USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Newfields > History of Newfields, New Hampshire, 1638-1911 > Part 6
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1 By this process Mr. Hilton came in possession of his grant.
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HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
of a township anciently held their land under the manor law, alloting a portion of the township to each family according to rank or wealth. This practice antedates the remotest history and traditions of our race.
In Massachusetts, Connecticut and Long Island the townships, as corporate land holders were to "go the rounds" of their several tracts, renewing the marks in, the line trees, at regular intervals. And each individual owner of plow-land, mow-land and forest within a "town," must trace his boundary every winter, if his next neighbor located it. The colonists were thus following a custom whose origin is lost in the obscurity of the ages before written records.
It was the township plan that obtained generally in New Eng- land. From the beginning of these colonies the parties fenced their fields together, and shared upland, meadow, and woodland between the families in proportion to their investment, their so- cial importance and some other qualifications not now easily made out.
Each New England family in a town held land in several widely separated pieces. Each individual had his "home lot" and his "acre right" in the undivided meadow, forest and other estates of the "town." "Field meetings" regulated the times of planting and turning of cattle into the "Commons." The "towns" made dividends of lands to individuals. The common field system was only a temporary makeshift.
The Royal Charter vested all power in the General Court. No individual or company could lawfully hold land except by grant of the General Court. Power was granted to the township to hold lands on certain conditions ; to support ministers and main- tain public worship; for self-defence; in 1630, to demand and supply all able-bodied men with firearms; in 1634, to maintain a watch of two men by night, and furnish a place for the safe keeping of arms and ammunition; to apportion taxes on the people; to fix wages of labor when required by employers; in 1635, to provide standard weights and measures; to decide the location of houses; in 1636, to elect constables and surveyors of highways; in 1637, to restrain swine; to nominate to the Gen- eral Court persons "to sell wine and strong water"; in 1639, to erect posts on which intentions of marriage might be lawfully
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IN YE OLDEN TIME.
put in case there was no public lecture; to require to make re- turns of births, marriages and deaths; to select two or three men to lay out highways who were afterwards called "selectmen"; in 1641, to authorize selectmen to lay out town ways and erect town bounds; to send to the General Court the names of all idle and unprofitable persons, and to perambulate their town lines once in three years.
It may be interesting to note that the town was the outgrowth of the wants of the people. Planters would settle compactly for convenience of public worship and defence. The church was a powerful force from within, holding the town compacted. Be- sides the unflagging hostility of the savages for nearly a hun- dred years gave a pressure from without, making it convenient to live on home lots rather than upon farms. Thus the old Eng- lish land community acquired vigor in crossing the sea.
Parishes were ecclesiastical bodies exclusively, and bodies cor- porate only for religious purposes. Each parish was a cor- porate unity. They were generally divided by geographical lines.
After the Indians became hostile every town or neighborhood maintained at least one garrison or "stronghouse," as a refuge for all the settlers when the red man was on the war path. At times all the women and children would be in the garrison for several weeks. These houses were usually owned and occupied by one family, but when used as a garrison the expenses of liv- ing and defence were shared.
In those early days there were few fences and cattle and swine were allowed to run in the highways and on the "common lands" and sometimes overran the limits granted them, thus becoming an annoyance and doing damage. This became an evil which could not long be borne, and a law was passed in 1692, re- quiring that one or more sufficient pounds should be made and maintained in every town for impounding swine or cattle found doing damage.
Wolves were the most troublesome and dangerous animals encountered by the early settlers of New Hampshire.
As early as 1716, laws were passed with a view of lessening their depredations. It was voted, January 8, 1725, "that there be paid out of the Public Treasury for the head of every grown
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HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
wolf thirty shillings besides what is already allowed, which will make the Sum four pounds for every wolf's head killed as above." Under this law, during the years 1735-37, some 550 pounds were paid out. The bounty for killing wolves was in- creased April 11, 1764, from fifty shillings to seven pounds ten shillings new tenor.
The frequency of taverns in the early times when the popula- tion was sparse and travelers were few, excites some surprise. But it must be remembered that the tavern was the common gathering place. It had a bar-room, and a comfortable fireside, and a company who were wont to talk over current events, and express their private opinions. It was considered a respectable place. Inn keepers were considered town officers. Their ap- pointment was an honor and mark of respectability. To obtain a license to keep such a house of entertainment, a man must be of good repute and possessed of a comfortable estate.
