USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Plymouth > History of Plymouth, New Hampshire; vol. I. Narrative--vol. II. Genealogies, Volume I > Part 9
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We your humble petitioners beg leave to lay before you our Remon- strances against the proceedings at a Meeting of Number of the Inhabit- ants of this Town together with a few from the Towns of New Chester Cockermouth and Alexandria, held at the Court-House in Plimouth, the 12th of this Instant in order to make choice of a delegate to represent said Towns in Provincial Congress.
We beg leave to inform your Honors, that the Inhabitants of the Town of Alexandria by reason of the distance of Way and Difficulty of Travel- ing at this time of the Year convened and chose Men and sent them to Plimouth to act in behalf of the Town; but they were suffered to act in no other Capacity than as Individuals, by which means they were de- prived of a Share in the Choice of a Representative. Also that a party Spirit has much prevailed in this Town of late which we are very sorry for - And we think sundry People have been influenced thereby -And that the Gentleman lately elected was chosen by a party. And we think Things have not been fairly conducted.
We are dissatisfied with the above proceedings, therefore beg of your VOL. I .- 7
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Honors to condescend so far as to grant a Warrant for another Meeting or permit another Choice to be made in such a Manner as that the whole may have a Voice in said Election.
David Webster
Stephen Webster Jun' John Webber
Silas Brown Jacob Marsh Jonas Ward
Sam1 Dearborn
Samuel Marsh Amos Fisk
Edward Evans
Benjamin Dearborn Paul Wells
Onesipherous Marsh Peter Emerson
Josiah Brown
Benjamin Wells
Winthrop Wells
Joseph Read
At the same time twenty-seven men of Alexandria preferred a remonstrance reciting that two selectmen attended the election for the purpose of voting for all the voters of that town, " And the Modretar Refused to Let them cerrey in Votes for the Legal Voters of sª Toun Without evir Puting it to Vot to Se Whither the Rist of the towns Wood consent of it."
These remonstrances were considered by the congress, and the following entries were made in the journal: -
The Petition of the Inhabitants of Alexandria &C against the election of Mr. Samuel Emerson as a member of this Congress being read & considered,
Voted, That the said Samuel Emerson was duly Elected and that he Take his seat in this House accordingly.
In this election of Samuel Emerson to the fifth provincial con- gress the Webster party of Plymouth for the first time was defeated and Abel Webster was suddenly retired from public ser- vice. In future years the defeated party was compensated with many victories and its leaders rewarded with increasing honors. In cordially congratulating Samuel Emerson upon the earliest of his many substantial preferments, we feel an instant regret in the absence of Abel Webster from the arena of public affairs. He had been a faithful servant of the people and a consistent advocate of the cause of independence, and while the journals of the congresses are abbreviated, they afford ample evidence of the dignity and ability of the delegate from Plymouth in an eventful and exacting period of the history of New Hampshire.
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THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
IX. THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
TT was scarce twelve years since Plymouth was an unbroken forest. The growth of the colony on the Pemigewasset had been constant and substantial. In 1776 there were four hundred men, women, and children dwelling in the township. The homes of brave men were grouped in the fertile intervales and scattered among the clearings on the hillsides. In the annals of New Hampshire it will be difficult to discover a settlement so young in years and so few in numbers containing men of equal intel- ligence and courage. Here were the homes of Francis Worcester, Abel, Stephen, and David Webster, Moses Dow, David Hobart, Benjamin Goold, Samuel Emerson, Ebenezer and James Blodgett, Benjamin and Samuel Dearborn, Jotham Cummings, Josiah Brown, Jacob Merrill, Winthrop Wells, Zachariah Parker, Elisha Bean, William Nevins, Thomas Lucas, James Harvell, James Hobart, Samuel Marsh, John Willoughby, and other brave men who loyally supported every civil order and war measure of the new government of New Hampshire. Captains in war and coun- sellors in town meetings, these fearless and sagacious leaders added dignity to the zeal of the growing settlement. The fifth provin- cial congress, which convened in December, 1775, resolved itself into a house of representatives, and on the fifth day of January adopted a temporary constitution. By the terms of this instru- ment a distinct and co-ordinate branch of the legislature was created, which, following the usage of the colony, was called the council. In later times this body has been styled the senate. Grafton County was permitted to elect one of the twelve council- lors. During the Revolution and the period of the temporary constitution there was no governor. The council and the house,
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
