History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 16

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 16
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 16

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).

Moses Day was from Bradford. One of the same name was deacon of the church in the west parish of Bradford 1730 and also 1750. Probably one of them was the proprietor in Penacook.

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Ephraim, Joseph and Samuel Davis were from Haverhill. Ephraim was the only one who finally settled in Concord.

-David Dodge-not known from whence he came.

Captain Ebenezer Eastman was from Haverhill; one of the most enterprising and useful of the pro- prietors. He settled on the east side of the river. His house was a garrison in 1746.

Jacob Eames was from Andover.

Stephen Emerson was from Haverhill,

John and Abraham Foster were from Andover.

Ephraim Farnum, from Andover, was son of Eph- raim, son of Ralph Farnum, who married Elizabeth Holt in 1658. He died in 1775, aged about eighty.

John and Samuel Granger were brothers from Andover.

Benjamin Gage was from Bradford.

William Gutterson was from Andover.

Nehemiah Heath was from Haverhill.

Ephraim Hildreth was probably from Chelmsford. Joseph Hale was from Newbury.

Moses and Richard Hazzen, Jr., were from Haver- hill.

Deacon Joseph Hall, from Bradford. He was deacon of the church in Concord more than forty years, a benefactor to the poor and an example of Christian virtues. During the hostilities of the Indians his house was a garrison. He died April 8, 1784, aged seventy-seven.

Timothy Johnson, of Haverhill.

John Jaques is believed to have been from Brad- ford.

Nathaniel Jones-unknown.

Robert, Samuel and David Kimball were from Bradford. Probably the latter only finally settled in Concord. He was the father of Captain Reuben Kimball. He died November 20, 1745.

Nathaniel and Ebenezer Lovejoy were brothers, and sons of John Lovejoy, of Andover.

Thomas Learned was probably from Woburn.

John Merrill, deacon, is believed to have come from Haverhill.

John Mattis. His origin is not known.

Andrew Mitchell was from Newbury.

Benjamin Nichols. His origin is not certainly known.

John and Stephen Osgood were cousins, from Andover.

Benjamin, James and Nathan Parker were brothers, from Andover.

Nathaniel Page was from Haverhill, and, probably, Thomas and Joseph also.

Nathaniel and Robert Peaslee were from Haverhill.

Rev. Samuel Phillips was minister of the South Parish Church in Andover. His right in Penacook was carried on by William Peters.

Jonathan Pulsipher's origin is not known.

John Pecker is believed to have come from Haver- hill. He was a leading and useful man in town.

John Peabody was probably from Salisbury, Mass. Samuel Reynolds-unknown.

Henry Rolfe, Esq., was from Newbury ; was one of the commission appointed by Massachusetts in 1737, on the question of the boundary line between Massa- chusetts and New Hampshire.

John Sanders, John Sanders, Jr., and Jonathan Sanders-the two former, father and son, were from Haverhill; probably also Nathaniel Sanders. John Sanders was one of " the Committee of the Great and General Court " for the settlement of Penacook.

Benjamin and Ebenezer Stevens were brothers, from Andover.

James and Nathan Simonds were probably from Woburn.

Zerobbabel Snow. From whence he came is un- known.

Jonathan Shipley. Whence from not known.

Bezaleel and Samuel Toppan were from Newbury. Rev. Bezaleel Toppan was born March 7, 1705. Bezaleel preached a while at Penacook.

Richard Urann, it is believed, was from Newbury. Ebenezer Virgin, probably from Salisbury.

John Wright.

Nicholas and William White were from Haver- hill.

Rubamah Wise.

Isaac Walker was from Woburn-a relative of Rev. Timothy Walker, from the same place. Isaac Walker was father of Isaac, Jr., grandfather of Abiel, lately deceased, who lived on the spot where his grandfather built his log house. Isaac Walker, Jr., died on the same day that Rev. Timothy Walker died. In 1746 the house of Timothy Walker, Jr., was a garrison. He was a son of Isaac Walker, Sr.

