History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 85

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 85
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 85

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).

became known as the Baptist Church of Henniker, aud Rev. Enoch T. Winter was duly installed as pastor, which position he held until 1838, and was succeeded by Rev. Jairus E. Strong, who remained one year ; and the next settled pastor was Rev. John Peacock, who remained but a short time, and Rev. David G. Mason became the pastor, being ordained May 15, 1845, and was dismissed in 1847, being the last settled minister the church had.

The whole number of communicants of this church during its existence was one hundred.

METHODIST .- During the summer of 1814 the first Methodist meeting was held in this town by Rev. Mr. Bates, the preacher upon the circuit that included Henniker. Meetings were occasionally held at private houses and at school-houses until 1832, when the first church was formed, consisting of ten mem- bers,-six males and four females. Rev. George Pickering was the second preacher, followed until the present time by Caleb Duston, Michael Quimby, Moses Chase, William T. Cass, Abram Folsom, John C. Haseltine, Samuel Prescott, Joseph Palmer, Abram M. Osgood, John Gould, Elijah R. Wilkins, William Iscariot, G. W. S. Rogers, L. H. Gordon, G. W. Norris, Josiah Hooper, N. M. Bailey, Otis Cole, H. S. Maid, William H. Jones, Watson W. Smith, George C. Powell, George H. Hardy, John H. Steele, W. W. Le Seur and E. L. House.

The whole number admitted to communion in this church has been about three hundred and seventy- five, with a present membership of nearly one hundred.

QUAKERS .- A Friends' Meeting was established in this town, as a branch of the Weare Meeting, in 1799. Timothy Peasley, Pelatiah Penington, Nathaniel Chase, Aaron Foster, Daniel B. Alley, Joseph Huzzey and Samuel Morrison were the founders. The meet- ing flourished for more than half a century ; but the older members died, many of the younger ones moved from the town, and others still partook of the ways of those outside of the sect. Meetings are still regularly held, though the numbers are few. The whole num- ber of members of the meeting has been about three hundred and forty, with a present membership of about twenty.

UNIVERSALISTS .- Meetings connected with this sect began to be held here as early as the commence- ment of the present century by Revs. Mr. Murray, Sebastian Streeter and Edward Evans; still later by Revs. Adam Ballou and Alonzo A. Miner. In 1876 and 1877 meetings began to be held at intervals until 1880, when regular preaching was had, and in 1881, Rev. W. H. Fiske became pastor of a society then formed, which is still in a flourishing condition.

MEETING-HOUSES .- Before the incorporation of the town, steps were taken to erect a house of worship, and in the proprietors' records we find this,-

" PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

"Number Six, October ye 22, 1766.

" We, the under Subscribers, being apointed a Comm-tee by the

Prop rs' of said Number Six to fix some Convenient Place on the Senter Lott in said town to Build a Meeting Hous on, and for a buring Place and Comone for a training field, &c. And the Place We have agried upon is at a hemlock tree, Marked, Where the Laid out highway Coms into said Lott, thence Runing North twintey four Rhods to a Stake marked ; thence Weet twintey Rhods to a Stake, thence South twintey four Rhods to a Stake, thence East twintey Rhodes to the Bounds first mentioned.

" Eleakim How, Josiah Ward, James Wallace, Thomas Wallace, Prop-rs Com-tee."

At a meeting of the people of the town, held March 26, 1770, it was

"Voted, to build a meeting house.

"Voted, to build the said house on the Clisby lot, 80 called, on the north side of the highway, on the east side of the lot, near the pot ash. "Voted, that said house shall be thirty feet long and twenty feet wide. "Toted, twenty dollars to build said house.

"Voted, Ebenezer gile, thomas stone and William presbury is a Com- mete to see the work done on said house.

"Voted, that the men shall have two shillings and sixpence per day and find themselves, lawful money, that work on said house."

