History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 55

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 55
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 55

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).

"James Shepard, Capt; Samuel Davis, 1ª Lieut; Enoch Gerrish, 2d Lient; John Bean, Ensigu ; Benjamin Inntoon, Philip Flanders, James Johnsoo, Jon Foster, Robert Wise, Samuel Scribner, Cutting Stevens, Ezekiel Lunt, Stephen Call, Jeremiah Eastman, Josiah Scriboer, Daniel Giles, Nathan Rowe, Stephen Haynes, James Gerrel, Meses Cross, David ('arter, David Emerson, John Foss, Peter Steveos, William Courser, Timothy Eastman, Thomas Courser, Cornelius Bean, Jonathan Stevens, Abraham Peaslee, Moses Johnsen, Frieod Little, Jehn Jackman, Moses Scales, Jehin P. Sweat, Abraham T. Sweat, James Uran, John Robertsen, Eooch Bishop, John Lapish, Stephen Bethel, Joseph Farnum, Benja Heath, Isaac Fitts, Jedediah Danford, Joseph Megeone, Ephraim Davis, John Davis, Ezra Blasdel, Solm Huntress, Samuel Haynes, Nath1 Glines, William Forrest, William Rinds, William Simonds, Shubael Dearborne, John Dearborne, Jonathan Smith, Timothy Jones, Jonathan Morrison, Sutunel Macress, Thomas Crosby, Ezekiel Dauford, Ebenezer Bean, Amos Norton, William Phillips, George Kenfield, John Stevens, Sami Coek, John Riant, Silas Fox, Joseph Pearse, Joseph Flanders, Thomas Griffin, Juhu Ross, Elisha Cummings, Benja Basford, George Shepherd, William Shaw, Moses Rendall, Joshna Boyuton, Thomas Bedel, James Russ, Privates. 11

('ANTERBURY "TRAIN-BAND."

" A List of the Men Navies From fifty to Sixteen back : Callop HIcath, William Glines, Juner, Jamnel llans, Richard Hans, James Maloney, Gidden Bartlet, Richard Ellison, Jonathan Gils, Simen Roberson, Walter Haus, Thomas Gipson, Richard Glius, William Miles, Obadiah Clongh, Joseph Clough, Sargent Morriell, Abraham Morriell, Thomas Hoyit, Benjamin Heath, David Foster, Nehemiah Clough, Epharam Carter, Levit Clough, Henry Clongh, Hezekiah young, Daniel Felcher, Phinehas Flacher, Joseph Sanborn, Jeremiah Ladd, Benjamin Wicher, Jonathan Wicher, Edmond Kizer, Benjamon Sanborn, Nathaniel Pallet, Joshua weaks, William Moore, Joner, Stephen Sutton, Mickel Sutton, Robrt Curry, Jonathan Weast, John Weast, Benjamin Blanchard, Jonathan Blanchard, Joel Blanchard, Nothaniel Moore, John Moore, Juner, Eduton Colbey, Jeremiah Danford, Stephen Hans, John Forrest, JJuner, Ezekiel worthen, Daniel Randel, David Ames, Abener Iloyit, Benjamin Simson, James Towle, Jesse Stiviens, Samuel Colbey, Asa Foster, Renja- min Johnson, Jonathan Foster, Baravat Stils, John Been, Humpre Clolbey, William Forrest the 4, Joseph Woodman, Samuel Moore, Simon Stevens, William Simons, John Gliges, John Fess, Samuel Gerrish, Nathaniel Glins, Robert Foss, Aaron Sargent, Simon Sanborn.

"Totle 76-ju Number in the Second Company in Colenal Stickney Regment Taken By ns, James Shepard, Capt Laben morrill, Livt James Glines, Livt Jeremiah Hacket, En3.

" the Number of Guns in the Second Company is 36 in Number."

('ANTERBURY "TRAIN.BAND" AND "ALARM LIST."