But this state of things did not continue. As might have been foreseen and expected, the open bar and jovial company fur- nished occasion for broils and disorders. This led the General Assembly for the public good to pass an act limiting the number of taverns in the town of Exeter to two, and ordering the sup- pression of all tippling houses, and that the justices of the quarter sessions be appointed to license said town. This act was passed December, 1715.
January 3, 1716, it was voted, "That an Act be passed for the suppression of disorders in licensed houses and in ordr thereto that tything men be chosen and sworn in each town within the Province." But those days have vanished. The old taverns and old tavern keepers, with the old stage, will never be re- produced.
There were no regular public conveyances anywhere north of Boston prior to 1761. In the spring of that year the first regular stage line was opened, running from Portsmouth through Newbury, Ipswich and Medford to Boston (or Charles- town ferry). One round trip was made each week. The stage left Staver's Inn, Portsmouth, at 8 a. m., Tuesday, reaching Boston Wednesday night. Returning, left Boston Friday morn- ing and reached Portsmouth Saturday night.
John Balch, postrider, set out from Portsmouth Saturday
1
55
IN YE OLDEN TIME.
morning, July 27, 1781, and rode by way of Conway and Plym- outh to Haverhill, N. H., then down the river to Charlestown, Keene and to Portsmouth again. This was repeated every four- teen days.
The Pascataqua bridge from Durham to Newington was built in 1793-94. It was 2,600 feet long and cost $65,000. A great enterprise for those times !
The first turnpike constructed in New Hampshire was from Concord to Pascataqua bridge, Durham. The company was in- corporated June, 1796.
The first newspaper printed in New Hampshire was the New Hampshire Gazette, first issued October 7, 1756, at Portsmouth.
In those early days houses were first made of logs, and later with frames. The rooms generally were not more than seven feet in height. Some fireplaces would take in wood from four to six feet in length, back logs, fore stick and kindling. On a cold day the fire was a "roarer." Common chairs were bot- tomed with strips of the brown ash. In the company room were from three to six black, high-back, rush-bottomed chairs. In the living room there would be in winter the bed, trundle bed, cradle, spinning wheel, linen wheel, and sometimes the loom. The kitchen "dressers" contained the table furniture of wooden plates, pewter platters, earthern mugs and tin dippers, with knives, and later iron forks and pewter spoons. The knife basket hung at the side of the room. There was also an eight day clock, often without a case, a gun on wooden hooks and on the mantel-piece, a mug of cider and several pipes. Possibly you would see antlers of a moose or deer.
The old settlers used for lights pieces of resinous pitch pine, which, when lighted, were placed in the corner of the fireplace where the smoke would be drawn up the chimney. Sometimes the lighted torch would be carried in the hand about the house and down to the cellar. The light used during the last century was the tallow or wax candle. The wick was made of home- spun tow, linen or cotton. The candle was frequently run in moulds and as often called a "dip" from the manner in which it was usually made. The candle was followed by the old sperm oil lamp, and later by coal gas and kerosene oil.
Their diet also lacked the luxuries of the present day. Pota-
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HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
toes were introduced by the Londonderry settlers in 1719, but very few were raised about the time of the Revolution. Tur- nips and parsnips were grown in large quantities and were the vegetables most commonly used.
One common article of food was bean porridge, which was eaten for breakfast, and often for supper. When milk was plenty it was eaten with brown bread for the evening meal.
Another common article of food was baked pumpkin. A hard shelled pumpkin was selected, a hole cut in the stem end, the seeds and soft portions removed, leaving the solid meat. It was then partly filled with new milk and baked six or eight hours and allowed to cool in the oven. Some ate it with milk from bowls; others poured the milk inside and ate from the pumpkin. Pumpkins were much preferred to squashes and few of the latter were raised.
The bread everywhere eaten was the rye and Indian, morn- ing, noon and night. Rye flour was used as we now use wheat. Indian puddings, both boiled and baked, were almost daily eaten. Some families had 365 Indian bannocks for breakfast, and 365 boiled Indian puddings for dinner, in the year. Their quality was improved by adding beef suet and sweet apples. Wild meats and fish were eaten freely. When salmon or venison was out of season a lamb or calf was right to entertain com- pany of standing and position. Liquors were used freely, all drinking from the same earthen mug or bowl. Prior to the Revolution, no tea, coffee, nor cocoa was used, but instead hop and spruce beer, cider, punch, flip, toddy, rum, eggnog and black strap. The gallon bottle in which drink was carried to the field and forest was called a "rundlet."