The house was built the same season, of logs, and it was used for public worship some weeks be -. fore it was covered with a roof. All the religious meetings, as well as meetings of the town, were held in this humble log house for ten years, when, on or about the 19th of May, 1780, the evening of the "dark day," it was burned to the ground, having been fired, as is supposed, by an incendiary, as no fire had ever been in the little house, save what was carried in in little foot-stoves upon the Sabbath, which were then in use by those who could afford them.

Several efforts were made to erect another meeting- house, which proved of no avail; but at a meeting of the town, held January 9, 1786, it was " Voted to Build a Meeting-House." Committees were chosen for the purpose; but the same difficulty arose that had so long hindered a house being erected, and that was the proper selection of a spot upon which to erect it which would best accommodate the people of the town. As early as 1783 efforts were made to select a place,-by far the larger part desiring to have it built upon the centre lot,-and it was finally agreed that a committee of three disinterested persons out- side of the town should determine the place, and they made the following report at a meeting of the town, held October 27, 1783 :

"HENNIKRA, October ye 27th, 1783.

" We, the Subscribers being Chosen By The Town of Henniker A Comity to Examine and agree Where a Meeting-house Should Be Set To Commode the sd Town of Henniker, we have this Day accordingly Met and Examined all curcumstances which was in our power, and Beg Leave to reporte that it is our oppinnion that it is the Best Place to Set said Meet- ing-Honse To Commode Said Toun, is Neare the North end of Said Sen- ter Lot on the Plane, where it was told us they held their last Town- meeting By Adjournment, which is our sollem oppinnion.

"Stevene Haoniman, Fraucis Davs, Samuel Philbrick, Commity."

These three men were residents of Warner. But a portion of the people were not satisfied with this re- port, and, as a last resort, the following petition was sent to the General Assembly of the State, then in session at Exeter :

"[5-66.] [Petition for the Appointment of a Committee to locate a Meeting-House, 1786.]

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HENNIKER.

"To the Honourable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire, now setting at Exeter, in Said State,

" We, the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Town of Henniker, Hum- bly Sheweth, whereas, we are about Building a Meeting-house in Said Town, and are So unhappy as not to agree upon the Spot where to Set said house, although we have had Two Committees to Perfix the Place for Said house, and they reported to Two Different Places, and the Dis- tance Between the Two Spots is about one hundred and forty rods ; where four we Pray your honours to appoint a Disinterested Commettee from the Neighbouring Towns, Consisting of three men, to View the Situation of the Place, and hear the Pleas and determin the Spot where Said house Shall Be Set, and we, your Petitioners, as in Duty Bound. " Henniker, September ye 11th, 1786.

" Jonas Bowman, James Wallace, Joshua Heath, Nathan Putney, Michael Archer, Thomas Poop, David McKillip, William Sargent, Francis Withington, Joshua Wright, John Campbell, Jesse Campbell, Thomas Willson, Johnthing Connor, David Poop, Isaac Putney, Stephen Spelpen, Samuel Eastman, Oliver Noyes, David ('lough, John Chadwick, Elias Withington, Samuel Morrison, David Menell, Benjamin Currier, William Wallace, Abiathar Bowman, John Smith, John Putney, Benja- min Clough, Joseph Lewis, John Withington, Samuel Barr, Daniel Chad- wick, Thomas Stuart, Thomas Townsend, Joseph Ward, William Patrick, John Smith, Jr., Alexander Parker, James Marsh, Jesse Ward, Simeon Rose, Benjamin Hoyt, George Hoyt, Moses Hoyt, Simeon Simonds, Phinehas Ward, Nahum Nuten, Oliver Clough, Mather Withington, William Morrison, John Campbell, Jr., Thomas Howlett, Samuel Dun- alls, Josiah Ward, Timothy Ross, Benjamin Clark, Jonathan Ross, Joseph Chadwick.

"In H. of Rep., September 13, 1786, a committee was appinted, con- consisting of the following men : Major Isaac Chandler, of Hopkinton ; Ninian Aiken, Esq., of Deering ; and Samuel Caldwell, of Maine."

