, that, going out to work one day, with John Evans, his hired man, and with an ox-team and cart, they had to pass a very wet and muddy place. In passing it John sat on the cart-tongue while Mr. Walker sat on the rear end of the cart. When about midway of the slough, John slily pulled out the pin which held down the front end of the cart and dropped it, to make his employer think it worked out accidentally ; up went the cart and out went the worthy minister into the mud and water. Getting on to dry land, he said to his man, "John, this is a bad accident; but never mind, drive on and I will go back." A few days after, he went, late one afternoon, into the field where John was at work. When it be- came time to go home, he told John that he would drive the team home. Upon coming to the slough, he quietly seated himself upon the cart-tongue while the unsuspecting John took to the seat formerly oc- cupied by the minister. Upon reaching the spot where the mud and water was deepest, Mr. Walker pulled out the before-mentioned pin, up went the cart and John was suddenly unloaded. When he had struggled through to hard ground, his master, hold- ing up the pin, quietly said to him, "John, John, here is the pin ; I didn't throw it away as you did."

Tradition furnishes another instance of the display of mild humor and sagacity on his part. A worthy young couple, who were members of his church and whom he had recently married, happened to be blessed with an increase of family at an earlier day after that solemnity than was deemed decorous. Some worthy church brethren, whose sense of duty surpassed their charity, immediately reported the fact to the pastor, in painful anxiety as to what means should be taken to protect the fair fame of the church ; at the same time inquiring "what was to be done about it?" The pastor, seeing at once the situation of affairs, and knowing well the previous good char- acter of the parties, quietly replied to his zealous brethren, "This fault of our young friends gives me great pain ; but, as we all know, it is their first offense. I think, therefore, we should forgive them this time. Should it be repeated, I should advise their summary expulsion from the church." The tradition is that it never was.

As another specimen of his prudence and good sense, it is related that the Rev. Elijah Fletcher, of Hopkinton, once requested an exchange with him on the Sabbath, and that he would preach upon the subject of witchcraft, which at the time was making trouble with some of Mr. Fletcher's parishioners. Mr. Walker accordingly prepared a sermon for the occasion and preached. He told the people, "that the most they had to fear from witches was from talk ing about them; that if they would cease to talk about them, and let them alone, they would disap- pear." The hint had the desired effect.

But, underneath all this bonhomie, was a quiet so- lemnity of purpose, which was never absent, and always apparent. His dignified deportment and manners were such as to command universal respect. Ephraim Colby, Concord's noted fighter and champion of that time, who worked much for him upon his farm, used to say that "Parson Walker was the only man the Almighty ever made that he was afraid of."

During the intervals of peace between the French and Indian Wars Indians frequently called at his house and were hospitably entertained. On one oc- casion a number of the warriors encamped near by, and were to have a powwow the night succeeding. Mr. Walker being absent, Mrs. Walker was under great apprehensions of injury. Upon learning this the Indians remarked, "Minister's wife afraid," at the same time delivering into her possession all their guns, as an assurance of her safety. They called for them the next day, having kept in fidelity the promise made to her. From first to last, he seems to have been highly respected by his wild neighbors of the woods, and in no instance to have received personal injury at their hands.

During his long ministry, of more than half a century, Mr. Walker enjoyed remarkable health. Tradition says that he was able to preach every Sabbath except the one previous to his death. This, there is reason

CONCORD.

to believe, is not quite correct, but is doubtless true in the main. For convenience, in his old age, he slept in the north, lower front room of his house, and his hired man, Philip Abbot, was near by, to assist him when necessary. On Sunday morning, September 1, 1782, he woke early and asked that his fire be built, for he was tired of lying and wished to get up. Shortly after he arose, and having partly dressed himself, sat down in a chair. Mr. Abbot, seeing him slide forward in his seat, went immedi- ately to assist him and found him dead, Just as the morning sun began to mount the heavens his spirit rose to the presence of Jehovah, whom he had served long and faithfully. If a long and successful dis- charge of the duties pertaining to the station in which one is placed entitles him to the commendation of his contemporaries and of his posterity, Mr. Walker, by his protracted service, clearly earned it.

The first settlements were made in 1727 by Eben- ezer Eastman and others.