" The following being a return of the train-band under my Command in Canterbury : Licuts, thomas Gilmon, Eheuezer Kimhal ; Ensign, William Sanborn ; Sargants, Richard Blanchard, Jacob Heath, David Norriss, Willi Perkios ; C'orper's, Jesse Cross, Nathanel Derbon, Gideon levet, Joseph Carr; Fifer, Joseph Hancock ; Privets, thomas Cross, John Cross, George Ilancock, Benjamin Collins, thomas Clough, William Kinestone, David Kinestone, John Derbon, Shubal Derbon, William Glines, William Diah, Peter Huncford, David morrison, Nathaniel Witcher, John mcDaniel, Jeremiah Daniel, Abner miles, Samuel miles, James Soyer, Nathaniel Perkens, James Blanchard, James Perkens, David Blanchard, Jonathon Wodaly, William Kenestone, James Simou, Abraham Derbon, thomas Cross, Jonathan Sanborn, Ezekeil Gilmon, Obediah Davis, William Ilancock.

"Larm Lest Names, -William Glines, Benjamin Blanchard, Lieut Charis Gliden, Lent Jonathan Heath, Shubal Derboo, Ensi Archelans miles, John Cross, Gideon levit.

" A true Return "Per Me, EDWARD BLANCHARO, Captain."

ENLISTMENTS, 1776.

"CANTERBURY, September ye 18th, 1776.

" We the Subscribers do hereby Ingage our selves In the Continental Servis, and forthwith to March to New York and joyn the Continental Army there and Contiune therein untill the first day of December Next Unless Sunner Discharged.

"As Witness our hands-

" Sammel Gerrish, William clement, Henry Clough, Sargent Morrill.

Jeshua Weeks, Nathaoaiel pallet, Israel Glines."

223

CANTERBURY.

"A Return of the Names of the Continental Soldiers lidisted for the Town of Canterbury in the State of New Hampsr for the Term of Three Years or During the War ---

.. John Holden, of Canterbury (The Capt Unknown). 1

Elkins Moore (Capt Robbenson) . 1

Parson Eastman .

George Sheperd (io C'apt Stones Company).

Robert Ilastings.

James Hastings

Nicholas Hall .

John Rowing (in Capt Grays Company)

Andrew Rowing.

Abner Fowler

Thomas Hvit (in Capt Livermore's Company)

Walter Hains (in Capt Frye's Company)

Prince Thompson

Ebenez Varnum of Conway (in Capt Livermore's Company) Pratt Chase, of Concord .

Loyd Jones . . 1

William Walker (in Capt Frye's Company) 1

Aaron Hale, of Boscawen (the ('aptaio Unknowo) 1

John Mills, of Nottingham 1

" NATH GLINES, C'Art FRYE, Comp Continental Soldiers

"SAMUEL DANFORD, Boscawen Ditto."

"CANTERBURY, July the 24, 1777.

"Pursuant to the precept from the Honourable Thomas Stickney Ery" We do hereby make a true Return of the Above Mentioned Soldiers they being Inlisted for the Town of Canterbury and State of New Hamp- shire-

" JAMEN SHEPARD, " EDWARD BLANCHARD, Cuptains."

"CANTERBURY, July 4th, 1780.

" We the subscribers hereby acknowledge to have Voluntarily enlisted to serve the United States of America for three Months from the time we shall Join the Army of the sd United States at the place appointed for Rendesvous by the Commander in Chief of said Army.

" Witness our Hands-

" WILLIAM FOSTER "EZEKIEL MOORE

" ASA FORSTER

" DANIEL \ FORSTER mark his ". ELKINS > Moon mark "MOSES DAVIS."

"CANTERBURY, 24th July, 1781.

" We whose Names are underwritten hereby acknowledge to have volentarily inlisted to serve as Militia in the Continental Army for the term of three Months from the time of our joining said Army On the encouragement given by the Town of Canterbury at a Muster for the purpose of raising s Men, And engage to equip, and march whenever we shall receive orders.

his " SAMSON X BATTIS mark

" THOMAS CURRY " PETER BLANCHARD

" JOHN SUTTON."

