USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Newfields > History of Newfields, New Hampshire, 1638-1911 > Part 3
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The present First Church of Exeter dates back only to Septem- ber, 1698. The ancient volume of records begins thus: "The order of proceedings in gathering a particular church in Exeter. After conferring together and being mutually satisfied in each other, we drew up a Confession of Faith, and the terms of the Covenant, which we all signed the Sabbath before the ordina- tion."
The Rev. John Clark, third minister of Exeter and first pas- tor of this First Church, was ordained September 21, 1698. The church was reorganized the same day. The record continues: "We were, by the elders and messengers of the several churches, owned as a church of Christ, and John Clark declared a minister of Christ Jesus." Mr. Clark was born at Newbury, Mass., January 24, 1670, and died in office, July 25, 1705.
His successor was the Rev. John Odlin, born in Boston, Novem- ber 18, 1681, who graduated at Harvard College in 1702 and was ordained at Exeter, November 11, 1706. He married the widow of his predecessor, and died in office, November 20, 1754. During his ministry the towns of Newmarket, Epping and Brentwood, were incorporated from the territory of Exeter, and their re- spective churches organized together with the present Second or Phillips Church at Exeter.
19
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS.
The first two meeting houses in Exeter stood on the hill near the brick and tile factory of Wiggin and Dolloff. The third was erected near the place where the old church now stands. It was "seated" by vote of the town February 3, 1697. A pew was assigned to "Edward Hilton for wife Ann, daughter of Rev. Samuel Dudley, & son Winthrop, his wife & two daughters, Mary and Sobriety, on the north side of the meeting house joining to the Pulpit." At the same time his nephew, Richard Hilton, received seats "for himself, wife, children, mother & sister Re- becca, on the North side of the meeting house joining the parsonage pew."
The second Hilton, who is styled "Colonel," died April 28, 1699.
Col. Winthrop Hilton was the eldest son of the second Edward. He was the personal friend and firm supporter of his uncle Gov. Joseph Dudley. After the death of Col. Richard Waldron of Dover, June 28, 1689, Hilton became the principal military chieftain in New Hampshire. His commission as Colonel is dated April 3, 1707. His letter to his wife, on his way a second time in command of troops against Port Royal, is introduced as exhibiting his lively trust in the overruling providence of God.
CASCO FORT, July 16th, 1707.
My dear Spouse,
I can't but take all opportunities to salute you. I do earnestly em- brace this as ye last before our departure. Notwithstanding a thousand difficultues in our way, It is ordered that ye fleet prepare to take ye signal for weighing anchor to morrow. The soldiers are utterly averse and will at best be but passive in returning to Port Royal. Nevertheless if Providence cast advantages into our hands there, they will eagerly embrace them; and if we obtain a victory, God will now haue a much greater share in our songs of triumph, than if we had been successful at first. Dear Heart, pray hard for us, and cheerfully commit to ye Al- mighty's protection.
Your louing, louing husband,
WINTHROP HILTON.
Colonel Hilton with his brother Dudley Hilton, and one or . two other men were killed by the Indians near the "Mast Road" in Epping July 23, 1710. "He was a gentleman of good temper, courage and conduct, respected and lamented by all who knew him." His tombstone bears upon it the earliest date of any monument in town.1
1 Penhallow.
-
20
HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
Here Lieth Interd the Body of Colo.1 Winthrop Hilton Esq. Who De- parted this Life June 23d A. D. 1710, In ye 39th year of his Age.
Settlers at Oyster River petitioned for a parish, November 11, 1715, which was incorporated May 4, 1716; church organized March 26, 1718. The scholarly, but eccentric Rev. Hugh Adams, took the spiritual oversight and began his ministry at Oyster River, April, 1717, with Lubberland1 and Lamprey River, as a part of his Oyster River parish. He was born in Massachusetts, May 7, 1676; graduated from Harvard College in 1697, and was ordained pastor at Oyster River, now Durham, September 10, 1707. He died in 1750, aged 74 years.
Chapter III.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS CONTINUED.