or the committee of safety, during recesses of the legislature exercised executive functions. For the political year 1776 the councillors were elected by the house of representatives, and in subsequent years by the people. In an election of the first council John Hurd of Haverhill was selected for Grafton County. As stated in the preceding chapter, the fourth provincial congress adopted a plan of representation for the succeeding congress which became a legislature, by which all the smaller towns of the colony and all the towns of Grafton County were classed, and each class entitled to one representative. There were six classes in Grafton County,1 and five were represented in 1776. The towns in the Hanover and Lebanon class refused to send a representative. This refusal to send a representative from one of the classes is a first open expression of dissatisfaction with the government at Exeter, which, during the Revolution, found repeated expression in the towns near the Connecticut River. Several conventions were assembled and resolutions of severe criticism were adopted. This rebellion within a revolution, logically advanced and in a measure justifiable, is a proper subject for an important chapter in the history of Grafton County. In the assembly of the malcontents Plymouth was not represented, and in the Vermont controversy this town was not involved. In any trial for such offences the men of Plymouth, in the story of loyal service, set up an alibi. The provincial congresses attempted to reorganize the military arm of the government, but paid little attention to civil affairs. The appointments made and commissions issued by Governor Went- worth were void, civil offices were vacated, and the courts were
1 For the purpose of representation the thirty-four towns of Grafton County were divided into six classes, as follows : -
1. Plymouth, Cockermouth, New Chester, and Alexandria.
2. Hanover, Lebanon, Relhan, Canaan, Cardigan, and Grafton.
3. Haverhill, Bath, Lyman, Gunthwait, Landaff, and Morristown.
4. Rumney, Holderness, Campton, and Thornton.
5. Orford, Lyme, Piermont, Dorchester, Wentworth, and Warren.
6. Lancaster, Apthorp, Northumberland, Stratford, Cockburn, Colburn, Conway, Shelburne, and other towns above.
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THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
closed. Only a commendable temper and behavior preserved an orderly conduct of the people.
In January, 1776, the legislature effected a reorganization of State and county administration, and in Grafton County the fol- lowing appointments were made: -
Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas - John Hurd of Haver- hill. Justices - Elisha Payne of Lebanon, Bezaleel Woodward of Han- over and Samuel Emerson of Plymouth.
Judge of Probate - Israel Morey of Orford
Register of Probate - Elisha Payne of Lebanon
Sheriff - Jotham Cummings of Plymouth.
County Treasurer - John Hurd of Haverhill
Recorder of Deeds - John Hurd of Haverhill
Coroner - Francis Worcester of Plymouth
John Hurd of Haverhill, Samuel Emerson of Plymouth, and Daniel Brainerd of Rumney were designated to administer the oaths to the county officers and to transfer to them the county records.
Comparing the new roster with the appointments made by Governor Wentworth in 1773, the three appointments of John Hurd and the appointment of Bezaleel Woodward were reappoint- ments. David Hobart, being engaged in military duties, and Asa Porter, living on " Tory road," were succeeded as judges by Samuel Emerson and Elisha Payne. Jonathan M. Sewall, the Register of Probate, did not become a permanent resident of the county, and was succeeded by Elisha Payne. Col. John Fenton, for obvious reasons, had vacated the office of Judge of Probate, and Israel Morey was appointed. William Simpson, the sheriff, for reasons not now discernible, was succeeded by Jotham Cummings. To these appointments was added that of Samuel Emerson, the first Justice of the Peace under the new government.
The second year of the war was eventful. The last hope of an amicable adjustment of difficulties with the mother country had expired. The early hesitating measures of resistance and defence on the part of the colonies now assume the gravity and dignity of
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
war. The British government no longer oppresses a dependent, but engages in grim war with a nation.
In January the house of representatives directed the receiver- general to purchase firearms for the use of New Hampshire, and directed that each musket purchased should be tested in the pres- ence of the receiver-general " with four Inches & a half of Powder well wadded at the owners own Risque." The legislature assumed the risk of the receiver-general. At the same time it was ordered " that there be appointed one Good man well approved in each County to receive any fire arms so made in said County." Samuel Emerson was the good man well approved to receive the firearms in Grafton County.
On account of the exposure of their situation, and in anticipa- tion of other demands upon the frontiers, it is not probable that Grafton County furnished many, or that Plymouth furnished any, men to recruit the three continental regiments in the field.