CHAPTER II.

CANTERBURY-(Continued).

Town-House-Vote for Organization of Loudon Parish-Petition for Same-Town-Meeting of 1773-Officers Elected-Varions Resolutions, etc. -- Northfield Incorporated- Petition to he annexed to Ilills- borough County-Ratable Polls in 1787-Educational Interests-Phy- sicians-Longevity-Population.

The Town-House .- As the history of the Canter- bury town-house is a record of the historic first

meeting-house, it is deemed advisable to treat it in detail. The following sketch of this historic build- ing is from the pen of Miss Mary E. Clough, being an able address delivered by her at the dedication of the present town-house, in 1884 :

" Assembled as we are to-night for the first time in our new and com- miodious hall, it seems fitting to say our good-bye and pay a passing trib- nte of respect to the old. Our present building is to all appearance a new one, and yet we need look back only a few months to be reminded that it has a history. We trust that it will not be without interest and profit to tell its story, as we find it in the records of the past. Five hundred dollars were appropriated for the present repairs ; we will learn, as well as we are able, what its previous cost has been. No building in town -perhaps none in the State-has known such vicissitudes, noone has served such various uses. The younger portion of the audience may not know that it was originally a church, and that the same frame has with- stood wind aod weather for nearly one hundred and thirty years. Still its timbers are sound and strong. It has been said of the builders of St. Peter's Church at Rome, -' They builded better than they knew ;' with eqnul truth may it be said of the framers of this building.

" As early as 1743 we find that an appropriation was made for the building of a fort and meeting-house in Canterbury, but no further action seems to have been taken until 1750. At a meeting of the proprietors of the town, held August 2d, at the house of Captain Jeremiah Clough,- think of a modern town without a town-house, of a nineteenth century town-meeting in a dwelling-house ! - it was agreed that a vote passed September 21, 1743, about building a meeting-house for the public wor- ship of God in said Canterbury, the prosecution of which was hindered by the late war (referring to the war known in history as King George's War), be confirmed and the dimensions fixed. 'Voted that said meeting- house be raised, the outside huished, the windows made and glazed and a lower floor laid at or before the last day of September, in the year 1751. The house shall be forty-five feet in length by thirty-live in breadth.' Present measurements show that it preserves the same proportions. A committee was also appointed to prosecute the affairs of building.

" The work seemed to go on slowly. This is not surprising when we consider the difficulties of the undertaking. There was land to till to furnish subsistence, honses to be built to shelter themselves and their families, hostile Indiaus to watch and fight, the timbers and boards to hew and finish without the aid of modern tools and machinery. We are told that some of the heavy braves were brought on men's shoulders from a swamp in what is now the burying-ground, Colonel Clough's great- grandfather being one of the men who aided in this work. The records of a meeting, August 9, 1756, show how far the work had gone at this time : ' At a meeting of the proprietors, frecholders and inhabitants of Canterbury, held this day at the meeting-house, voted that James Lind- sey, Thomas Clough (great-grandfather of one of your present commit- tee) and John Gibson, be a committee to receive the meeting-house in behalf of the proprietors, as far as said meeting-house is done, viz. : the outside finished and the under floor laid double.'

" We judge that some of the blood of these retnote ancestors flows in the veins of the present generation,'for in the records of the first meeting held in the house 1753, is the following : Voted that three men be chosen to call the committee who built the meeting-house to an account to see what they have done with the money.'

" An ingenious plan was resorted to for tho inside finishing. The pow- ground, as it was termed, of which there were eighteen fots, was sold at public vendue. Each purchaser, must, within two years, build his pew in a handsome and workman-like manoer ; failing to do this he forfeited his pew-ground, or if he neglected to pay the price of the ground at the specified time, it became again the property of the proprietors.