David Wood. This is a Newbury name.

William Whittier was from Haverhill.

Thomas Wicomb.

Edward Winn, from Woburn.

Abraham Bradley was not an original proprietor, but came to Penacook as early as 1729.

Stephen Farrington, not an original proprietor, but an early settler, from Andover.

Jacob Shute came to Penacook with Captain Eben- ezer Eastman.

Jeremiah Stickney came from Bradford about 1731 -not an original proprietor, but became a valuable citizen.

Rumford Incorporated .- The town was incor- porated by Massachusetts February 27, 1733, under the name of Rumford, and was a "new town within the county of Essex, at a plantation called Penny Cook." This civil organization continued until June 7, 1765, when it was incorporated as a parish with town privileges, by the name of Concord, probably with a hope that thereafter the inhabitants might live in peace and concord with their neighbors in Bow.

The following is the petition for the incorporation of the town :

CONCORD.

" To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Capta General Governor and Commaoder in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, The Honble His Majesty's Council and House of Repre- sentatives in General Assembly Convened.

April I]th 1764

" The humble Petition of Timothy Walker on behalf of himself and the Inhabitants of Rumford (so Called) in said Province Sheweth, That the Affairs of the said Inhabitants (so far as relates to Town matters), have been in great Confusion Ever since the Year 1749, for want of the Power which they had 'till then Enjoyed ever since the year 1741 hy the District Act (so called) which this Hunble Court say in July 1746 when it was received had been found 'Convenient both for the Government of this Province in General, and also the Inhabitants incorporated thereby in particular.'

" That altho' it has been pretended that they might still have Enjoyed the same priviledgea (as Inhabitants of Bow) yet they never understood Matters in that Light ; And for this their Opinion and Practice conse- queutial thereupon, they humbly conceive they could give reasons which wod be satisfactory to this Court, were they permitted .- But to pass over all this-This Power or the Exercise of it has been lust to them (if Ever they had it) Ever since March 1756, for want of a first Meeting-

" That by the Year 1760 they were so heartily tired of such an unset- tled State that they would have been glad to have acted Even under the Iucorporation of Bow, if they could (altho' highly inconvenient for them as it blended part of three Towns together whose Interests had al- ways been separate, and would Consequently be apt to create Strife and Contention).

" That this Court was apprized of their utter Incapacity of doing any Corporate Act (Even as Bow) by a Letter signed ' Jeremiah Stickney, on behalf of himself and others,' now on File, together with their dutiful & ready disposition to Comply with every motion of this Court to the ut- most of their Powers.

" That the said Inhabitants conceive themselves greatly aggrieved by a Iate Act of this Government, imposing a heavy Tax on the Inhabitants of Bow as Arrears &c-a Tax which Nobody has Power to assess and Collect at ye Time when ye sd arrears became due and which if now done, must be laid in many Instances on wrong Persons.

" That what they suffered for want of the Powers they had Enjoyed by the first mentioned District Act, was unspeakably more to their Damage, than to have paid their Proportion of the Province Expence.

" That the Incapacity complained of all along, still continues and yet the people are subjected to pay their part of the Current Charge but no- body has power to assess or Collect it.

" They therefore most humbly Pray That your Excellency and Hon- ours will take the Matters complained of under Consideration, and either revive the said District Act so far as relates to Rumford, or (which wod be much more satisfactory to the said Inhabitants) Incorporate them by a standing Act, and by their former known Boundaries That the said In- habitants may Be abated at least one half part of said Arrearages, And that with respect to their part of the Current Charge of the Province, they may he subjected to pay no more than their just proportion with the other Towns in this Province, or grant them such other Relief as in your great Wisdom and Goodness you shall see meet.