They had no sweet corn, but used the old yellow or red field corn to boil, roast or hull. Oat and barley cakes were eaten with relish. Indian hominy and succotash made a feast. Wheat and even rye, was used only for company. Beef steak was little used. Salted beef, pork and fish were common.
Flax was raised in great quantities and pulled by the hand, not mown or reaped. Then came the rotting, threshing, comb- ing, swingling and hetcheling by the men, and the combing and spinning by the women, who also often wove it into cloth for family use.
57
IN YE OLDEN TIME.
Trade was generally by barter. In 1635, musket balls were made to pass as farthings. Not more than twelve could be given in any one payment.
At the bi-centennial celebration at Exeter in 1838, Judge Jeremiah Smith in his historical address, said of Edward Hil- ton : "He can be justly called the Father of New Hampshire." The exact date of his settling upon the Squamscot is not known. Tradition locates him here before the coming of Wheelwright and his associates to Exeter. In the allotment of lands, Wheel- wright certainly concedes Hilton's prior claim to his extensive possessions at Newfields.
These first settlers found a remnant of the Squamscot tribe of Indians in possession of the soil, but they migrated from this vicinity in 1672 and settled on the Hudson River near Troy, N. Y. They were peaceful and friendly, otherwise Mr. Hilton could not have made a home for himself so far from any settle- ment. The natural advantages of the location were appreciated by both the red and white men. Fine forests, convenient water- ways, abundance of fish and before the dam was built at Exeter salmon and bass were very plentiful in their season.
For a century Exeter was on the frontier. Unbroken forests extended to the west, and on the north to Canada. Bears and wolves abounded, and wrought havoc among sheep, swine and poultry, and destroyed much corn. Gen. James Hill was once pursued by a pack of wolves, one jumping upon his horse. A neighbor hearing the wolves and fearing trouble, fired a gun from his door and frightened them away, thus preventing pos- sible harm.
In view of all the hardships and discouragements confronting them, we may say nothing but the hope of better times kept our fathers alive. When many of the eastern settlements were whol- ly broken up, they stood their ground. Thus they gained a reputation for fortitude of which their posterity boast to this day.
The principal garrisons were on high land commanding a view of the river. The Capt. William Hilton garrison, erected about 1680, stood on "Fowler's Hill"- a little west of the present dwelling. It was a log house surrounded by a palisade with a sentry box on the barn. In the Indian attack of 1690, the men
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HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
were at work in the field, and the sentry had fallen asleep. The Indians stealthily approached and fired on the defenceless farm- ers who rushed for the garrison. Some were killed, among them a gentleman who had lately come from England with consider- able money for those times. In that time of terror he had buried his gold in the field and died without revealing the location, and the deposit has not been found to this day. The garrison re- mained till about 1822.
The Col. Edward Hilton garrison (later Col. Winthrop Hil- ton's), stood on or near the site of the first Hilton house, in the field near the family graveyard. In the attack upon the hay- makers in this field in 1706, the Indians intercepted the return of the white men to the garrison.
In 1719 Jeremiah Folsom built a two-story brick garrison house upon the hill south of Lamprey River Village, now the property of Mrs. C. Mathes. This garrison was patterned after the Weeks "Brick House," in Greenland. It stood till 1874.
Susanna Folsom, afterwards Mrs. John Mead, the daughter of Jeremy Folsom, when about ten years of age, stepped to the door one evening at dusk and saw Indians peering around the corner of the house. She quickly shut the door and gave the alarm. All was made secure and there was no trouble.
A brick garrison, built by Capt. Edward Hall in 1722, stood upon the spot now occupied by the residence of George W. Pease. It had a wooden portico over the front door, upon which was a small cannon. One evening the family discovered a pine bush standing in the garden on the south side of the house. Suspecting an Indian might be skulking behind the bush, a gun was fired into it, when the bush toppled over and disap- peared in the darkness. In the morning traces of blood were found. This garrison stood until 1845.
There was a garrison also on Hall's Mill Road at the Hanson place.
The square at Exeter was adorned with stocks and a whipping- post, but we have no tradition of such instruments of punish- ment in Newmarket.
The old "pound" stood on the northeast corner of the burying grounds towards the Junction. It was made of wood.
Teamsters often forded the Squamscot a little below the pres-
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SOME OF THE EARLIEST SETTLERS.
ent bridge. Many crossed the river on the ice in winter. This was done after the bridge was built to avoid the payment of toll.