Being advised to such proceeding by letters from General Wash- ington, the house of representatives voted, January 20, " to raise one Regiment of Soldiers Forthwith to Consist of Eight Com- panies," and it was further ordered that the regiment shall be raised for the northern army commanded by General Schuyler in Canada and shall serve until the first of next January unless sooner discharged. The regiment was hastily raised and equipped, and Col. Timothy Bedel was appointed to the command. The story of the forced march of this regiment into Canada, the valor and misfortunes of the men, the surrender of a detachment at the Cedars, and a broken army retreating from Canada is a sad but interesting chapter in the annals of New Hampshire.
In the company of this regiment, commanded by Capt. Edward Everett of Rumney, were sixteen Plymouth men. They enlisted in January and February and were in the service very nearly one year. In this company Amos Webster, a younger brother of Col. David Webster, was an ensign, and Paul Wells and William Tarl- ton were sergeants. The other men from Plymouth were Edward Evans, Nathaniel Webster, Ebenezer Blodgett, Thomas Lucas,
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THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
Ezekiel Keyes, Stephen Keyes, David Nevins, David Nevins, Jr., Nehemiah Snow, Nahum Powers, James Barnes, Joseph Hobart, and Jeremiah Blodgett. John Calef of this town was in Captain Young's company. Samuel Wallace, whose residence at this time is uncertain, was in Captain Wilkins' company, and Starling Heath, who served in Captain Everett's company, at this time was a resi- dent of New Chester. In this arduous campaign occurred the loss of the second and the third Plymouth men who died in the service. At the time of the retreat from Canada, at or near Ticonderoga, Ebenezer Blodgett and Jeremiah Blodgett died of camp fever. They were brothers, and sons of Jeremiah Blodgett of Hudson. They came to Plymouth several years before the war, and both were married in this town. For some reason the name of Jere- miah Blodgett is not found on the roll of the company, but there is unmistakable evidence that the two brothers enlisted and served in the army together, and that both died about the same time. The father, receiving intelligence of their sickness, hastened from Hud- son to Ticonderoga, and was there apprised of their death. He bore the contagion of camp fever to his home, and another member of his family sickened and died.
The misfortune of the army in Canada, and the retreat before a pursuing and well-armed foe, cast a gloom over New Hampshire. On the frontiers there were forebodings approaching a panic. These fears were not groundless. From nearly every town on the Connecticut River and the northern frontier the government re- ceived petitions for arms and military supplies. In the archives of the State is preserved a petition preferred at this time by the selectmen of Plymouth. They had brave men to defend them, trusted captains to lead them, and a beloved and devout pastor to pray with them. The petition is instructive. They had the re- maining essentials, and all they requested was a good supply of guns and powder and lead.
The petition of us the Subscribers humbly sheweth :
That the Inhabitants of the Town of Plymouth in said Colony upon receiving intelligence from Haverhill & Newbury of Coos, that our army
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
in Canada has been obliged to Retreat to St. Johns & that the Inhabit- ants on Onion River had moved off on that account, and if our Army should be obliged to make a further Retreat it must leave the settlements on Connecticut River and the Frontiers which we have reason to expect will be infested very soon with enemy -- which as we are the next con- siderable Inhabitants, as also the adjacent towns must be in a dangerous scituation, which gives great distress & uneasiness to said Inhabitants and more especially as we are deficient in firearms & almost void of ammonition, and for which deficiency it is at present out of our Power to extricate ourselves from, without the assistants and help of the Colony : we therefore pray your Honours to take our case into consid- eration and grant us out of the stock of said Colony for said town of Plymouth, to be accountable for, one hundred pounds of Powder, and about Forty fire-arms & about one hundred weight of lead.
SAMUEL EMERSON EBENEZER BLODGET Select Men. JAMES HARVELL
About the same time the selectmen of Walpole wrote the gov- ernment at Exeter, " The alarming News from our Northern Army excites in us Ideas big with concern. We behold our Wives and our more helpless Offspring an easy Prey to Savages whose tender mercies are cruelty." They also apply for arms and ammunition.
The selectmen and committee of safety of Holderness repeat the rumors that were prevailing and continue " apperhending our- selves in the greatest danger from the troops and scouting parties of Indians that may be sent down to annoy and destroy us; and being in no capacity for defence do in behalf of the said town pray your honours to send us by the bearer hereof, Mr. Samuel Curry, the necessary powder musquet balls and flints for thirty three able and effective men, belonging to the said town, who are ready with their lives and fortunes to assert and maintain the American cause."
