History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches, Part 17

Author: Cogswell, Elliott C. (Elliott Colby), 1814-1887; Northwood (N.H.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Manchester [N.H.] : J.B. Clarke
Number of Pages: 936


USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Northwood > History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches > Part 17
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Nottingham > History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches > Part 17
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Deerfield > History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches > Part 17


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60


Moses died unmarried.


John married Mary Roberts of Waterborough, Me., and


215


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


lived where John Kelsey resides, and their children were James H., Susan, Eliza, John, Mary, Ichabod, and Hiram. This James was a merchant in Boston, where he died, leav- ing children, Louise and Kate. He had accumulated a large estate.


Hugh married, July 27, 1798, Ann, daughter of John Harvey, and they lived where his son Hugh resides. She was born October 30, 1775, and died February 7, 1857, aged eighty-two ; he died June 4, 1848, aged seventy-four ; their children were James, Hannah, Ann, Abigail, and Hugh. This James died January 3, 1867, unmarried, aged sixty-seven ; Hannah died March 15, 1873, aged sixty- eight ; Ann resides with her brother ; Abigail died October 21, 1835, unmarried, aged twenty-nine ; and Hugh, born Oc- tober 4, 1811, married, 1841, Catherine, daughter of Enoch Emery of Canterbury ; she is a sister of the widow of the late Dr. John Sanborn of Newmarket, and of Dr. Stephen Emery of Fisherville. They have had three children : Abbie Ann, born September 19, 1841, who married, Octo- ber 18, 1860, George W. Stevens, and died April 24, 1862 ; their children were a son, that died early, and Mary Emery, born November 1, 1845, and dicd June 9, 1863. This Stc- vens was a lawyer in Missouri, and died of consumption on his way to Nottingham in 1866. He was born June 21, 1836.


LANGLEY FAMILY.


Little can be gathered of Adalad Langley. He came to Nottingham among the first settlers, was fond of fishing and hunting, and so lived much abroad, and shared largely in the society of the Indians that were found near North Pond and along North River, flowing from it through Tut- tle's Corner. Tradition has it, that he became enamored of a beautiful Indian girl, and made her the mistress of his humble dwelling, and that she proved an excellent wife and mother. They had a son named Benjamin, who settled on Peavey Hill, near Langley Pond. He married, and the issue


1


216


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


was two sons, Thomas and Joseph, and four daughters, Sally, Lovey, Judith, and one other.


Thomas died in 1854, aged sixty. His wife was Lois, born January 9, 1797, daughter of Samuel Emerson, and their children are : Mary Jane, born April 8, 1817 ; Josiah ; and Joseph Longfellow, who resides at the Center.


(1) This Mary Jane married Joseph E. Tilton, who died in 1862, in the army, and their children are : Frank, who. died in the war, before his father, near Benton Roads ; George, who married Dulcine French of Newmarket; and Sarah, who married Albert Smith, and they have one daughter, Effie.


(2) Josiah, son of Thomas and Lois, born October 18, 1818, married Susan, daughter of William Small of North- wood, and their children are John and Mary S. This Jo- siah was for fourteen years connected with the Boston and Maine Railroad. He now resides on his farm in Notting- ham.


(3) Joseph Longfellow, born August 20, 1834, married August 9, 1856, Elizabeth Templeton of Lawrence, Mass. She was born March 12, 1831. This Josiah L. has been connected with railroads, in all, sixteen years ; ten of those years he was on the Boston and Maine. He now resides at the Center. At his house the passengers on the coach from Newmarket to Northwood dine, and here the stranger may find rest by day and slumber by night, undisturbed.


LUCY FAMILY.


Alexander Lucy lived where John H. Chesley resides. He married Eunice Dame, and their children were (1) Ben- jamin, (2) Sally, (3) Hannah, (4) John, (5) Polly, (6) Eunice, (7) Rachel, (8) Thomas, and (9) Fanny.


This Benjamin lived near the late Rev. Alexander Tuttle ; he married Lydia, daughter of the first Stoten Tuttle. Their children were Alexander, John, Sally T., Hannah, Mary J., Mark Sherburn, Eunice, and Lydia O.


217


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


Alexander married, August 3, 1814, Fanny Hatch of Wells, Me., and lived in Jackson, where his children were born ; viz., Angelina Dame, born August 29, 1816 ; Arvilla Hatch, born May 28, 1820.