The settlement of Exeter was undoubtedly commenced in the spring of 1638, and soon became of sufficient importance to at- tract attention. During that year a church had been gathered there, and a letter was written to the church in Boston about the middle of December, 1638, "to desire Mr. Wheelwright's dis- mission to them for an officer or minister," but because Mr. Wheelwright did not desire it the matter was dropped for the time. But soon after, as he had been the year before sentenced to depart out of the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, he, with cer- tain others, at their own request, were dismissed from the Bos- ton church. In obedience to the sentence he had already lo- cated on "a Plantation begun about the falls of Pascataqua, on the south side of the Great Bay, up that river called by the first inhabitants Exeter," supposing it to be beyond the juris- diction of Massachusetts. The number and names of those accompanying Mr. Wheelwright are unknown. The following persons, however, were dismissed from the Boston church at the same time : Richard Morrys, Richard Bulgar, Philemon Purmot,
1 A portion of Newmarket was called Lubberland as early as 1669. It was a part of Oyster River precinct. In 1717 Rev. Hugh Adams called it Lover Land. It extended to Crummet's Creek.
21
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS.
Isaac Grosse, Christopher Marshall, George Baytes, Thomas Wardel and William Wardel and most of them probably were in his company, as all but Baytes and Marshall were early in Exeter. In this place they gathered a church and walked to- gether in an orderly and Christian way till it appeared, by stretching the line of Massachusetts further northward, they were still within the "liberties of the Massachusetts," which, it is judged, occasioned Mr. Wheelwright's removal "to the Province of Maine to a Plantation since by the inhabitants called Wells."'1
The government during the year 1638, so far as any govern- ment was recognized, was patriarchal. In 1639 it was found necessary to establish some form of government. On July 4 of that year a combination2 was entered into, but was soon after modified so as to make their subjection and loyalty to their Sovereign Lord, King Charles, somewhat questionable. The whole matter, therefore, was reconsidered, and on April 2, 1640, the former combination in substance was renewed. The docu- ment was recorded in the book of records, and there signed by the inhabitants themselves with their own proper names or with their mark. Twenty-one subscribed and fourteen signed the combination. The Preamble thereto, not having been published by Belknap, is subjoined :
Whereas a certen Combination was made by us the brethren of the Church of Exeter, wth the rest of the inhabitants bearing date Mon. 5th, D. 4, 1639 wh afterwards, upon the instant request of some of the brethren, was altered & put into such a form of wordes, wherein howso- ever we doe acknowledge the King's Majesty our dread Sovereigne & ourselves his subjects; yet some expressions are contained therein wh may seeme to admit of such a sence as somewhat derogates from that due allegiance wh we owe to his Highnesse, quite contrary to our true in- tents and meanings; Wee therefore doe revoke, disannull, make voyd and frustrate the said latter Combination as if it never had been done, & doe ratify, confirm and establish the former wh wee only stand unto as being in force & vertue- the wh for substance is here set down in manner and form following.3
Mon. 2ª, D. 2., 1640.
1 Hubbard.
2 A similar Dover combination was formed October 22, 1640. Bell's Exeter, page 15.
3 Then follows the combination, as in Belknap, Farmer's Edition, page 432.
22
HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
The subscribers thereto on the town book are John Wheel- wright, Augustus Storrs, Thomas Wight, William Wentworth, Henry Elkins, George Walton, Samuel Walker, Thomas Pettit, Henry Roby, William Wenborn, Thomas Crawley, Charles Helme, Darby Field, Robert Read, Edward Rishworth, Francis Matthews, Ralf Hall, Robert Seward, Richard Bulgar, Christo- pher Lawson, George Barlow, Richard Morris, Nicholas Need- ham, Thomas Willson, George Rawbone, William Cole, James Wall, Thomas Leavitt, Edmund Littlefield, John Cram, Godfrey Dearborn, Philemon Purmort, Thomas Wardell, William War- dell, Robert Smith.
Of many of the men who signed the Exeter Combination we know but little, of some of them nothing. Any one interested to learn what may be known of them is referred to Bell's "His- tory of Exeter," pp. 21-40.
A few persons who came to Exeter with Mr. Wheelwright did not sign the Combination. They either had died or re- moved before that instrument was executed. Others came into the place soon after the date of the Combination, but did not subscribe to it. Edward Hilton was here in 1639, and the very first paragraph of the town records which is still preserved re- lates to his land and house, and the "creek next from his house towards Exeter," now known as Pease's brook.
Wheelwright and his company were good men, peaceable and well-disposed. Their aim was to serve God, subdue the for- est, get a living in this world and secure inheritance in a better. Their posterity are engaged in no better business or with higher ends in view.
During the first year they had no need of law, and do not ap- pear to have had any government, court or record. It seems probable that early in the next year a spirit of independence or insubordination manifested itself, which suggested to the fathers of the plantation the importance of establishing a civil government which resulted in the Combination of which we have spoken. The handful of our ancestors who settled on the banks of the Squamscot, although acknowledging their allegiance to the king of England, claimed to possess and exercise all the powers of an independent state. Perhaps Plymouth and Exeter
23
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS.
alone of all the towns in New England ever claimed such right or exercised such powers.