". And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall Ever Pray &c "TIMOTHY WALKER "

The first parish meeting was held January 21, 1766, when the following officers were chosen : Moderator, Lieutenant Richard Hasseltine; Clerk, Peter Coffin ; Selectmen, Joseph Farnum, Lot Colby, John Chand- ler, Jr .; Constable, Benjamin Emery ; Tithingmen, Lieutenant Richard Hasseltine, Amos Abbot; Sur- veyors of Highways, Jonathan Chase, Robert Davis and Nathaniel Eastman; Sealer of Leather, Deacon George Abbot; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Lieutenant Nathaniel Abbot.

Indian Troubles .- The little settlement rapidly increased in population and importance, and no dan- ger from Indian incursions was apprehended by the enterprising pioneers until 1739. In that year, how- ever, the town voted "that a garrison should be built round the house of Rev. Mr. Walker, and that five

pounds should be granted to Barachias Farnum, to enable him to build a flanker, in order to defend his mills on Turkey River."

The following account of the Indian troubles is from Dr. Bouton's " History of Concord," and is a faithful narrative of this trying period :

" About the year 1742, according to tradition, the wife of Mr. Joua- than Eastman-who resided on the Hopkinton road, opposite the house of Mr. Aaron Shute -- was taken by a party of Indians and carried to Canada. She was, however, soon redeemed by her husband, and restored to her family.

"The opening of the French war, in 1744, greatly increased the alarm and anxiety which pervaded the colonies ; and, particularly, the frontier towns which were most exposed. As one means of removing or allaying these fears, the expedition against Louisburg, on Cape Breton-which was the stronghold of the French-was projected, and triumphantly ex- ecuted by the daring enterprise of the New England colonies. In this expedition Capt. Ebenezer Eastman was commander of a company raised in these parts, and was engaged in the assault made on that strongholdl the following year. Before he set out he signed a petition, with sixty- two others, to the General Assembly of New Hampshire, for assistance against the French and Indians. This petition was drawn up by Rev. Mr. Walker.

"In the company which Capt. Eastman commanded were Nathaniel Abbot, Isaac Abbot, Obadiah Peters, one Chandler, and probably others whose names are not known. The late aged Joseph Abbott said he ' al- ways understood that his uncle Isaac was killed at Cape Breton, and that one Mr. Chandler from this town also died there.' Capt. Eastman went to Cape Breton twice. He first set out from Rumford, March 1, 1744-45, and returned November 10th, the same year. The next year he went again, and returned home July 9, 1746.

" The reduction of the fortress at Louisburg only changed the scene of war. The Indians, the more instigated by the French, poured forth from Canada upon the frontier towns, and, with horrible barbarity, car- ried on the work of destruction. The inhabitants of Rumford felt the general shock, and sought for meana of defense and safety. At each parish meeting, from 1744 tu 1747, they chose sume person to represent to the government, either uf New Hacipshire or Massachusetts, ur both, ' the deplorable circumstances they were in, ou account of their being exposed to imminent danger, both from the French and ludian enemy." The language which they instruct their agents to use is-' We request uf them such aid, both with respect to men and military stores, as to their great wisdom may seem meet, and which may be sufficient to en- able us, with the Divine blessing, vigorously to repel all attempts of our said enemies.'

"In answer to these petitions, early in 1745 two small companies of scouts were raised by authority of Gov. Wentworth, under the direction of Col. Benjamin Rolfe, of which Capt. John Chandler, of Rumford, had command of one, consisting of ten men, and Capt. Jeremiah Clough, of Canterbury, of the other, consisting of five men. The Massachusetts government also sent a small detachment of men from Aodover, aud an- other from Billerica, who were atationed here in 1745. In 1746 precau- tionary measures were taken by the proprietors for the preservation of their records. Under authority of Gov. Wentworth, garrisona were es- tablished at different points in the town, and men, with their families, assigned to them, aa was most convenient.

