History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 55

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390

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Cause of Emigration .- The motives that led the Scotch-Irish emigrant of 1719 to sunder all ties with his native land and make for himself a new home in the wilderness were widely different from those which impel the emigrant of today. The former, in the assured hope of securing freedom of con- science and religious liberty, was willing to take his chance in worldly matters. The latter reverses this order, and for the sake of worldly advantage he is willing to imperil his religious interests. Rev. James McGregor, one of the Londonderry emigrants, and their pastor the last ten years of his life, gives the following reasons for their removal to America : "Ist. To avoid oppressive and cruel bondage. 2d. To shun persecution and designed ruin. 3d. To withdraw from the communion of idolaters. 4th. To have an opportunity of worshiping God according to the dictates of conscience and the rules of his inspired Word."

Emigration .- The settlers of Londonderry left their native Ireland late in the spring or early in the summer of 1718, and arrived at Boston, Mass., August 4th of that year. As they were embarking on board the ship at Bel- fast that was to convey them across the sea, an old lady of the kith and kin of the emigrants, too far advanced in life to encounter the perils of the deep, gave them her parting blessing: "Go, and God be wi' ye a' but Willie Humphrey, and he'll be smart enough to take care of himself."

The winter following their arrival in Boston was spent in the harbor of Falmouth, now Portland, Me., under great privations for want of shelter and food, so much so that the great and General Court of Massachusetts aided them to the amount of 100 bushels of meal. Some late changes in the waters of Casco Bay, near the anchorage of their vessel, have revealed among

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other things a stone fireplace built by them and used in cooking their food during their sojourn there.

To Nutfield .- Leaving Falmouth, April 1, 1719, they retraced their steps toward Boston as far as Haverhill, Mass., where they arrived the next day. Here they remained a few days awaiting the selection of land for a town- ship by their agent, James McKean, grandfather of Joseph Mckean, first president of Bowdoin College. This done and a portion of the Nutfield or Chestnut Territory determined upon, a part of the resolute company on the morning of April II, 1719, saddled their horses and struck out into the pathless wilderness in search of their future homes, taking their route over "Providence Hill," in what is now Salem, N. H. Another small company under the guidance of Rev. James McGregor, who had spent the previous winter at Dracut, Mass., engaged in teaching, left that place, and, taking their line of travel up Beaver Brook, joined, by previous arrangement, the Haverhill party near the southern shore of Beaver Pond.

Settlement .- Tying their horses at the foot of the hill, ever since known by the name of Horse Hill, they made survey of the surroundings on foot. They passed around the western end of the pond and along its northern shore, arriving at its most eastern extremity a little after noon. Here, under the spreading branches of a stately oak, one of the ancient lords of the soil, they rested their weary limbs, gratified their religious feelings, and fortified their faith by listening to a discourse from their future pastor, Reverend Mr. McGregor. Returning to their horses, they took a southerly direction to the northern side of a brook, to which they gave the name of West Run- ning Brook. Here they kindled their first fire and encamped for the night. The following day, after a sermon by Mr. McGregor, they made their way back to Haverhill to bring on their families, leaving two young men, John Gregg, son of Capt. James Gregg, and Andrew Walker, to pre-empt the soil and guard their hastily constructed camp. They left a gun and ammunition for their protection and three days' provision for their sustenance. Some unforeseen circumstances prevented the return of the settlers at the allotted time, and the young men fell into peril for want of food. In a few days, however, sixteen men with their families arrived upon the ground, took occupancy of the soil, and the work began in earnest.

First Families .-- The names of these men are as follows : James McKean, John Barnett, Archibald Clendenin, John Mitchell, James Starrett, James Anderson, Randal Alexander, Robert Weir, James Gregg, James Clark, James Nesmith, Allen Anderson, John Morrison, Samuel Allison, Thomas Steele, and John Stuart. Rev. Edward L. Parker, a careful and judicious writer, in his excellent "History of Londonderry," says,-

"These pioneers of the settlement were most of them men in middle life, robust, persevering, and adventurous, well suited to encounter the toils and endure the hardships of such an undertaking. Most of them attained to advanced age. They lived to see their descendants settled around them and the forest converted into a fruitful field. The average age of thirteen of the number was seventy-nine years, six attained to nearly ninety, and two sur- passed it. John Morrison, the oldest of this company, lived to the advanced age of ninety-seven years."