The house was ready for occupancy in the autumn of 1756, for the rec- orde give, noder date of August 9, the following :

""" The committee to receive the meeting-house, having first viewed and found it finished according to a vote of said proprietors, at said Can- terbury, the 21st of September, 1743, havo this day received the same for the use of the proprietors and inhabitants of said Canterbury,

" ' Signed,

""" JAMES LINDSEY, THOMAS CLOUGH, "'JOHN GINSON,

Committee.'

" The house as thus finished seems to have served the double purpose of church and town-house, without change, np to the year 1785, at which time the matter of repairing or building new was brought np. We will say, in passing, that this was not the first meeting-house in town ; the

224

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

earliest one, built in 1731, stood on the hill beyond where John P. Kim- ball now lives, was made of logs and was doubtless a rude affair.

" The second and third articles in the town-meeting warrant of Febru- ary 1, 1785, are to see if the inhabitants will take any measures for repair- ing the meeting-house, and if so how much they will do towards repair- ing and finishing it, and if not, see if they will take it down and build a new one. At the meeting called by this warrant it was voted to raise money for repairing ; also to move it across the road northerly, provided it be done by subscription.

" The original site was within the present limits of the burying-ground. Also voted 'to shingle and clapboard the fireside of the meeting-house, and clapboard the west end and repair the east end and lay the gallery floor and put rails ou the breast of the galleries and put pillars under the gallery girths.'

"The work does not appear to have been effected at this time, for again, ou February 26, 1789, a special town-meeting was called for the same purpose. At said meeting it was voted 'that this meeting-house be re- moved on the north side of the road, back of the meeting-house' (near where the watering-trough stands) ; also voted ' to choose five committee- men to make an estimate of repairing this meeting-house, and how much the pew-holders shall pay towards it.' At an adjourned meeting it was voted that Benjamin Blanchard should clapboard and shingle the fireside of the meeting-house for thirty-four dollars' worth of neat stock, and at the same time a committee wasappointed ' to see that this meeting-house, on the outside of, be done workman-like.' During the present repairs a standing committee of the whole, self-appointed, seems to have had this matter in charge.

" In June of the same year money that came from the sale of pew- ground not before disposed of, and from the sale of several pews, was voted for the making of two porches, one at each end. Again, the 22d day of the same month, eighteen pounds was voted for repairs. This seems to have ended the struggle, and tho then old house was not disturbed again by the sound of axe and hammer for over thirty years.

" Many events of interest occurred in the town in the half century be giuniog 1775, but it is not our province to chronicle them. It should be remembered that the first school-house was built in 1781. The boys may he interested to know that at the time of which we have just been speak- ing, 1785-89, a bounty of six dollars was given, not for the noisy crow, nor for the inoffensive woodchuck, but for the hungry wolf.

" And so the old house, with its two porches, its galleries, its high pul- pit aud sounding-board and its large, square, pen-like pews, stood undis- turbed, defying the storms of thirty winters. To it devont worshipers made their weekly pilgrimages, and in it the stormy town-meetings were annually held, The first twenty years of Father Patrick's Sabbath min- istry was in this house, as we have last described it. The school chil- dren may not know that Mr. Patrick was great-grandfather of the Cody hoys.

"There came a time, about the year 1823, when the building was thought to be uufit for a place of religious worship, and with good rea- sons, as we shall see. We are told by some now living that the frame had settled so much that on one side au open space of six inches was left between roof and walls, where the winter winds and storms could sweep in at will ; there were no stoves, and, indeed, there was no way of warming the building ; the windows were old and loose, and many cracks and seams in the sides and about the doors admitted more fresh air than was necessary for the good veotilation. What wonder that the worship- ers sang :

"' Kindle a flame . . . Io there cold hearts of ours !'

" At this time the house stood about three rods south from the church, and not long after it was moved back to its present position, into a frog- pond, as the old people say ; the Osgoodites sung, and as none of the pres- ent generation can douht.