"The garrisons, or forts, were built of hewed logs, which lay flat up- on each other ; the ends, being fitted for the purpose, were inserted in grooves cut in large posts erected at each corner. They enclosed an area of several square rods; were raised to the height of the roof of a con- mon dwelling-house, and at two or more of the corners were placed hoxes where sentinels kept watch. In some cases several eurall buildings -erected for the temporary accommodation of families-were within the enclosure. Houses not connected with garrisons were all deserted by their owners, and the furniture removed. In the day-time men went forth to their labor in companies, always carrying their guna with them. and one or more of the number placed on guard. If the enemy were discovered approaching, alarm guns were fired, and the report answered from fort to fort. On the Sabbath the men all went armned to the house of worship, stacked their guns around a post near the middle, and sat down, with powder-horn and bullet-pouch alung across their shoulders, while their revered pastor-who is said to have had the best gun in the parish -- prayed and preached with his good gun standing in the pulpit."

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The following document presents an exact view of the state of the settlement in the summer of 1746:

"GARRISONS IN 1746. PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPE.

"We, the subscribere, being appointed a Committee of Militia for aettling the Garrisons in the frontier Towos and Plantations in the sixth Regiment of Militia iu tbis Province, by his Excellency, Benning Went- worth, Esq., Governor, &c., having viewed the situation and enquired into the circumstances of the District of Rumford, do hereby appoint and state the following Garrisona, viz. :

" The Garrison round the house of the Reverend Timothy Walker to be one of the Garrisons in sd Rumford, and that the following inhabi- tants, with their familys, viz. : Capt. John Chandler, Abraham Bradley, Samuel Bradley, John Webster, Nathaniel Rolfe, Joseph Pudoey, Isaac Walker, jun., Obadiah Foster, be, and hereby are, ordered and stated at that Garrison.

" Also, the Garrison round the House of Capt. Ebenezer Eastman, 00 the east side of the river, to be one Garrison, and that the following in- habitanta, with their familys, viz. : Ebenezer Virgin, Eben" Eastman, jun., Philip Eastman, Jeremiah Eastman, Timothy Bradley, Jeremiah Dresser, Philip Kimball, Nathan Stevens, Judah Trumble, Joseph East- man, jr., Nathaniel Smith, Daniel Annie, William Curey, be, and hereby are, ordered and stated at said Garrison.

" Also, that the Garrison round the house of Mr. Henry Lovejoy, in West Concord, be one Garrison, and that the following inhabitants, with their familys, viz. : Henry Lovejoy, James Abbot, Jamea Abhot, jun., Reuben Abbot, Amos Abbot, Ephraim Farnum, Zebediah Far- Dum, Joseph Faroum, Abiel Chandler, James Peters, be, and hereby are, stated at said Garrison.

" Also, the Garrison round the house of Mr. Jonathan Eastman, at Millville (on lands owned by St. Paul's School), be one Garrison, and that the following inhabitants, with their familye, viz. : Jonathan Eastman, Amos Eastman, Jeremiah Bradley, Seaborn Peters, Abner Hoit, Jacob Hoit, Timothy Burbanks, Isaac Citizen, he, and hereby are, ordered and stated at said Garrison.

" Also that the Garrison round the house of Lieut. Jeremiah Stickney (on premises uow owned by J. H. Stickney), be one Garrison, and that the following inhabitants, with their familys, viz. : Jeremiah Stickney, Nathaniel Abbot, Ephraim Carter, Ezra Carter, Joseph Eastman, Samuel Eastman, Joseph Eastman (3d), William Stickney, Thomas Stickney, Na- thaniel Abbot, jun., Joseph Carter, Edward Abbot, Aaron Stevens, George Hull, Edward West, Sampson Colby, James Osgood, Timothy Clemens, Jacob Pillsbury, Stephen Hoit, be, and hereby are, ordered and stated at that Garrison.