The Exeter Records commenced in 1639, and the first items recorded have for their caption, "Certain ordinances made at the Court holden in Exeter."
On January 19, 1640, "it was agreed to by the inhabitants that Isaac Grosse, Ruler, Augustine Storrs, and Anthony Stanion shall have the ordering of all town affairs according to God."
Orders made by the Court held at Exeter, February 6, 1640, were as follows :
1. That no man shall set fire upon the woods to the destroying of the feed for the cattle or the doing of any other hurt, under pain of paying the damage that shall ensue thereby - after the middle of April.
2. That every man shall fall such trees as are in his lot being offen- sive to any other, and if after due warning any shall refuse,- to pay half a crown for every tree that is so offensive.
3. That every action that is tried, the party that is cast in it shall pay to the Jury four shillings.
Thus early the hundred inhabitants of Exeter, though they had three good men to order all town affairs according to God, still preserved their rights to trial by jury.
On March 6, 1640, it was ordered,
That no wine or strong water shall be sold by retail to the English, but by Thomas Wardle.
That whosoever shall dig a saw pit and shall not fill it or cover it, shall be liable to pay the damage that shall come to man or beast thereby.
That all the swine that is not taken down the river by the 4th day of the second month, (April)1 the owners shall be liable to pay the damage that shall befall any thereby.
That every man that is an inhabitant of the town shall have free liberty to trade with the Indians in anything except it be powder, shot or any warlike weapons, or sack, or other strong waters.2
It is here recorded that Anthonie Stanion hath satisfied the Court concerning the offence given by him to our Ruler Needham.
On April 9, 1640, a convocation of the people was held on im- portant matters as the following record shows :
1 Old style till 1752.
2 Over-reaching traders acted upon the principle that it was a praiseworthy deed to cheat an Indian.
24
HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
AN ORDER AND LAW.
It is enacted for a law constituted, made and consented unto by the whole Assembly at the Court, solemnly met together in Exeter, the 9th day of the 2d month 1640,-
That if any person or persons shall plot or practice, either by com- bination or otherwise, the betraying of his country or any principal part thereof into the hands of any foreign State, Spanish, Dutch or French, contrary to the allegiance we profess and owe to our dread sovereign Lord King Charles, his heirs and successors, it being his Majesty's pleasure to protect us, his legal subjects - shall be punished with death.
If any person or persons shall plot or practice any treason or shall revile his Majesty the Lord's Annointed, contrary to the allegiance we profess and owe to our dread Sovereign Lord King Charles, his heirs and successors (ut Supra)- shall be punished with death. Numb. 16. Exo. 22: 28. I Kings 2: 8, 9, 44.
The Squamscot plantation, no less than the Bay colony, claim the sanction of Revelation for their laws.
The other laws or orders made during the year, required any person purchasing a town lot to build a habitation thereon within six months; forbidding any person to fell timber within half a mile of the town, except it be upon his own particular lot, without it be for building or fencing, upon the penalty of five shillings for every tree so felled; imposing a penalty of ten pounds on any person making sedition or commotion; declar- ing all creeks free, only he that makes a "ware" therein is to have in the first place the benefit of it in fishing time, and no other may set a ware either above or below it, and enjoy the same liberty.
The same year Edward Rishworth was "chosen by order of the Court to be Secretary to the Court, and look to the book, and to enter such actions. as are brought, and to have 12d laid down at the entering of every action."
The General Court at Boston September 8, 1642, "ordered that all the present inhabitants of Pascataquak who formerly were free there, shall have liberty of freemen in their Seuerall townes to manage all their towne affairs & shall each town send a deputy to the General Court though they be not at present Church members.".
In 1644 a movement was made to gather a church and invite
25
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS.
Rev. Mr. Bachiler to be the minister, but because of the "divis- ions & contentions which are among the inhabitants there" the General Court ordered that the matter be deferred till the Court at Boston or Ipswich (upon further satisfaction of their recon- ciliation and fitness) shall give allowance thereto. It would seem that those early settlers were so outspoken and strenuous in the exercise of their strong personal convictions as for a time to bar them from the religious privileges they were so anxious to enjoy.