No report of the action of this committee, if any was ever taken, has been found.

Whilst the dispute as to location was in progress, preparations for the erection of a meeting-house were being pushed actively forward, and at the time of this action by the General Assembly the frame of the building was nearly ready for raising. At a meeting of the town, held August 30, 1786, it was " Voted, to Provide three Barrels of Rum to Raise the Meeting- house with," and with this and the aid of the strong arms of the men of this and neighboring towns the frame was raised early in the month of October of this year, 1786, upon the spot that had been originally selected. The other place selected was nearer the centre of the township, but not as good a location for building. Nothing more was done to the frame until the next season. At the annual meeting, held March 5, 1787, it was voted to pay the men who as- sisted in the two days' work of raising the meeting- house, and amongst other items the town voted to pay were the following :

" Voted Gideon Adams £1 4s. for Sugar.

" Voted Sam. Kimball £5 15s. for Beef.

" Voted Dr. Huuter £12 58. 1 2-4 P. for ninety-three gallons and a quarter of Rum and three empty Barrels."

The work upon the building progressed rapidly, and the first meeting held in it was on November 14, 1787, for the purpose of choosing a grand and petit juryman. The ground floor was marked off and sold, each purchaser to build his own pew; but this was reconsidered, and a committee chosen to build the pews and sell them. The inside was finished in ac- cordance with the style then prevalent, and when completed was a noble structure, and has withstood

the storms and blasts of nearly a century, with its timbers as perfect as the day they were raised.

It was used for religious meetings by the town until the separation that took place in 1801 and more or less for that purpose by different de- nominations for half a century afterwards, and has always been used by the town in which to hold its meetings since 1787.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .- In 1803 the Congregational Church and Society, finding them- selves without a regular place in which to hold their meetings, resolved to ereet another meeting-house. A committee was chosen to take the matter into con- sideration and decide upon what should be done. A spot was selected, and in 1804 a meeting-house was erected, and dedicated in 1805. This house was about the length of the town's meeting-house, without the porches, and about its width, sixty-five by forty- five feet.

There was a porch at the south end, surmounted with a low belfry, the first one seen in the town. In this house the meetings of the church were held until its destruction by fire, August 23, 1833, when the church and society found itself again without a church-home. In 1834 the present structure was erected, and dedicated August 27, 1834. This house was furnished with a bell, the first one in the town, a clock and an organ, and with a new communion ser- vice in place of the one destroyed by fire when the church was burned. This building has been kept in excellent repair, and in 1882 was thoroughly modern- ized, and is at present one of the most complete and commodious churches to be found in any rural dis- triet.

BAPTIST CHURCH MEETING-HOUSE .- The Baptist Church held their meetings in private houses and in school-houses uutil 1834, when they erected a very neat and commodious building of brick. This house was finished very comfortably, and was used as a house of worship as long as the church existed. In 1856 it was purchased by the Methodist Church, who still occupy it.

METHODIST MEETING-HOUSES .- Like their breth- ren of the Baptist Church, the members of the Meth- odist Church were without a church-home until 1834, when they, too, erected a meeting-house. This house was very plain in its architecture, without any bel- fry or ornamentation whatever, but very substantial. The pews were straight slips without doors; there was a very small pulpit at one end, and equally small seats for the choir at the other. Meetings were held in this building until 1856, when it was sold and con- verted into a large and commodious barn, and the society purchased the brick church, which has been their home since. In 1882 the building was modern- ized in its interior, and provided with an organ and very heavy and elegant memorial windows.

UNIVERSALIST MEETING-HOUSE .- This society held its meetings in the town-house, in Academy

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Hall and other halls until 1883, when it erected a very neat and substantial building for its home. This building is of the Gothic style, with a seating capacity of upwards of one hundred and fifty. It is supplied with an organ and heated with a furnace.

FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE .- For three-fourths of a century the Friends have had a meeting-house. These people always having lived in the sonth part of the town by themselves largely, have always had their meeting-house in their neighborhood. It is a plain structure, partaking severely of the simplicity of the sect who have ever been some of the best farmers and most worthy citizens of Henniker.