Other towns on the frontiers, by swift messengers, forwarded similar communications, and New Hampshire begged of Massa- chusetts the loan of thirty or forty barrels of gunpowder.
While these petitions were accumulating, and influenced by the
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THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
conditions which prompted them, the government ordered the enlistment of four companies for the protection of the menaced frontiers. In the language of the journal, " The Committee of both houses agree to report, that they advise the raising of two hundred men to guard the western frontiers and that enlisting orders be given to persons to raise four companies of fifty men each. . . . And that they would advise that the raising the men be attempted on Pemigewasset river and across the middle of the colony. ... That Col. Ashley, Col. Connor, Samuel Emerson, Esq. and Col. Hurd be recommended to enlist the companies." The four companies were raised, and the rolls are found in the printed Revolutionary records: Capt. Thomas Simpson of Haver- hill, with fifty-two men serving two months; Capt. Samuel Atkin- son of Boscawen, with fifty men serving three months; Capt. Josiah Russell of Plainfield, with fifty-four men serving two months, and Capt. Jeremiah Eames, with fifty men serving from July 13 until Oct. 13, 1776.
The men enlisted "on the Pemigewasset " were in the com- pany commanded by Capt. Jeremiah Eames of Northumberland, whom the committee of safety instructed as follows : -
To Capt. Jeremiah Eames.
You are hereby authorized to enlist fifty good able bodied and effective men to serve as soldiers under you for three months, unless sooner discharged, as scouting parties to make their head quarters at Great Cohoss, not taking more than ten of the inhabitance of Great Cohoss in the number. And you are to make return as often as you can conviently of your routes discoveries &c.
Of this company Zachariah Parker of Plymouth was a lieu- tenant, and the other men from this town were Dr. Abijah Wright, Samuel Marsh, James Whiting, David Cunningham, John Wil- loughby, and Edward Taylor. They had headquarters at North- umberland, erecting Fort Weare and guarding in detachments many miles of frontier. One Jacob Draper served in Captain Eames' company, and possibly the same who removed to Ply- mouth, 1790.
10€
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTII.
Moor Russell, subsequently an honored citizen of Plymouth, while a resident of Haverhill served in Capt. Josiah Russell's company, and Jonathan Robbins, then a resident of New Ipswich, was a lieutenant in Capt. Samuel Atkinson's company, and when discharged from service he removed immediately to Plymouth. John Phillips of Plymouth served in Capt. Thomas Simpson's company. Thus the town was represented in each of the four companies raised to defend the frontiers.
During this season of frequent alarms, and while a general fear of invasion was prevailing, the patriots of this town performed a gallant and meritorious service. Plymouth, like the other frontier towns, was exposed to a common danger, but they heard the cry of Haverhill and of Lancaster and marched to their relief. The company or detachment was under the command of Lieut .- Col. David Webster, and was absent from home seventeen days. A roll of the company is not found in the State archives, and the number and the names of the men are probably lost forever. The evidence of this service is found in a schedule of New Hamp- shire companies and regiments in the Revolution, which was pre- pared by the commissioners in their statement of the demands of the State against the United States. The item is as follows: -
Lieut. Col. David Webster's company at Coos from June 29 to July, 15, 1776.
In the summer of this year the government raised two regi- ments to re-enforce the northern army. These were commanded by Colonel Wyman and Colonel Wingate. In the assignment of the number of men to be raised in each geographical regiment, for obvious reasons the frontier regiments were excused, and none of the men were enlisted in the regiments of Colonel Hobart, Colonel Chase, and Colonel Morey. The very few men from Grafton County in this service probably enlisted from some other locality. Thomas McClure of Plymouth served in Captain Bar- ron's company of Colonel Wyman's regiment. This company was raised in Merrimack and vicinity.
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THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
In September New Hampshire raised an additional regiment to re-enforce the army in New York. The colonel was Nahum Baldwin of Amherst, and in the company of Capt. John House of Hanover were five men from Plymouth. They were Abel Webster, Amos Thompson, Nehemiah Hardy, Daniel Wheeler, and David Durkee. The regiment was in the battle of White Plains, and was dismissed in December. Samuel Wallace was in this company, but he was not then a resident of this town. In the regiment raised in this State in December, and commanded by Col. David Gilman of Pembroke, were two men from Ply- mouth. They were Henry Snow and Ebenezer Keyes. The regi- ment participated in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, and was discharged in March, 1777. Solomon Blood, who served in Colonel Gilman's regiment, had resided in this town. After 1774 he lived in Groton, and is properly credited to that town.