This Angelina married Andrew G. Gerrish, and lived in Nottingham ; he died, and she married James L. Clark, and had, for children, Andrew James and Albion Gray ; the former married Lydia Kennard, and lived near Alexander Tuttle ; and the latter married Emma Gregg of North Weare, where they now reside. This Angelina died August 24, 1876.


Arvilla married, July 4, 1845, Edward F. Gerrish, and they live in Nottingham.


The first Lucy was colonel of militia. His (Benja- min's) son, born September 22, 1790, died in Nottingham, 1873.


MCCLARY FAMILY.


Andrew McClary is believed to have settled in Notting- ham at an early date. We find him chosen, March 26, 1733 - 34, selectman. He was of Scotch origin, his ancestors having settled, with many other Presbyterians, in Ireland. Hence he emigrated into this country from Ireland, in com- pany with a Harvey family and others. He had a numer- ous family, and in 1738 removed from Nottingham into Epsom, on a beautiful higli swell of land of fertile soil, where he reared his family to habits of industry, cultivat- ing the land and entertaining strangers as a taverner. His son Jolin was born in Ireland, January 1, 1720, and died June 16, 1801. He came over with his father when six years old. He married, January 22, 1746, Elizabeth Harvey, born December 27, 1722, of Nottingham. She came to this country in the same ship with himself, and their children were : (1) Agnes, born December 4, 1746 ; (2) Mary, born October 29, 1748 ; (3) Elizabeth, born December 17, 1750 ; (4) Michael, born December 26, 1752 ; (5) John, born Oc- tober 31, 1754; (6) Andrew, born August 6, 1759, and


218


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


died at Medford December 11, 1775; (7) Elizabeth Harvey, born January 17, 1780, died March 28, 1782 ; (8) Nancy Dearborn, born November 27, 1781, died August 20, 1789 ; (9) John, born January 6, 1784, died June 24, 1784 ; (10) John, born April 24, 1785 ; (11) Andrew, born September 26, 1787 ; (12) Nancy Dearborn, born September 25, 1789.


John was killed in the battle of Saratoga in 1787, while serving as lieutenant in Gen. Whipple's brigadc. Michael was born in Epsom in 1753. He entered the army at the age of twenty-three, and was appointed ensign in Capt. Henry Dearborn's company in Stark's regiment, and ren- dered noble service at the battle of Bunker Hill. He was appointed captain in Col. Scammel's regiment, in 1777. He was in the army four years, and in some of the severest engagements. On leaving the army, he aided in the organ- ization of the state government, and was appointed adju- tant-general, and retained the office twenty-one years. He was elected senator in 1796, and served in that capacity for seven years. He was United-States marshal for many years, including those in which we were at war with Eng- land the second time. He was the favorite son of Epsom, serving her in some capacity for more than fifty years. It was to a great extent through his influence that the New- Hampshire branch of the Society of the Cincinnati was organized, of which he was treasurer for twenty-five years. These Revolutionary officers met annually on the Fourth of July, and three times at his house, where his tall and manly form, his affable and engaging manners, his wit and varied knowledge, rendered him the object of great interest.


He married, in 1779, Sally, daughter Dr. Dearborn, then of North Hampton, and they reared five children : (1) John, born in 1785, and was killed, aged thirty-six, by the falling of a building ; (2) Andrew, born 1787, served as captain in the war of 1812, married Mehitable Duncan of Concord in 1813, sailed to Calcutta, and was lost at sea ; (3) Nancy Dearborn, born in 1789, married Samuel Lord of Ports-


1


219


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


mouth, whose son Augustus now owns much of the McClary estate in Epsom ; (4) Elizabeth Harvey, born in 1791, mar- ried Jonathan Steele, a lawyer, and resided on the home- stead ; (5) Mary, born in 1794, married Amos A. Parker, and lived in Fitzwilliam.


Mary, daughter of Esquire John, and sister of Michael, married Daniel Page of Deerfield. (See sketch of Daniel Page.)


Esquire John McClary was for many years an exemplary Christian, and a deacon of the Congregational Church. He died June 16, 1801, aged eighty-one years, five months, and fifteen days.


This John McClary had three sisters who settled in Ep- som, besides his parents and brother Andrew. The eldest, Margaret, married Dcacon Samuel Wallace ; the second, Jane, married John McGaffy ; and the third, Ann, married Richard Tripp.