" Also, that the Garrison round Joseph Hall's house, at South End, be one Garrison, and that the following inhabitants, with their familye, viz. : Col. Benjamin Rolfe, Joseph Hall, Ebenezer Hall, David Foster, Isaac Waldron, Patrick Garvin, Joseph Pudney, William Pudney, Henry Pudney, John Merrill, Thomas Merrill, Jobu Merrill, jun., Moses Merrill, Lot Colby, Jacob Potter, be, and hereby are, ordered and stated at that Garrison.

" Also, that the Garrison round Timothy Walker, jun.'s, house, be one Garrison, and that the following persons, with their familys, viz. : Timothy Walker, jun., David Evans, Samuel Pudney, John Puduey, jun., Matthew Stanly, Isaac Walker, Abraham Colby, Jacob Shute, Daniel Chase, Daniel Chase, jun., Abraham Kimball, Richard Hazelton, George Abbot, Nathaniel Rix, Benjamin Abbot, Stephen Farrington, Nathaniel Weat, William Walker, Aaron Kimball, Samuel Gray, James Rodgers, Samuel Rodgers, be, and hereby are, stated at that Garrison.

"And, inasmuch as the inhabitants who reside in the Garrison round the house of Mr. George Abbot, the Garrison round the house of Mr. Edward Abbot, and the Garrison round the house of Mr. James Osgood, have, as yet, made no provision for house-room and conveniences in the respective Garrisons where they are placed, for themselves and familys, and the season of the year so much demanding their labor for their neces- sary support that renders it difficult to move immediately-Therefore that they, for the present, and until January next, or until further or- der, have leave, and be continued io the several Garrisoos in which they now are, and ao long as there atated to attend the neccessary duty of watching, warding, &c., equally, as if the same had been determined standing Garrisone.

"JOSEPH BLANCHARD, " BENJAMIN ROLFE,

Come, &c.

"ZACHEUS LOVEWELL,

"Rumford, May 15th, 1746."

Such was the state of the settlement in the summer

of 1746. Indians were now in the vicinity, and an attack was daily feared. At the earnest solicitation of the inhabitants, a company of soldiers, under con- mand of Captain Daniel Ladd and Lieutenant Jona- than Bradley, had been sent hy the Governor, from Exeter, for the defense of Rumford and the adjacent towns. This company had been ranging in the woods and scouting in the vicinity about three weeks previous, and a part of them were in Rumford on the Sabbath, August 10th. On that day it appears that the Indians had meditated an attack upon the inhab- itants while engaged in worship, and the night pre- vious had secreted themselves in the bushes adjacent to the meeting-house, to await the favorable moment. One party of themn was concealed in a thicket of alders back of the house where Dr. Samuel Morril now lives; another was hid in the bushes, northwest, between the meeting-house and where Ebenezer S. Towle, Esq., now lives. Some few of the Indians, it is said, were seen in the time of worship by a little girl,-Abigail Carter, sister of the first Dr. Ezra Carter,-but she did not make known the dis- covery until the meeting closed, when the people marched out in a body with their guns. The pres- ence of Captain Ladd's company, it is believed, pre- vented the Indians from making the designed attack. Thus thwarted in their bloody purpose, they retired and lay in ambush till next morning, in a deep thicket, about a mile and a half southwest of the main village, in the valley, a few rods beyond where the Bradley monument now stands.

The Massacre, August 11, 1746 .- For the par- ticulars of the tragic scene which now follows we are indebted to the journal of Abner Clough, clerk of Captain Ladd's company, which is published in full in the fourth volume of the "Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society," and to the story related by the aged Reuben Abbot, five years before his death, which was taken down in writing by Hon. Samuel A. Bradley and Richard Bradley, Esq., grand- sons of Samuel Bradley, who was one of the killed. The manuscript is now in the hands of Richard Bradley. It was taken August 29, 1817, when Mr. Abbot was in the ninety-fifth year of his age.

FROM ABNER CLOUGH'S JOURNAL.