Military History .- The settlers of Henniker were in strong sympathy with the efforts made by the colonies to throw off the tyranny of the home government, that was continually seeking new means to oppress them. When the fight at Lexington took place, April 19, 1775, and help was called for, several of the sturdy settlers of this town responded by hastening to the scene of action, leaving their plows in the furrow and their oxen unyoked ; one man who was mending fence, laying down his axe, and seizing his gun left his home never to return, having been killed at Bunker Hill shortly afterwards.

Joseph Kimball, Esq., one of the prominent citizens of the town and one of the selectmen of the town at the time, was suspected of disloyalty and charges were preferred against him. His case was referred to the Committee of Safety, who ordered him to appear before them and make answer to these charges. The meeting was held in the log meeting-house, where a hearing was had, and this was their report,-

"HENNIKER, June ye 12, 1775.

" The Resolves of the Committee met to diecourse Joseph Kimball, Esquire, concerning his political principals in the dispute hetwixt Brittain and this North America. Accusations as follows, viz. : the sd Kimball did say that he did not blame General Gage for coming to this North America, But did not justify or approve his evil conduct since he has heen in ye Conutry. Further, the sd Kimball is for keeping up civil anthority. Further, the sd Kimball being accused of speaking favorably of Gov. Wentworth, but discoursing the Committee before the body of the people, and finding the people disaffected, the sd Kimball saith he is sorry that the people are nueasy with him, and that he is sorry if he hath given any provocation of offence, But means to do all, as far as lies in his power, to Propegate ye liherty cause, and we, the sd Committee of Safety, do Receive ye said Kimball as a friend to the Com- mon Cause.

" JONAS BOWMAN,

" JOSEPH LEWIS, "AARON ADAMS, "WILLIAM POWERS, "Committee."

The following-named men were at the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775:

Alexander Patterson, James Dunlap, John Gordon, John Stone, Samuel Eastman, Cornelius Bean, Joseph Marsh, Charles Whitcombe, Elijah Rice, George Bemain, Samuel Wadsworth, Amos Gould, Isaac Patterson, James Carr, James Palmer, John Barnes, James Stone, Joseph Clough, Abraham Kimball, Ephraim Goss and James Reed.

These men, twenty-one in number, were in Captain Hutchins' company and General Stark's brigade. Alexander Patterson and Abraham Kimball were

wonnded. Pursuant to an order issued by the Con- tinental Congress, a census was taken, with this result,-

" Males under 16 years of age. 117

do from 16 years of age to 50 not in the army . 67

All males above 50 years of age 15

Persons gone in the army .

All Females. 158

Negroes and Slaves for life 1

Total . 367

" Henniker, Sept ye 15th, 1775.

"In obedience to your Req't, we have taken a true number of the In- habitants of this Town and armies, and have set them in their Colloms, according to your directions. We have made search for Powder, hut find there is none of any value.

"JOSEPH KIMBALL,

"AARON ADAMS,

" Selectmen of Henniker."

By order of the Continental Congress, an enumeration of the inhabitants liable for military dnty was ordered. By the law of New Hampshire, two classes of soldiers were provided for,-" a training-band and an alarm- list." The former included all able-bodied male persons between the ages of sixteen and fifty, except persons in office, negroes, Indians and mulattoes. The latter included all males between the ages of sixteen and sixty-five, not included in the training- band and not exempted by law. Under this order an enumeration was made in the town, with this re- sult,-

"ROLL OF CAPT. AARON ADAMS' COMPANY, 1776.