Maj, Andrew McClary, son of Andrew, the first settler of the name in Nottingham, and afterwards in Epsom, and brother of the above-named Esquire John, in early life mar- ried Elizabeth McCrillis, by whom he had seven children. His eldest son, James Harvey, was born in 1762, succceded to his father's business as a merchant, farmer, and taverner. He was highly respected ; had great influence in the organ- ization of the Eighteenth Regiment, and was one of its first commanders, and was, in time, promoted to a brigadier- general of the militia. He married Betsey Dearborn of North Hampton, by whom he had six children. The second son of Maj. Andrew, Andrew, jr., was born in 1765, entered the regular army, was promoted to the rank of captain, served for a time on the frontier, was several years clerk in the war department at Washington, where he died in mid- dle life. The major's third son, John; born in 1767, also entered the regular army, was made captain, and died at Fort Gibson. He married Abigail Pearson of Epsom, in 1791, by whom he had one son, Charles, who removed to


220


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


Sanstead, Can. The major's fourth son, William, mar- ried Isabel Dickey, in 1791, and followed his brother into Sanstead. The major's daughter Elizabeth became the wife of Capt. Simon Heath ; and another, Margaret, mar- ried Rev. Mr. Haseltine, pastor of the Congregational Church in Epsom for thirty years ; while a third, Nancy, became the wife of John Stevens.


The widow of Maj. Andrew McClary married Col. Samuel Osgood, in 1794, and died in 1800, aged sixty- seven.


This Maj. Andrew McClary was fond of military tactics, and shared largely in the warlike. spirit of the times. The long-continued French and Indian wars had proved a trying yet valued school, in which the hardy yeomanry had a varied discipline. Their rough scouting-life had rendered them bold and reckless of the perils of war, and made them familiar with all localities, and skillful as marksmen. Rogers had a famous battalion of rangers, and other organizations kept alive the martial spirit be- tween 1760, when " the seven-years war " closed, and the capture of Fort William and Mary, December 14, 1774, which occurred four months prior to the fights at Lexing- ton and Concord. Nottingham, Deerfield, Epsom, North- wood, Chichester, and Pittsfield were organized into a new regiment, called the Twelfth. McClary's tavern was the resort of military characters, where the all-absorbing sub- ject which was agitating the whole country was freely dis- cussed, and the warlike spirit was kindled into a devouring passion. They were anticipating war, and were ready for it. The signal need only be given, and heroes, amid forest homes, would leap to the contest. The battle of Lexington was fought April 19, 1775. This was the signal that started into activity every patriot. Fires were lighted on a thousand hill-tops. A thousand messengers rode with the speed of the wind through every town, calling to arms. As soon as the news reached Exeter of the fray at Lexing-


221


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


ton, one of these messengers started for Nottingham, thence to Deerfield Parade, and thence to Epsom. Young McClary was plowing in the well-known muster-field, when he heard the blowing of horn, and was roused by that tocsin to arms. Like Rome's Cincinnatus, McClary left the plow in the furrow, hastily armed himself, and dashed off to Deer- field, accompanied by a few daring spirits. At the Parade, patriots were waiting for him, and on they go to Notting- ham. Dr. Dearborn and others gave them a cordial and rousing cheer. A company of some eighty heroes - such as none but Sparta ever gave to the world - here assembled by about one o'clock, from Nottingham, Deerfield, Epsom, Chichester, and Northwood, and they leave the Square about four o'clock the same day, traveling all night, and reach Medford early the next morning.


That company was composed of men, many of whom became distinguished in the Revolution at the first, espe- cially for the best march ever recorded in history. It held the post of honor in that glorious engagement at Bunker Hill, and its leading spirits were afterwards always to be found where dangers were thickest and responsibilities greatest.


McClary quickly perceived the absence of appropriate organization, and knew that without it little would be done. Hence he wrote from Cambridge, April 23, 1775, to the Clerk of Provincial Congress, then sitting at Exeter, the following characteristic letter : -


Pray Read the following Letter to the Congress now sitting at Exeter : -


HONORABLE GENTLEMEN, - Being in great haste, but beg leave to give you some broken Intelligence relating to the Army that is now assembled here; the Number is unknown at present, and as there is a Council of War now siting, their Results is still kept a profound secret, the Army has already provided a Number of Canon, there is still more coming, and is providing a great plenty of war-like Stores, Implements and utensils, there's now about Two thousand Brave and hearty resolute New Hampshire men, full of vigor and Blood from the Interior parts of the Province, which labour under a great disadvan- tage, for not being under proper Regulation, for want of Field officers.