First Land Laid Out in Londonderry .- This was without doubt granted by the Massachusetts Colony to the Indian sagamore Passaconnaway, of

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Pennacook, now Concord, N. H., upon his petition of March 8, 1662, and was surveyed March 27, 1663. It was a tract three miles square, and as it extended one mile and a half east of the Merrimac River, opposite the northern part of the town, must have included a part of Londonderry.

The second grant was by Massachusetts to the proprietors of "Old Dunstable," October 16, 1673. This must have overlapped the territory after- wards Londonderry, as its most "eastern line ran within sight of Beaver Brook."

"Leverett's Farme."-This "farme" was the third grant in order of time, and was to John Leverett, governor of the Massachusetts Colony from 1673 to 1679. It was a "Wilderness Farme" of 1,000 acres, and was situated between what is now Ezekiel's Pond, in Derry, and the Dock. A bridge and the meadows there still bear his name. There is some evidence that the governor sent parties to colonize the grant, but the enterprise failed.

Wheelwright Deed .- The deed of Col. John Wheelwright to the pro- prietors, October 20, 1719, first gave bonds to the territory. It conveyed a tract of land not exceeding ten miles square, bounded on the north by Cheshire, on the east by Haverhill, on the south by Dracut, and on the west by Dunstable. The settlers had, however, taken possession of the soil on the principle of "squatter sovereignty" six months before, under encourage- ment from Governor Shute, of Massachusetts, in accordance with a numer- ously signed petition of the "Inhabitants of ye North of Ireland," dated March 26, 1718.

The First Crops raised by the emigrants were potatoes and flax. They had brought their seed and spinning-wheels from Ireland, and were the first to cultivate the potato and manufacture linen in New England. They appear to have cultivated land in common the summer after their arrival, as there is a tract known by the name of the "Common Field," containing about two and one-half acres, situated a few rods west of the dwelling-house of Mr. Jonathan Cate, in Derry. It was undoubtedly a clearing, and may have been an abandoned planting-ground of the Indians, who were gradually retiring to deeper shades of the wilderness in the wilds of Canada.

Allotment of Lands .- Before the settlers received the deed from Wheel- wright three lots of land had been laid out : the "Common Field," April 18, 1719, only seven days from their arrival; James McKean's home lot, August, 1719; and Robert Wears' home lot of sixty acres, also August, 1719. For some reason no more land was assigned till the following year, when nearly all the 105 home lots were laid out, most of them in the summer and autumn. Afterward, when the town came to receive its charter from the Legislature, several gentlemen residing in Portsmouth, N. H., then called "Strawberry Bank," were admitted as proprietors, making in all about one hundred and twenty-five grantees of the town.

The proprietors designated their different divisions of land as "Home lots, 2d, 3d, and 4th divisions, amendment land, and meadows." The former were sixty acres each, while the other lands varied very much in size.

The lots assigned to each proprietor by the committee are designated by the name of home lots second, third, and fourth divisions, addition land, amendment land, and meadows. The home lots were sixty acres each, the second divisions forty acres amendment land, "to make up to every proprietor what his Home Lot wanted in quality to make equal with what was termed

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'The Precept.' " The Precept was the home lot of John Stuart, agreed upon as a fair average of lots, and to this all others were compared. If a pro- prietor deemed his sixty acres of less value than John Stuart's lot, and the lot-layers concurred in this opinion, they laid out to him amendment land in quantity sufficient to equalize his interest.

The second division was made as soon as the settlers began to feel them- selves "straitened for want of room." At first no reserve was made for land for roads, and this oversight was remedied by laying out tracts isolated from the home farm in lieu of land taken for highways.