"Sargt Benja Clark, Sargt Jona Barford, Sargt Phinehas Ward, Sargt Joseph Paterson, Fifer Joseph Williams, Corp1 Joshua Heath, Corp1 Samuel Steel, Corp1 Tho' Townsend, Corp" James Stone, Drum' Josiah Paterson, Jonas Alexander, William Chambers, William Clark, Jamee Durston, Samuel Tinsel, Noah Gile, Otis How, Thomas Howlet, James Joslin, John McDuffee, Hezekiah Newton, Moses Powell, Jonathan Ross, Ezekiel Stone, Ezekiel Smith, Charles Whitcomb, Alexander Whitney, Jabez Alexander, Eliphalet Colby, Solomon Childs, Jona East- man, Isaac Gates, Joshua Heath, William Heath, Sargent Heath, Joseph Lewis, Nathaniel Merrill, Nahum Newton, Isaac Paterson, Lemuel Ross, Moses Smith, Benoni Tucker, Ruben Whitcomb, Samuel Wadsworth, Abeathal Bowman, Moses Huse, Benja Currier, Robert Campbel, Aaron Eastman, Timothy Gibson, John Harthoro, Joshua Kimball, Ephraim Morrel, Samuel Morrison, David Pope, Jesse Ross, Daniel Rice, Samuel Smith, Jacob Whitcomb, Josiah Whitridge.

" We have 10 men gone in the Army.

"mager Chandler, £., in obedience to your orders, I bave wara'd my Company to Apcar on ye 21 Instant to view the Cituation of the Com- pany, but the more part did not Apear, but, Acording to the Best Acompt that I can give, Above half have No arms,

"AARON ADAMS, Capt."

"HENNIKER, May the 21st, 1776.

"Alarm list for said Heuniker : Ecclesiastical Clark, Jacob Rice, Cap- tajo Eliakim Howe, Lieutenant Jonas Bowman, Ensign William Heath, Captain Josiah Ward, Esquire Joseph Kimball, Coroner Samuel Kin- ball, Thomas Stone, John Putney, Alexander Patterson, Uriah Amsden, Timothy Ross, Thomas Pope, Stephen Spalding, Francis Withington, James Peters, Elijah Rice, John Esttian, Deacon Ebenezer Harthorn."

ASSOCIATION TEST .- The " Association Test " was a pledge of loyalty for the citizens of each town to affix their signatures or not, as they were disposed.

" To the Selectmen of Hannacor :

"Colony of New Hampshire, in Committee of Safety, April ye 12th, 1776, in order to carry the underwritten resolve to the Hon'hle Continen - tal Congress into execution, yon are requested to desire all males above twenty-one years of age (lunatics, idiots, negroes excepted) to sign to the declaration on this paper, and when so done, to make return hereof,

351

HENNIKER.

together with the Name or Names of all who shall refuse to sign the same, to the General Assembly or Committee of Safety of the Colony. " M. WEARE, Chairman.

" IN CONGRESS, March 14, 1776.

" Resolved, that it be recommended to the several Assemblies, Conven- tions and Councils, or Committees of Safety of the United Colonies, immediately to cause all persons to be disarmed within the respective Colonies who are notoriously disaffected to the cause of America, or who have not associated, or refused to associate, to defend by arms the United Colonies against the hostile attempts of the British fleets and armies. "Copy extract from the minutes.

" CHARLES THOMPSON, Sec'ry.

"In consequence of the above resolution of the Hon. Continental Con- gress, and to shew our determination in joining our American brethren in defending the lives, liberties and properties of the inhabitants of the United Colonies, we, the subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage aud promise that we will, to the ntmost of our power, at the rieqne of our lives and fortunes, with arms oppose the hostile proceedings of the Brit- ish fleets and armies against the United American Colonies,-Rev. Jacob Rice, Thomas Pope, Alexander Whitney, Jonas Bowman, William Pow- ers, Ebenezer Harthorn, Amos Gould, Elijah Rice, Charles Whitcomb, David Pope, Eliakim Howe, Jonas Alexander, Asa Putoey, Nathaniel Joslyn, Abel Gibson, Ezekiel Stone, Samuel Twizzel, David Campbell, Thomas Howlett, James Joslyn, Joseph Williams, Ephraim Morrill, Jesse Ross, Thomas Townsend, Phinies Ward, William Clark, timothy Ross, William Heath, Stephen Spalding, Ezekiel Smith, Alexander Patterson, Moses Smith, Timo. Gibson, Jr., Joseph Lewis, Joshua Heath, Samuel Wadsworth, Francis Withington, Jacob Whitcomb, Benjamin Whitcoolb, Reuben Whitcomb, Uriah Amsden, James Peters, Otis How, Thomas Stone, Jonathan Wood, Isaac Gates, Daniel Rice, John Putney, Eliphalet Colby, Benjamin Clark, Timothy Gibson,-fifty-one names.