Most of the houses were unpainted. The first one painted in Newfields was the Dudley Watson house, near the Junction, now the home of Mr. George Robinson. The first meeting house was never painted. Meeting houses were not heated in any way.
Chapter VI.
SOME OF THE EARLIEST SETTLERS.
It is eminently fitting that we should give a prominent place to some of the earliest settlers who had so much to do with the laying of the foundations of the Plantation at Pascataqua, and giving it character, ever acting in the interest of good govern- ment and the best welfare of its civil institutions. Though the dominant motive influencing their coming to America may have been commercial, yet they were deeply cognizant of the fact that the highest commercial prosperity could only be assured as justice and righteousness should rule in the life of the people, and they were ever ready to shape word and action accordingly.
1. Edward Hilton stood at the head of the list who sustained, a sterling character for wisdom and integrity. He had built his house on the Squamscot, December 4, 1639, in a field between the road and the river, a little west of the graves which have since been made there. This is the earliest date on the Exeter records and describes Mr. Hilton's uplands at Newfields and his marshes at Lamprey River. He was possessed of this land about 1628, and it was afterwards sold to some merchants of Bristol, who retained it for about two years. His patent, March 12, 1631, included land on both sides of the Pascataqua, "up to the falls of Squamscot and three miles into the main land for breadth." He assisted in sending a force against the pirates De- cember 5, 1632; was the first magistrate of New Hampshire after the union with Massachusetts, receiving the appointment Oc- tober 7, 1641; assistant for Exeter, 1642-52; townsman, 1645,
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HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
and nearly every year to 1652; one of the purchasers of Rev. Mr. Wheelwright's house and land, May 25, 1646; and sold James, his Indian, to George Carr, 1649. The town of Exeter, April 22, 1649, empowered Edward Hilton, James Wall, John and Robert Smart and Thomas Biggs to set up a sawmill "vpon Pascasoke Riuer which Runs Into Lamprell Riuer." He was appointed April 22, 1650, to make out parish rates in pipe and hogshead staves; May 12, 1650, to make an agreement with Rev. Samuel Dudley on the terms of his settlement "in pipe staves and what is due from the sawmills"; was on a commission to agree with Hampton and Dover about the town bounds Decem- ber 29, 1651; and to go along with Rev. Samuel Dudley to the General Court to assist him respecting the boundaries between Exeter, Hampton and Dover, May 20, 1652. He received a grant of land at Piscassic River one and a fourth miles square, Novem- ber 6, 1652, "in respect that he had been at charges in setting up a sawmill." This mill, for which he was rated £5 to the ministry in 1656, stood on the lower Piscassic, where also he built his "Piscassic house." His upland embraced the whole village of Newfields. Edward Hilton and Valentine Hill settled the line between Exeter and Dover, April 14, 1657. He was chosen March 4, 1658, to treat with Thomas Wiggin respecting his rate toward the public ministry of Exeter; was one of the principal men of the Province and associate 1 on the bench of the Supreme Court, 1661-64 ; left depositions dated 1661, 1662 and 1669. The deposition of 1661 states that Philip Chesley had put aboard the vessel "Nineteen moose skins for Samuel Hall."2
He was one of those commissioned to agree with the court in Boston in behalf of the inhabitants of Pascataqua, the court de- claring May 19, 1669, "that Mr. Edward Hilton is according to the articles, excepted from the County rates; and that accord- ingly he be freed from such impositions, and that the Treasurer of the County discount Mr. Hilton's £20 for public worship."
Mr. Hilton died in the spring of 1671, leaving wife, Katherine - not the mother of his children -, four sons, Edward, Wil- liam, Samuel and Charles, and two daughters, Mrs. Palmer and Mrs. Moulton.
1 The associates continued for some time to be appointed by the General Court. The towns were subsequently authorized to elect then by popular vote. 2 Court Papers, Vol. 1 : 109.
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SOME OF THE EARLIEST SETTLERS.
Letters of administration were granted to the sons March 6, 1671. The estate was appraised March 9 and 10 at 2204 pounds, and described his lands as "ye estate," one mile and forty- eight rods square, his residence as "ye manor house," and re- fers also to the "Purcassett house." The estate was divided January 1, 1677.
Edward Hilton was an enterprising, thrifty leader among men having no doubt many retainers on his princely estates and about his baronial residence.