The meadows were of great value, for it was from them that the settlers for a long time obtained the means of keeping their cattle and horses. Every proprietor therefore had a small piece of meadow assigned to him, and it often happened that it was located many miles from his home lot. The quantity of this sort of land allotted to each one varied from one-quarter of an acre to one and a half acres. The rule adopted was that each proprietor should have land enough to yield "three small loads of hay." These meadows must have had astonishing fertility, as many of them yield great burdens after undergoing the discipline of 195 years' cropping without the smallest return.

Double Range .- From a fragmentary record in the first volume of the proprietors' books it appears that the first lots were laid out in the Double Range, situated within the present bounds of Derry, on both sides of West- Running Brook. There are about thirty lots in this range, and are one mile long north and south, and thirty rods wide. The committee began at the line, as claimed by Haverhill, on the south side of the brook, at the eastern end of the range, assigning the first lot probably to William Humphrey, and passing westerly down the brook, the third lot fell to Jonathan Tyler, the south part of which became the property of Archibald Stark shortly after, and on which Gen. John Stark was born, August 28, 1728.

John Stuart's lot, "The Precept," was the most eastern one north of the brook of this range, and was situated a few rods east of the residence of Col. George W. Lane, once known as the Prentice, or Gen. Derby place. The settlers built their cabins very near together, the north side of the range building at the south end of their lots, and the south side at the north end, the brook running between, securing in this way an advantage in case of an attack from the Indians.

Back Range .- The range known on the records as the Back Range con- sisted of some half a dozen lots, and in this and the northern part of the Double Range is situated the present Village of East Derry, and is the place selected by the emigrants as the site of their first meeting-house.

English Range .- The English Range, of about twenty lots, lies north of Beaver Pond, the long lines running northeast from the pond, six of which abut upon its waters. This range took its name from the fact that several of the proprietors of English descent had their lands assigned in that locality. Among them were John Goffe, first town clerk, and his son, John Goffe, Jr., afterwards quite prominent in the civil, ecclesiastical, and military history of the state. The most northwestern lot of this range was laid out to James Rogers, father of Maj. Robert Rogers, the ranger, who was born here.

Aiken's Range .- The Aiken's Range, of seven lots, derived its name from the three or four families of that name that settled there. At the west end of this range John Bell, the emigrant ancestor of this honored family, had

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his home lot and second division laid out together, making 100 acres in all. The South Range of a few lots adjoined the Double Range on the south near the Windham line. All these ranges are within the present Town of Derry ; and in the east part of this town several lots were laid out to Portsmouth proprietors, and Governor Wentworth's 300-acre farm in the locality, known as "Derry Dock." James C. Taylor, Esq., was the owner of part of this farm.

Governor Shute's charter farm of 500 acres was laid in Windham, and other land in that town to a considerable extent was assigned to the Lon- donderry proprietors, but was mainly amendment or other lands than home lots. In the present town of Londonderry the Ayres' Range and the High Range were regularly laid out, the lots of the former being uniform in size and shape with those of Derry. Excepting the seven Ayres' Range lots, the greater part of the present town of Londonderry was laid out as second division amendment and highway lands in very large tracts, amounting in some instances to over four hundred acres.

As the original charter bounds of Londonderry covered considerable por- tions of the City of Manchester, extending a mile across Hanover Street, a range of several lots, termed Blaisdel's Range, was laid out by the London- derry committee. This range extended from Nutt's Pond to a point about one mile northeast of the City Hall. On this land, or near it, is the site of a fort built for the protection of the settlers there. It was at the outlet of Nutt's Pond, then Swager's Pond, and called Stark's Fort in compliment to Archibald Stark, who was efficient in building and garrisoning it.

Large tracts of land were laid out for the support of the ministry. They were called "Ministerials." The land assigned to the West Parish, or that part of the town called Canada, was laid out November 6, 1729, on one of the highest hills in what is now Londonderry, and contained 120 acres.

The next year a ministerial was allotted to the old parish church, now East Derry, of fifty-four acres.