In 1776 Benjamin Snow of Plymouth was commissioned an ensign in the continental service. He will be the subject of a paragraph in the following chapter. The record of this eventful year includes the service of thirty-one residents of Plymouth and of several who subsequently became valued citizens of the town.
In the paragraph concerning Colonel Bedel's regiment reference was made to the surrender of a detachment of the army at the Cedars. Nahum Powers, Ebenezer Blodgett, and James Barnes are named in the list of the men surrendered, May 21, 1776, pub- lished in Force's Archives.
The history and character of the Association Test are familiar to all. The returns from nearly one hundred towns are preserved. There is no return from this town, and if the paper was circulated and signed by the men of Plymouth it has been lost. There are returns from Lebanon, Enfield, Piermont, and Canaan, and from no other town of Grafton County.
There is no available explanation of the following charges against the town. The originals are found in the State archives.
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
1776 The Town of Plymouth
To Abel Webster Dr
February. To myself, horse & Expense in a journey to Bath after the Indians, on account of one being sick at Boscawen £1-7-0
March - To myself, two horses a man & Expenses in a journey to Orford transporting 1 dead & 1 live Indian 1 .- 13-0
£3-0-0
The Town of Plymouth
To Samuel Dearborn Dr.
Feb'y 1776. To myself, horse & Expense in a journey to Haverhill helping to transport a live Indian and a dead Indian £, 0 .- 18-0
Which of these two was a good Indian is declared in a common saying, but how one of them became dead is not known, and it is now too late to hold an inquest.
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THE REVOLUTION, 1777.
X. THE REVOLUTION, 1777.
TN the New England towns and homes this was the saddest and most gloomy year of the war. The increasing burden of public charges was onerous, and the taxgatherer consumed the products of industry and the fruits of the farm. The discouragements of the hour were accumulative. To further test the courage and the faith of the patriot was added the depressing intelligence of the retreat of the Americans from Ticonderoga, and the unobstructed advance of the proud and well-equipped army under Burgoyne. Apparently incursions and invasions by the enemy were inevitable, and again the frontiers were menaced with instant danger. The details of 1777 are extended, but the summary is concise. Ply- mouth paid the taxes and raised the men.
The three continental regiments, formerly commanded by Cols. John Stark, James Reed, and Enoch Poor, were reorganized and placed under the command of Cols. Joseph Cilley, Nathan Hale, and Alexander Scammell. During the retreat from Ticonderoga Colonel Hale was made a prisoner, and Col. George Reid of Lon- donderry subsequently commanded the second continental regi- ment. To avoid the inconvenience experienced in the past, it was ordered to fill these regiments with men enlisted for three years or for the war. The quota of Col. David Hobart's regiment was 47, to be distributed among the towns of his regiment on the basis of the number of men in each town from sixteen to fifty years of age. The number of men enrolled in Plymouth was 91, Thornton 54, Rumney 52, Campton 45, New Chester 38, Holderness 36, Alexandria 34, and Cockermouth 28. The quota of Plymouth was 11, which was promptly filled. They were Paul Wells, James
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTHI.
Barnes, Elijah Lucas, Samuel Hull, Nathaniel Hull, Silas Brown, Joseph Hobart, John Phillips, Abel Webster, Jr., Edward Evans, and Benjamin Phillips. Ten of the eleven men on the quota of Plymouth were assigned to one company in Colonel Scammell's regiment. The officers of this company were Capt. Benjamin Stone of Atkinson, First Lieut. Benjamin Hickok of Campton, Second Lieut. Amos Webster of Plymouth, and Ensign Joshua Eaton of Goffstown. Being a commissioned officer, Lieut. Amos Webster was not allowed on the quota of the town. Benjamin Phillips, the eleventh man on the quota, was assigned to the company commanded by Capt. John House in Colonel Cilley's regiment.
Having fully answered the requisition of the State for men, the patriotism of Plymouth was not exhausted, and the ambition of the town was not satisfied. Four additional men enlisted into the continental service. They were David Nevins, Sr., Henry Snow, Josiah Willoughby, and Joseph Smith. Henry Snow was assigned to Captain Frye's company, Colonel Cilley's regiment, and the others served with other Plymouth men in Captain Stone's company.
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