The deposition of Mr. Hilton dated June 25, 1662, testifies to Philip Chesley's demand made several times on Samuel Hall to recover his "tobacco tongs," which Mr. Hall had failed to return.1
The deposition dated Dover, June 30, 1669, testifies to his hearing Antipas "Mabbricke" say that he gave order to Capt. Walter Barefoot to pay Robert Couch twenty pounds in money for taking his son Moses as an apprentice, and eight pounds to provide his son with clothes; also that Mr. Maverick was to give Moses one year's schooling and at the expiration of his appren- ticeship to furnish him "as much in clothes as he brought with him.''2
At the same time Ann Hilton "aged about 27 years," con- firms the above testimony.3
The sons of Edward Hilton, administrators of the estate, bind themselves jointly by an agreement dated June 28, 1671 :
In consideration of the 3ds of ye sd estate due unto or mother-in-law mrs Katheren Hilton "to pay or cause to be paid unto ye sd mrs Hilton during her naturall Life the just sume of Thirtie pounds pr Annw In Currant New England Siluer or mrchantable goods at money price, to be delivered & paid unto her quarterly at ye place of her abode, & to provide for her a chamber or convenient room with bed & beding suit- able for accomodacions with other necessaries for her comfortable be- ing soe Long as she liueth."4
June 1, 1677, the sons came to the following agreement as to the division of their land :
Edward Hiltons share begins at a creek by Capt. Gilman's farm and runs down to a Creek called Smarts Creeks mouth; Samel. Hiltons
1 Court Papers, Vol. 1: 123.
2 Court Papers, Vol. 1: 281.
3 Court Records, Vol. 1: 285.
4 Records, Vol. 3: 50.
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HISTORY OF NEWFIELDS.
share from that Creek down to ye place where Georg Norten built a vessell thats his share; William Hiltons Share from thence to ye first marsh Point,- so all to run a norwest point in ye woods to ye head of ye land granted. Samll. Hilton & Charles is to have ye old mill and grant with Lampreele Riuer marsh for their shares.
This agreement was duly signed by all, William, as usual, making his W mark.1
2. James Wall came with other carpenters to Pascataqua in the "Pied Cow," under written contract with John Mason, dated March 4, 1634, to build sawmills and houses for him at Newich- wannock; was at Exeter April 3, 1638, as witness to a deed of Wehangnonawit to John Wheelwright and others; signed the Exeter Combination, July 4, 1639; received in the first division of land, December 4, 1639, ten acres and ninety poles upland, and one acre and fifty-four poles marsh with "halfe an acree at Lamproue riuer"; was nominated magistrate "to put an Ishew to small differences amongst us," and also petitioned for peace- able possession of "thouse small quantitie of meddows which are at Lamperell riuer that Douer men now seeme to lay claim to," May 12, 1643; was allowed for "Corne spoyled by swine" and presented Christey Lawson to court for extortion, July 5, 1643; was assigned meadow land August 21, 1643; on committee to meet Dover men at Lamprey River "to consult conclude and bargain with them concerning the making of a bridge ouer the sª Riuer," January 27, 1645; local magistrate, 1646; townsman and was granted permission with Edward Hilton and others to put up a sawmill on Piscassic River, April 22, 1649; committee on the settlement of Rev. Samuel Dudley, May 13, 1650; ap- pointed special surveyor of highways, September 1, 1651, and April 20, 1652; authorized, in behalf of the town to sign a peti- tion to general court respecting the Exeter boundary of Hamp- ton and Dover, October 15, 1651; and died at Hampton October 3, 1659, leaving his second wife, Mary Philbrick, who married (1) Edward Tuck, and two children.
3. Thomas Biggs petitioned that Exeter might be received within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts in May, 1643. Exeter court, September 5, 1643, "ordered that Thomas Biggs shall pay vnto Grifing Mountegu for taking Away his oure 2$ 6ª and
1 Court Records, Vol. 11: 86.
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SOME OF THE EARLIEST SETTLERS.
charges, or a nee owre and the Court charges . .. shall pay vnto the Sagamoure for takeing Away his Net and part of it 5ª . . . shall be whipt 6 strips for takeing Away a sith of Cap- taine Wigons and other petey lasones." The young culprit aft- erwards became a useful citizen. He was granted lands Janu- ary 16, 1646; thirteen acres at the mouth of Lamprey River, February 4, 1646; ten acres February 5, 1646 ; fifty acres, March 4, 1648; sixteen acres, January 12, 1649; twenty acres, Novem- ber 24, 1650; and was granted permission with Edward Hilton and others to set up a sawmill at Piscassic River, April 22, 1649.
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