"But we will go to the records. In the year 1823 the voters of the town were called upon to decide whether it should be again fitted up for a meeting-house and town-house, or whether a modern church should be huilt, and this used for town purposes. As many different parties ex- isted then as there have been in the present contest, and as many town- meetings were held, this much was speedily settled,-that it was not ex- pedient to repair the old meeting-house for a place of religious worship, and it was decided to build a new. But what to do with this building in order to fit it for town purposes called out project after project, and special meeting upon special meeting. The more conservative ones said, spare it ; the radicals tear it down. The matter was pending for several years before anything definite was accomplished. At the March meet- ing of 1825 (March 8th) an article in the warrant proposed ' to see if the

towo will vote to build a town-house and adopt measures to carry the same into effect.' Later ou 'a committee was appointed to confer with pew-holders and see on what terms they will relinquish their right as pew-holders.' March 25th, the same year, it was voted that "the town- house he located within thirty rods of the old meeting-house, that the old meeting-house be cnt down to one story, moved and huished for a town- house, ou condition that Mr. Greenough,' (Richard Greenough), -' after" the timber necessary for silling and drawing said house shall be provid- ed by the town, and also after the lower part of said house shall be cleared ont by the town-shall cut said house down to one story, new sill, if necessary, and move it to the place where the committee shall di- rect at his own expense, which condition has been made by said Green- ough ;' also voted ' that a committee of seven be raised to locate the house.' And so it would seem as if the matter was pretty nearly adjusted. But not so ; a petition of thirty or more of legal voters called for a special meet- ing the 18th of the following April, to reconsider the vote of March 25th, also to see if the town will vote to locate a towo-house on the hill west ot John Sutton's (where Moses Emery now lives) ; to see if they will sell the old west meeting-house (this same house), and appropriato the avails for this purpose ; to see how much money the town will vote in addition to the two hundred already raised. Another article in the warrant calls for a house in the easterly part of the town,-this to serve as church and town-house. And so the war of words went on. When doctore disagree, who shall decide ? When voters disagree, a majority usually decides. But not so, said these men, At a meeting of April 18, 1825, it was voted that 'the town clerk go himself, or send some person, to the selectmen of Warner, requesting them to come to this town as a committee to lu- cate a town-house, and their decision shall be final, all parties having the privilege of being heard by the committee ;' that ' the committee request those who are engaged in repairing the old meeting-house to suspend their work until the committee to locate shall report.' We do not learn that the town clerk ever attended to this duty or that the Warner meu ever came.

"The matter of locating on the hill, near Mr. Sutton's, was called up once after this, but was dismissed, and several other projects shared the same fate. We concluded that the work of reconstructing was going on at the time it was thought necessary to call in the Warner men ; for, as you noted, those engaged in repairing were requested to suspend till the committee should report. We judge that after this, Mr. Greenough went on undisturbed in his work. The last mention we find of the matter is March 14, 1827, when it was voted to discharge the committee ap- pointed to settle with the pew-holders.

" And now Canterbury has for the first time a town-house. In the earliest history, 1727-56, the town-meetings were held in the meeting- house at Oyster River Falls and Durham Falls (probably the same, as Oyster River flowed through the town of Durham), or in private dwell- ings. The first held in Canterbury was at the house of Captain Jeremiah Clough (Dear Mr. Pillsbury's), August 2, 175C ; from 1756 to 1825, in this building, which, in the towo records, was at different times designated as the Dieeting-house, the south miceting-house and the west meeting- house.

"It may have appeared to the young people that religious and secular affairs were in these early times strangely mixed ; and so they were, io one sense. The town officers managed the affairs of the church, hired the ministers and levied a tax for their support. Robert Cutler, the first minister who preached in this house, 1756, waa paid three hundred pounds in bills of credit (a pound was equivalent to twenty-five cents), three hundred pounds in provisions and had his cows pastured and his wood hauled. In 1760, Rev. Ahiel Foster's salary was seven hundred pounds (six pounds to the dollar), the use of the parsonage and thirty cords of fire-wood, Mr. Prince, in 1780, had six bushels of Indian corn a Sunday.