"The spring of 1728" (says Dr. Bonton io his " History of Concord,") " opened upoo the new plantation with most favorable anspices. Eager to fulfill the conditions of their grant, and to become settled in their chosea home, a large number of the proprietors were early engaged in building houses, clearing, fencing aod plowing their laods. The block, or meeting-house, was finished ; canoes constructed for navigating the river ; the new way to Penoycook from Haverhill was improved, and the First Division of interval ordered to be completely fenced by the last of May. Messrs. Joseph Hale aod John Pecker were chosen a commit- tee to agree with a minister to preach at Peonycook,-to begin the 15th of May,-but they were not to 'assure the gentleman more than after the rate of one hundred ponods per annum for his service.'

"Ia answer to a petition presented by Joha Osgood, in behalf of the settlers,-praying that an allowance might be made them for the five hundred acres formerly laid out to the right of Goveror Endicott,-the General Court, on the 6th of August, this year, authorized them 'to ex- tend the south honnds of the township one hundred rods, the full breadth of their town,' and the same was confirmed to them as an ' equivalent for the aforesaid five hundred acres.'

" Arrangements were also made for building a saw-mill withio six months, a grist-mill within one year, and to establish a ferry at the mnost convenient place. The first grist-mill stood at or near the bark-mill now owned by Robinson & Morrill, in the East Village, and the saw-mill, 00 the same stream, about half a mile above. The mill-crank was brought upon a horse from Haverhill. Soon after commencing operations the crank was broken. How to remedy the evil they knew not, as there was no blacksmith nearer than Haverhill. One of the men, who had once been in a blacksmith's shop and seen them work, undertook to mend it. Collecting together a quantity of pitch-pine knots for a fire, they fastened the craok with beetle rings and wedges, and then welded the disjointed parts. The crauk was afterwards used many years. For the grist-mill fifty pounds were allowed, and fifty acres of land granted to Nathan Symonds, as near to the mill as was convenient."

The following is a list of the proprietors and early settlers :

Nathaniel Abbot was about thirty years of age when he came to Penacook. His house lot was where the North Congregational Church now stands. He was the first constable of Penacook (1732-33),- an efficient, enterprising, useful citizen, aud member of the church. At the commencement of the French War (1744) he entered the service, and joined the rangers under Major Robert Rogers. He held a lieutenant's commission in 1755, in Captain Joseph Eastman's company, in the expedition against Crown Point, and was a lientenant in Captain Richard

Rogers' company of rangers, in Fort William Henry, at the time of the massacre, 1757. In 1746 he had command of a company in defense of the town against the Indians. He died in 1770, aged seventy-four.

Edward Abbot, cousin of Captain Nathaniel, was one of the first selectmen of Rumford. In 1746 his house was a garrison. Edward, his son, was the first male child born in Penacook (7th of January, 1731), and Dorcas the first female child.

Jacob Abbot, cousin of Nathaniel and Edward, died in the French War, 1760.

John Austin, probably a descendant of Thomas Austin, from Andover, where was Samuel Austin (1714), who died 1753, aged eighty-three.

Obadiah, Samuel and John Ayers, or Ayer, were from Haverhill. Obadiah was a graduate of Harvard College, 1710; was employed to "examine the General Court's records, to see if there be any former grant" of the township; was one of the principal inhabitants of Haverhill. Samuel and John were of the same family, and were among the most active and enter- prising settlers.

Thomas Blanchard, the proprietor of Penacook, died in 1759, aged eighty-five.

William, Nathan and Zebediah Barker came from Andover.

Captain Joshua Bayley is named in the proprietors' records as " one of the principal inhabitants of Haver- hill."

Moses Boardman-unknown.

Nathan Blodgett was probably from Woburn.

Nathaniel Clement was from Haverhill.

John Chandler was a leading and influential man ; was a powerful, athletic man, of great muscular strength and cool, indomitable courage.

The Carltons-Benjamin, Nehemiah and Christo- pher-were relatives, probably from Andover and Haverhill.

Richard Coolidge.

John Coggin is believed to have been of Woburn. Edward Clark was from Haverhill.

Rev. Enoch Coffin accompanied the honorable committee of the court and surveyors when they came to Penacook to lay out the land, in May, 1726, and preached twice on the Sabbath after their arrival, in a tent on Sugar Ball Plain. The first settlers of the name in Concord, after the death of Rev, Enoch, were William and Peter, sons of John, of Newbury. Peter afterwards settled in Boscawen, from whom those of that name there have descended.

Thomas Coleman was of Newbury, probably a descendant of Thomas Coleman. Coleman forfeited his lot, by not paying, to Henry Rolfe, Esq.

Nathaniel Cogswell's right was drawn and carried on by Thomas Perley.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 15

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