"Capt. Ladd came up to Rumford towo, and that was on the tenth day [of August], and, on the eleventh day, Lient. Jonathan Bradley took six of Capt. Ladd'e men, and was in company with one Obadiah Peters, that belonged to Capt. Melvin's company of the Massachusetts, and was going about two miles and a half from Rumford town to a garrison ; and when they had gone about a mile and a half, they were shot upon by thirty or forty Iudiane, if not more, as it was supposed, and killed down dead Lieut. Jonathan Bradley and Samuel Bradley, Jobn Lufkin and John Bean [and] this Obadiah Peters. These five men were killed dowa dead oo the spot, and the most of them were stripped. Two were strip- ped stark naked, and were very much cut, and stabbed, and disfigured ; and Sergeant Alexander Roberts and William Stickney were taken cap- tive. . . . It was aupposed there was an Indian killed where they had the fight ; for this Daniel Gilman, who made his escape, saith that he was about sixty rods before these men1 when they were chot upon,

1 Tradition says that Gilman went on ahead to shoot a hawk, and the Indiane, seeing him alone, let him pass.

CONCORD.

and, he saya, the Indiana shot three gune first. He says he thought our men shot at a deer ; he says that he run hack about forty roda upon a hill, so that he could see over upon the other hill, where the Indians lie, and shot upon the men ; and, he saya, as ever he came upon the hill so as to see over upon the other hill, he heard Lient. Jooathao Bradley speak and say, ' Lord, have mercy on me :- Fight?' In a moment his gun went off, and three more guna of our men's were shot, and then the Indiana rose up and shot a volley, and run out into the path, and making all sort of howling and yelling, and he did not stay long to see it, he saith. It was supposed that John Luf kin was upon the front, and Obadiah Peters on the rear: and they shot dowo this Luf kin and Peters the first shot, as they were in the path, about twelve or four- teen rods apart ; and they shot Samuel Bradley, as he was about twelve feet before where thia Obadiah Peters lay, and wounded [him] so that the blood started every step he took. He went about five rods right in the path, and they shot him right through his powder horn, as it hung by hia side, and ao through his body-and there lay these three meo, lying in the path-and Lieut. Bradley run out of the path, about two rods, right io amongst the Indians. He was shot throngh hie wrist. It was supposed he killed the Indian ; it was supposed that he fought (as he stood there in the spot where he was killed) till the Indians cut hia head almost all to pieces ; and John Bean run about six roda out of the path, on the other side of the way, and then was shot right through his body ;- so that there were none of these meo that went one or two stepa after they were shot, excepting thia Samuel Bradley that was shot as above said. And there seemed to be as much blood where the Indiao was shot as there was where any one of the men were killed. It was supposed the men laid there about two hours after they were killed, be- fore any body came there. We did not go till there came a post down from the fort, three quarters of a mile beyond where the meo lie and were killed. The reason we did not go sooner, was because we did not hear the gune. I suppose the reason that we did not hear the guns, was because the wind wa'nt fair to hear. We went up to the men, and ranged the woods awhile, after thene captives, and then brought the dead down to town in a cart, and buried the dead men this day. These men, when they went away in the morning, said they intended to be at homa about twelve o'clock, in order to go to Canterbury in the afternoon, or, at least, to get fit to go. It was supposed that these men, some of them, rid double oo horses when they were killed. Ou the twelfth day, early in the morning, went up and took the blood of the Indian, and followed along by the drag and blood of the Indian about a mile, very plain, till we came withio about fifteen rods of a small river, and then we could see no more sign of the Indian ; but we tracked the Indians along the river, about twenty or thirty roda, and there were falls where they went over. . It was supposed there could not be less than fifty or sixty Iodiaos."

The initials of those massacred were inscribed on a large tree standing near the spot, which remained a number of years. August 22, 1836, a monument was erected on the site of the massacre, bearing the fol- lowing inscription :

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 16

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