At a town meeting held May 25, 1646, Edward Hilton and Thomas King were chosen to purchase Mr. Wheelwright's house and land for a parsonage for Mr. Nathaniel Norcrosse, and it was agreed that every inhabitant of the town shall pay his proportion of the expense. At the same time Thomas Jones, Robert Hithersay, Humphrey Willson, Abraham Drake, Nicholas. Swain, Robert R. Smith, John Cram, Thomas Pettit, Frances P. Swain, Anthony Stanyan, Samuel Greenfield, John Smart, James. Wall, Henry Roby, Nathaniel Boulter and John Legat entered their names on the town book binding themselves "to saue harme- less the sayd purchasers If our somas do not Amount vnto the full price of the sayd purchase."
On November 16, 1648, the town voted to extend a call to a. minister of Braintree, Mass. This seems to have proved un- availing, and on April 22, 1649, Mr. Emerson of Rowley, Mass., was invited to become minister, but he declined the call.
The same year James Wall, John Legat and John Cram were elected townsmen of Exeter. John Legat was chosen clerk, and was to have four pence for every "order," and five pence for every grant to be paid by the person to whom the grant was made.
It is evident that the people valued their religious privileges- for we find them zealous in their endeavors to avail themselves of a permanent ministry, and provide first of all for its main- tenance. Whether few or many of the settlers were members of the church all felt themselves to be authorized defenders, and all were cheerful supporters of the church. On April 22, 1650, those "chosen for the ordreinge of the sole afares of the Towne," ordered first "that euerie inhabitant of the towne shall pay for euery thousand of pipes staues they make, tow shillinges wich shall bee for the mentainence of the minuistre and for
26
HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
eury thousand of hogshed staues one shillinge six pence, and for euery thousand of boultes that is sould before they bee made into staiveses fore shillinges, and also what is due from the sawe milles shall bee for the maintenence of the minnistree." It was also ordered that any man delivering any staves or bolts before he has satisfied the town orders shall pay ten shillings for every thousand of staves, and twenty shillings for every thousand bolts. These orders were signed by Edward Hilton, Edward Gil- man, John Cram, Thomas Pettit, John Gilman and Henry Roby.
Early this year the town extended a call to Rev. Samuel Dud- ley to become its minister which was successful, as we learn from the record of a town meeting held May 13, 1650, when it was "unanimously Agreed by Mr Samuel Dudley and the Towne That Mr Dudley Is fourthwith so soone As comfortable subsistance can be made by the Towne for him and his famelye In the house wch was purchased of Mr Whelwrit, That then the said Mr Dudley Is to com to Inhabet att Exeter And to be A minester of God's word vnto vs vntil such time as God sheall be pleased to make way for the gathering of A church, And then he to be ordained or Pastor or teacher According to the ordinance of God. And in Consideration of this promise of Mr Dudley The Towne doth mutually Agree to fitt vp the Aforesaid house And to fence In A yard and gardon for the said M' Dudley And to Allow fourtey pounds A yeare towards the maintenance of the said mr Dudley and his family, and that the vse and sole Im- provement of the Aforesaid house bought of Mr Whelwrit and All the lands and meddows there vnto belonging shall be to the propper vse of him the said mr Dudley dureing the time that he shall continue to be A minester of the word Amongst vs. And what Cost the said M' Dudley shall bestowe About the said house and lands In the time of his Improuement, The Towne Is to Al- low vnto him or his so much as the said house or lands are bet- tered by It att the time of the saide m' Dudlyes leaueing of It either by death or by some more then ordenarey Call of God otherwais. And It is further Agreed vpon that the ould cow house which was mr Whelwrits shall by the Town be fixed vp fitt for the setting of Cattle In, And that the Aforesaid pay of 40 £ A yeare Is to be made In good pay euerey halfe yeare In Corne
27
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS.
and English comodities att A price current as they goo gin- erally In the country att the time or times of payment.
To the pmisses wch concerne myselfe I consent vnto. Witness my hand.
SAM. DUDLEY.
And for the Townes p'formance of there part of this Aforesa Agreement, we whose names are here vnder written do Joyntely and seuerally engagge o" selues to m' Dudley. witnes or hands.
EDWARD HILTON, EDWARD GILMAN, JNº LEGAT, HENRY ROBY, JAMES WALL, HUMPERE WILSON."
On June 26, 1650, it was decided to build a meeting house twenty feet square. It was also voted "That the bridges, stocks, and wach house shall be maintained and finished by the Townes Labore."