In 1744 new bounds were given to it, and six acres added. Most of this land was owned by Hon. William H. Shepard. The ministerial land for the parish of Windham was situated near "Cobbit's Pond," and was laid out in 1744, and contained fifty-five acres.

.Incorporation .- The long-pending dispute between New Hampshire and Massachusetts in reference to the lines between these states occasioned the Londonderry settlers much inconvenience. The latter state refused to incor- porate the town, and it was not until June 21, 1722, more than three years after the settlement, that the New Hampshire Court granted a charter, although "humbly petitioned" to that effect as early as September 23, 1719.

Probably the colonists were hindered in their attempts to secure town privileges by a misconception of their character on the part of the state governments. They were supposed to be Irish Roman Catholics.

Notwithstanding this the colony thrived. Before the first of the autumnal months had closed fifty-four families from Ireland and elsewhere, in addi- tion to the original sixteen, "did sit down in Nutfield," and the work of settlement went rapidly on. Cabins were built, the forests were leveled, roads were marked out, and obstructions cleared away. There were no idlers in the new colony; labor, skill, and enterprise soon brought their usual reward.

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Encroachers .- A large tract of land, some three or four miles wide, along the whole eastern border of the town and within its chartered limits, was claimed by Haverhill people under the old Massachusetts grant, and it was not till the settlement of the state lines in 1740-41 that the border war- fare ceased. The Londonderry residents within that claim were arrested and confined in Massachusetts jails, and on the other hand many arrests were made of the "Haverhill squatters," and much litigation followed. Many charges like the following are to be found on the old Counter's books: "To Johne Barnet six days watching prisoners 1-4-0." Nor was the comfort of these prisoners neglected. Gabriel Barr was paid for thirteen days guarding prisoners at Mudget's house and furnishing them "Board, Rhum, and Vitals." The town also suffered much annoyance from people living on its western borders, along the Litchfield and Nottingham-West lines, claiming lands under the old Dunstable grant.

Location of Proprietors .- The first lot in the English Range was laid out to David Cargill, Sr. The second lot was assigned to Samuel Houston. Mr. Samuel Clark was the owner. Houston was the father of Reverend John, the Bedford loyalist. No one lived on the next original lot. It was called Governor Wentworth's "home lot." His early and steadfast friendship for the settlers was appreciated, and partly repaid in recorded thanks, gifts of salmon, linen cloth, and other very large lots of land. The fourth lot was laid out to Col. John Wheelwright, the grantor of the famous deed. There has been much learned discussion relative to the validity of the Indian deed of his ancestor, dated May 17, 1629. The next three lots successively were Edward Proctor's, Benjamin Kidder's, and John Gray's.

The original owners of these and the other lots were all men of note. John Morrison was the father of Jonathan, the first-born male child in Londonderry, and who in the next generation enjoyed with Capt. Samuel Allison the honor of being the best public speaker in town. John Morrison's daughter, Elizabeth, married William Smith, of Peterboro', N. H., and became mother of Hon. Jeremiah Smith, one of the most gifted of the sons of New Hampshire.

Hon. Samuel Livermore lived in a stone house on the place, just opposite the mansion of Colonel Lane. Hon. John Prentice, who came after him, built the main part of the present house. Besides these several other emi- nent men made their homes here. Two judges of the highest court in New Hampshire were born on the place-Arthur Livermore and Charles Doe.

Dismemberment of the Town .- The original Township of Londonderry has been divided into several parts. Windham, including a part of Salem, was detached February 12, 1742, and upon the incorporation of Derryfield, now Manchester, September 3, 1751, a large tract along its northern border was taken off and added to that town. March 6, 1778, another part of Londonderry was cut off and united to Nottingham West, now Hudson, by act of the New Hampshire Legislature. July 2, 1827, the remaining part of the old town was divided by the incorporation of Derry.