222


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


In our present Situation we have no voice in the Council of War which makes a great difficulty. Pray, Gent., take these important matters under your Mature consideration, and I doubt not but your Wisdom will dictate and point out such measures as will be most con- ducive to extricate us from our present difficulties. The Conduct of a certain person Belonging to New Hampshire will have a vast tendency to Stigmatize the Province most Ignominiously ; yesterday it was re- ported throughout New Hampshire Troops that one Mr. Esq" who appeared in the character of a Capt. at the Head of a Company, had been to the General & recd a verbal express from him that all New Hampshire men were dismissed and that they might return home, and by the Insinuation of him and his busy Emissaries, about five or six hundred of our men Inconsiderately march'd off for Home. Capt. Cilley and I was three miles from Cambridge when we rec'd the Intel- ligence which was to our unspeakable Surprise, for to return before the work was done. We immediately repair'd to the General to know the certainty of the Report, and on making application to him he told us that it was an absolute false-hood, for he never had any such thought. Whereas he very highly valued New Hampr men always understand- ing them to be the Best of soldiers, and that he would not have any of them to depart for Home on any consideration whatever, till matters were further compromised, and strictly enquir'd for the man in order to have him confronted. We reply'd the man was departed and there- fore we could not conform with his request. But since we understand that his conduct hath stopp'd a number of men from coming in, and some officers that Tarried has sent for their men to return back.


Pray Gent : don't let it always be Reported that New Hampshire men were always Brave Soldiers, but never no Commander : the disser- tion of those men causes much uneasiness among the remaining Troops, for we are oblig'd to use our utmost Influence to persuade them to Tarry. Gentlemen, I am with all imaginable Respect,


your's & the Country's most obedient Humble servant,


ANDREW McCLARY.


N. B. - Take notice, I never told you that Squire Samuel Dudley was the man who propagated this groundless report.


To THE CLERK OF THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS NOW SITTING AT EXETER.


At Medford, two regiments were organized, composed of New-Hampshire boys. John Stark was chosen to command the first, as colonel, and Andrew McClary, as major. The company that left Nottingham on the 29th of April was


223


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


commanded by Henry Dearborn of Nottingham, as captain, Amos Morrill of Epsom, as lieutenant, and Michael McClary of Epsom, as ensign.


Of the troops stationed around Boston on the 17th of June, about fifteen hundred were actually engaged in the fight at Bunker Hill, of which the larger number were from New Hampshire, connected with the two regiments under Col. John Stark and Col. Joseph Reid. The former regi- ment, under Stark, formed a line behind the rail fence, and heroically defended it, doing fearful execution to the enemy, and were the last to retreat. A commander of one of the companies in this regiment was Henry Dearborn of Nottingham, who was promoted for meritorious conduct to the rank of colonel, in the Revolution ; then United-States marshal, member of Congress, Secretary of War, and, in the war of 1812, commander-in-chief of the American army. The following account of the battle of Bunker Hill was written by his own hand, which cannot fail to interest every son of New Hampshire, especially the descendants of those who marched with him from Nottingham Square : -


Colonel Stark's regiment was quartered at Medford, distant about four miles from the point of anticipated attack. It consisted of thir- teen companies, and was the largest regiment in the army. About ten o'clock in the morning, he received orders to march. The regiment, being destitute of ammunition, formed in front of a house occupied as an arsenal, where each man received a gill cup full of powder, fifteen balls, and one flint. The several captains were then ordered to march their companies to their respective quarters, and to make up their powder and balls into cartridges, with the greatest possible dispatch. As there were scarcely two muskets in a company, of equal calibre, it was necessary to reduce the size of the balls for many of them ; and, as but a small proportion of the men had cartridge-boxes, the remainder made use of powder-horns and ball-pouches.


After completing the necessary preparations for action, the regiment formed and marched about one o'clock. When it reached Charlestown Neck, we found two regiments halted in consequence of a heavy enfi- lading fire thrown across it, of round, bar, and chain shot, from the lively frigate and floating batteries anchored in Charles River and a


224


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


floating battery lying in the River Mystic. Maj. McClary went forward and observed to the commanders, if they did not intend to move on, he wished them to open and let our regiment pass; the latter was im- mediately done. My company being in front, I marched by the side of Col. Stark, who, moving with a very deliberate pace, I suggested the propriety of quickening the march of the regiment, that it might sooner be relieved from the galling cross-fire of the enemy. With a look peculiar to himself, he fixed his eyes upon me, and observed, with great composure, " Dearborn, one fresh man in action is worth teu fatigued ones," and continued to advance in the same cool and collected man- uer. When we had reached Bunker Hill, where Gen. Putnam had taken his station, the regiment halted for a few minutes for the rear to come up. Soon after, the enemy were discovered to have landed on the shore at Morton's Point, in front of Breed's Hill, under cover of a tremendous fire of shot and shell from a battery on Copp's Hill, in Bos- ton, which had opened on the redoubt at daybreak.