Though a decision had been made to build a meeting house, it seems that the work for some reason was delayed, for we find another record of a meeting July 8, 1652, when it was ordered "that the meeting house shall forthwith be built and that euerey man both seruants as well as others, shall com forth to work vpon It as they are Called out by the Seruayers of the work vpon the penaltye of 5s A day for euerey dayes neglect, and teames are to be brought forth to the work by the oners as they are called for by the said seruayers vpon the penalltye of 10s A day for there neglect. And the seuayers or ouerseers Appointed for the sd work are m" Edw. Gillman, Tho. King and Edw. Hil- ton Jun. and they are to see the work fineshed and not to have it neglected."
At a later town meeting October 23, 1652, John Robinson and John Gilman were chosen in the place of Edward Gilman and Edward Hilton, "hauinge the same power giuen them to man- age or cary on the work aboute the meetinge howse with Thomas Kinge, according to the formur acte of the towne."
At the same meeting Mr. Colcord, John Legat, and Thomas
28
HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
Biggs are "Appointed to call to Accounte the owners of the sawmills and to make demand of such bord or planke as are due to the Towne, and vpon non payment to take A legall Course for the Recouerey of the same."
At a meeting held February 15, 1654, Mr. Colcord, Nicholas Leson and Thomas Biggs were granted power "to call the saw mills to acount and likwis to Reseaue payment acording as they shall see met for time past and likewise for this present yeare coming."
October 31, 1655, at the request of the town of Hampton the fifth day of every week was "ordered" as a market day.1
At a town meeting held April 28, 1656, a vote was passed re- quiring all the sawmills of the town to be rated "for the main- taining of the publique ordinances-Mr. Hilton's mill at fifty shillings."
On March 4, 1658, Mr. Dudley and Mr. Hilton were given power by the town to treat with Captain Wiggin and agree with him as to the annual payment he is to make to the town towards the support of the public ministry according to present and future rates "by the sawmills and pipe staves."
On July 26, 1665, Edward Hilton, John Foulsham, Philip Chesley, Anthony Brackett, William Cotton, Robert Watson, John Pike and others petitioned the King to free them from the jurisdiction of Massachusetts and join them to the Province of Maine "that they may be goved by the knowne lawes of Eng- land and enjoy the use of both the sacramts wch they have bin too long deprived of." The petition sent from Portsmouth com- plained that the Government of Massachusetts "have kept us under hard servitude, and denyed us in our publique meeting the Common prayer Sacramts and decent buriall of the dead contrary to the Laws of England & his Majties Ive sent by Simon Bradstreet & John Norton in the yeare 1662."
Nicholas Shapleigh, May 20, 1667, recommended to Mr. Mason that Edward Hilton and others be commissioned to look after his interests here, and "to joyin the Governmnt to the prouince of Maine."
The letters also notified Mason that "Seuerall masts2 which
1 Fairs and market days obviated the necessity of any early stores.
2 While New Hampshire was a royal province, it was the custom for the king's surveyor to pass through the forests and put a certain mark, called a broad
29
EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND MINISTERS.
were cutt and taken of the property On the shipp the greate Duke of Yorke are Loaden Seuerall &c" and suggests the arrest of Richard Walderne and Peter Coffin "for their soe cutting and carying away the Masts aforesaid," and leaders in favor of Massachusetts and against Mason.
It is recorded at the same time, that Richard Walderne and Peter Coffin have "encouaged many to ship to the Govment of the Massachusetts," and their arrest is recommended for cut- ting and carrying away from Mason's claims, several masts laden on "the shipp the greate Duke of Yorke."
"That all the masts sent his Majtee fom New England upon the shipp called the Greate Duke of York or yt had been sent for England Two years before were cutt of the Lands of Robt Mason."
In 1677 the following Exeter men are recorded as favoring continuance with Massachusetts: "Sam Dudley, John Gilman, Rob: Wadleigh, Robert Smart, senior, Samuel Leane, John Foullsom, Jnath. Thing, Bily Dudley, Daniel Gilman, Ralph Hall, Samewell ffoulsham, Peter ffoullsham, Eph ffoulsham, Charles Gliten, Samuel Hall, Antipas Maverick, John Gillen guner, Conealles Learey, Edward Gilman, William More, Thomas Rolines, Linsley (Kingsley) Hall, Humphrey Wilson."
As reference has already been made to rates to meet civil and ministerial expenses, to give an idea of what they were we append :
The Province rate for 1680, made April 20, for Exeter.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
Imp. Gov. Rob Wadlee 106 George Jones, 0- 6- 6
Mr. Moses Gilman,
1- 2 0 Jona'n Robinson, 0- 5- 2
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