"The varied history of our old building for the last sixty years, save that relating to town-meetings, no seribe has written, though much of it is fresh in the memory of our older inhabitants. It was often used as a church, for its creed embraced all faiths. When the new church was closed against preachers of other denominations than its own (for the Christianity of our ancestors was of the Puritaoic type) the town-house swung wide its doors to welcome them. It called no one heretic, no one fanatic. It drew away many hearers from the new church and often the larger congregation assembled there.

" While the present school-house was in course of building, it accom- modated our school. The teacher in the quaint, old-fashioned desk and the long rows of bright faces looking out from behind the rude and an- tiquated benches was indeed a picturesque sight for modern days. The selectmen's office was a convenient solitary, where the youthful culprit

225

CANTERBURY.

were put to serve out their sentence of an added line in spelling or a double arithmetic lesson, for these were not the days of the rod and rule.

"To teacher or to preacher, to school or to meeting, has our venerable building never been known to shut its door. It has been a sort of our- nivorous creature, taking in whatever could or could not find a place elsewhere.

" But the annual town-fair was, for the first four or five years, a real gala-day for the old house. Here were displayed the best products of farm and garden, of dairy and kitchen ; traces of well-ripened corn, spec- imens of the blacksmith's skill, home-made carpets, rugs of various de- signs and workmanship, and quilts in curious patterns covered the dingy walls ; apples, large and rosy cheeked, grapes in rich clusters, juicy pears, tomatoes, smooth and shining, and peaches in their woolly dress graced the fruit-tables ; large yellow pumpkins sat on the front seats blandly smiling at the passers-by ; huge cabbage-heads suggested a great amount of fragrance if not of brains ; argus-eyed potatoes took their places on the back seats, looking around complacently on the whole scene ; beets and their cousins, the orange-carrots, occupied conspicuous places ; near by were the cereals, modest and quiet, but not less important. On the opposite side the cooks were wont to place specimens of their bread, no- rivalled in whiteness and sponginess ; the dairy women put their rich cheeses and butter, -sometimes suspicionsly golden. In an obscure cor- ner were found the products of the sugar-orchard and cans of fruit, tempting, but, alas ! sealed. One corner was always reserved for the irre- pressible sewing-machine man.

" But these good old days are forever passed, and we now come to a new period in the story.

"Our youthful students of history may form a truer idea of its age and holl in greater respect clean walls and fresh paint if we glanco briefly at the events that have taken place in our nation since its heavy timbers were first laid. I have said nation, but you will observe that we were British subjects for the first twenty years of its existence. It was a youthful spectator in the French and Indian War. It silently witnessed the up- rising when the odions Stamp Act was passed and the tax laid on tea and glass, and it saw seventy brave men from the sparsely-settled town leave their homes and families to fight the Revolutionary battles. It was past the age for doing military service when the War of 1812 took other strong men to the defense of national rights. Again, in 1861, when our nation was startled by the report of bloodshed at Fort Sumter, it was worn and old, and it could only stand as a mute witness while one draft of men was made after another, until it saw about one hundred and forty of our gallant sens go forth to quell the civil strife. It has taken part in twenty- seven exciting Presidential campaigne. It stood here in silent wonder while all the world talked of the first locomotive and steamboat, of the telegraph, the ocean cable and the telephone.

" History repeats itself, and human nature will be human nature to the end of all time ; so in our town-house story, there came another year, 1833, when some thought the honse needed repairing again, and the fol- lowing year there began a war, which, in the to-be-written history of Canterbury, may be known as the third town-house war. The active brains of active meu set to work devising the best plan for getting a sub- stantial house. These timbers were examined and found firm and sound, -good for another half century,-so, as twice before, the old frame was spared. Now for the repairs. One party would have the outside made rain-proof and the inside remain intact ; a second thought it better to re- new both entside and inside, letting the building stand on the same font- dation ; some would raise it a few feet, others would move it forward on a line with the church ; the party that prevailed (George P. Merrill originating the plan) would raise it enough to admit of horse-sheds under- neath, and put the whole building in good condition.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 55

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