Maj .- Gen. Howe and Brig .- Gen. Pigot were the commauders of the British forces which first landed, consisting of four battalions of in- fantry, ten companies of grenadiers, and ten of light infantry, with a train of artillery. They formed as they disembarked, but remained in that position until they were reinforced. At this moment, the vet- eran and gallant Stark harangued his regiment in a short but animated address, then directed them to give three cheers, and made a rapid movement to the rail fence which ran from the left, and about forty yards in the rear of the redoubt, toward the Mystic River.


Part of the grass, having been recently cut, lay in windrows and cocks on the field. Another fence was taken up, the rails run through the one in front, and the hay mown in the vicinity suspended upon them, from the bottom to the top, which had the appearance of a breast- work, but was, in fact, no real cover to the men; it, however, served as a deception to the enemy. This was done by the direction of the Committee of Safety, of which James Winthrop, Esq., who then and now lives in Cambridge, was one, as he has within a few years in- formed me. Mr. Winthrop himself acted as a volunteer on that day, and was wounded iu the battle.


At this moment, our regiment was formed in the rear of the rail fence, with one other small regiment from New Hampshire, under the command of Col. Reid; the fire commenced between the left wing of the . British army, commanded by Gen. Howe, and the troops in the redoubt, under Col. Prescott, while a column of the enemy was advan- cing on our left, on the shore of Mystic River, with an evident intention of turning our left wing; and that veteran and most excellent regiment of Welsh fusileers, so distinguished for its gallant couduct in the bat-


225


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


tle of Minden, advanced in column directly on the rail fence; when within eighty or a hundred yards, it displayed into line with the precis- ion aud firmness of troops on parade, and opened a brisk but regular fire by platoons, which was returned by a well-directed, rapid, and fatal discharge from our whole line.


The action soon became general, and very heavy from right to left. In ten or fifteen minutes the enemy gave way at all points, and re- treated in great disorder, leaving a large number of dead and wounded on the field. The firing ceased for a short time, when the enemy formed, advanced, and recommenced a spirited fire from his whole line. Several attempts were again made to turn our left, but the troops, hav- ing thrown up a slight stone wall ou the bank of the river, and lying down behind it, gave such a deadly fire as cut down almost every man of the party opposed to them; while the fire from the redoubt and the rail fence was so well-directed and so fatal, especially to the British officers, that the whole army was compelled, a second time, to retreat with precipitation and great confusion. At this time the ground was covered with the dead and wounded. Only a few small, detached par- ties again advanced, which kept up a distant, ineffectual, scattering fire, until a strong reinforcement arrived from Boston, which advanced on the southern declivity of the hill, in the rear of Charlestown; it wheeled by platoons to the right and advanced directly on the redoubt without firing a gun. By this time our ammunition was exhausted : a few only had a charge left.


The advancing column made an attempt to carry the redoubt by assault; but, at the first onset, every man that mounted the parapet was cut down by the troops within, who had formed on the opposite side, not being prepared with bayonets to meet a charge. The column wavered for a moment, but soon formed again, when a forward move- meut was made with such spirit and intrepidity as to render the feeble efforts of a handful of men, without the means of defence, unavailing ; and they fled through an open space in the rear of the redoubt, which had been left for a gateway. At this moment, the rear of the British column advanced round the angle of the redoubt, and threw in a gall- ing flank-fire upon our troops, as they rushed from it, which killed and wounded a greater number than had fallen before during the action. The whole of our line immediately gave way and retreated with ra- pidity towards Bunker Hill, carrying off as many of the wounded as possible, so that only thirty-six or seven fell into the hands of the ene- my ; among whom were Lieut .- Col. Parker and two or three other offi- cers, who fell in or near the redoubt.


When the troops arrived at the summit of Bunker Hill, we found Gen. Putnam, with nearly as many men as had been engaged in the


15


226


HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAM.


battle; notwithstanding which, no measures had been taken for rein- forcing us, nor was there a shot fired to cover our retreat, or any move- ment made to check the advance of the enemy to this height; but, on the contrary, Gen. Putnam rode off with a number of spades and pick- axes in his hands, and the troops that had remained with him, inactive, during the whole of the action, although within a few hundred yards of the battle-ground, and no obstacle to impede their movement but musket-balls.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.