" Those Persons Refuse to sign the within Declaration are under- written : Joseph Kimball, Joshua Kimball, William Kimball, Corporal Samuel Kimball, William Chambers, Samuel Morrison, Ezra Tucker, present lieutenant, Moses Howe, Captain James Duston, Samuel Bar- stow, Thomas Stone, Jr., Ebenezer Haraman, Josiah Ward, Sergent Hethe, Ensign Benjamin Currier, Nathaniel Merrick, Amos Eastman, Noah Gile, Robert Campbell, Aaron Adams, Captain James Stone,- twenty-one names.

"JONAS BOWMAN, ) Selectmen "SAMUEL WADWORTH, S of Henniker."

Of the twenty-one who refused to sign, over two- thirds of them were afterwards in the American service, and did their duty faithfully, and to the honor of the town it can be said that although upon a ques- tion of expediency there were various and conflicting opinions, yet upon the main question of defending their homes and supporting the cause of liberty against any and all foes the people of this town were a unit, and obtained for themselves the reputation of being amongst the most patriotic in the State.

The following-named men were in the battle of Bennington, August 16, 1777 :

Capt Jonas Bowman, Sergt Peter How, Sergt Joshua Gile, Thomas Pope, Jonathan Eastman, Corporal Moses Smith, Sargent Heath, William Heath, Zarariah Bowman, Ezekiel Stone, David Colby, Zadok Bowman, Jabez Alexander, Samuel Eastman, Abraham Kimball, Levi Colby, Lemuel Ross, Isaac Patterson, Moses Powell, James Duston, Levi Harri- man, John Putney, Joshna Whitney.

Four men from this town participated in the battle of Monmouth, N. J., on Sunday, June 28, 1778,- Jesse Campbell, Joseph Marsh, James Peters, Jr., and Daniel Squire.

In all the important conflicts of the Revolutionary War Henniker was well represented, and before the war had ended, as near as can be ascertained, the whole number of enlistments for the town were one hundred and thirty-two. So frequent were the

calls for men that at one time there was hardly an able-bodied man left in the town, save Rev. Jacob Rice. Even the boys over sixteen years of age were called upon not only to perform military duty, but also to pay taxes. All through the seven long years of the war almost continual calls were made upon the town for men and for rations. The little bands of patriots who were thus hastily collected together usually as- sembled in the log meeting-house (until it was burned), and listened to an appropriate address or prayer, as the time admitted, by Rev. Mr. Rice, who was one of the foremost citizens of the town in helping on the cause of liberty. Few, if any, towns can show a better record, in proportion to their population, than can Henniker.

WAR OF 1812 .- In the War of 1812 fully one hun- dred men hore an honorable part. Large numbers enlisted together and served under various com- manders, and were at various points where their services were most needed. Two of the men of the town were in the regular army when the war broke out, and were in the battle of Tippecanoe, November 7, 1811. Not only those liable for military duty were ready for enlistment, but those exempt from such duty formed themselves into a company and volun- teered their services, if needed.

MEXICAN WAR .- One man from this town was a grenadier in Captain Charles N. Bodfish's company, which was composed of the men of the greatest height, selected from the Ninth Regiment United States Infantry, which was recruited in New England and commanded by Colonel Truman B. Ransom, of Vermont. Two men also enlisted in Captain Daniel Batchelder's company, belonging to the same regi- ment, one of whom was killed at the storming of Chapultepec.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 85

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