Town and Parish Records .- Much interest appertains to these various records. All the early records of the East Parish Society, now East Derry, and the early church records of the West Parish, now Londonderry. The former were found a few years ago, and again lost; the latter were loaned

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during the pastorate of Rev. J. R. Adams to Rufus Choate, the eminent lawyer, and are said to have been burned with the Concord, Mass., court- house a few years ago. The books of the Congregational Church formed in East Parish after the settlement of Rev. Jonathan Bow are 110w at the rooms of the New Hampshire Historical Society at Concord, N. H. The following are some of the many curiosities of these records: October 3, 1727. "Thomas Smith being cited doth appear, & John Morrison & John Mitchel being called doth witness that they saw him get several beaver skins of the Indians for Rum without their value." 1730. "Voted that the town hath agreed to let Hugh Wilson be prosecuted for an idler." 1730, 8th article in town warrant. "To see what the town will do with John More." Rec- ord. "Deferred by reason John More is dead."

Fisheries .- The charter of Londonderry inclosed a strip of land extend- ing from the northwest corner of the main body of the town, one mile wide and three miles long. From that point the course was "N. N. E. three miles, then E. S. E. one mile, then S. S. W. to the S. W. angle of Chester." It extends across Hanover Street in the City of Manchester one mile north- erly to the place known as the Hall Place. The bill as originally drawn for a charter gave these long lines a north-northwest direction, thus including Amoskeag Falls, but for some unexplained reason the bill was engrossed giving these lines a north-northeast course. The object of this singular addition to the territory of the town was to secure the Amoskeag fisheries at the falls, then of very great value to the people of Londonderry as a means of sustenance, hard pressed as they often were for the necessaries of life before their small clearings afforded a comfortable living. In this way Londonderry lost pos- session of these valuable fishing grounds. They nevertheless asserted their rights, and were measurably successful in maintaining them.

It is an indication that the fishery was of much consequence to the people that one of the earliest roads was laid out to "Ammosceag Falls." There were a large number of rocks among the surging waters of the falls that offered favorable opportunities for catching fish. These places were highly prized, and the strifes of the bold, courageous, and athletic men contending for them, added to the foaming waters rushing around the rocks, often occa- sioned accidents, many of which were fatal. "Todd Gut" derived its name from the fact that John Todd, son of Col. Andrew Todd, was drowned there while fishing in company with his cousin, John Bell, of Londonderry. Before the dams were built at Lawrence, Massachusetts, vast quantities of shad, ale- wives, and eels were annually caught, and often a fine salmon. This royal fish must have been abundant, as many charges are found on the town books like the following: "To John Goffe, Jr., for 98 lbs. salmon at fio 4s. od .; " "To Hugh Morrison, for carrying salmon to Portsmouth, £1, Ios. od." If a favor was to be asked of the governor, some prominent man was dispatched to Portsmouth on horseback with a salmon in his saddlebags for his excel- lency. Large quantities of fish were taken at Thornton's Ferry. Within the memory of living persons, many families regarded their barrel of shad of equal importance with their barrel of beef or pork. With the settler fish was a healthy and grateful change from the inevitable samp and barley broth, which was their staple diet.

Indian History .- From some cause, not fully understood, the town suf- fered but little in the various Indian wars that distressed the people of other

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towns of New Hampshire. It is not known that a single person from Lon- donderry lost his life at the hand of the savage tribes that carried desolation and death to many homes in the state. Parker ascribes this exemption "to the influence of the Reverend Mr. McGregor with the Marquis de Vaudreuil, the French governor of Canada. It is said they were classmates at college, that a correspondence was maintained between them, and that at the request and representation of his former friend the governor caused means to be used for the protection of the settlement."

An illustration of the friendliness of the Indian tribes is related as occurring in the family of Archibald McMurphy, Esq., who lived in the north part of the West Parish, on the farm known as the David R. Leach place. McMurphy and wife, one Sunday when two miles on their way to church, met eight Indians going to Amoskeag, and in the direction of their house, where were several small children. The mother became alarmed, and proposed to turn immediately back to protect their helpless family. The father replied that the Indians were too strong for them, and asked her what she could do. Said she, "I can die with the weans if I can't do better." On their way back they found the remains of a deer, and on their arrival home the savages were broiling and roasting the venison and giving the young McMurphys a delicious repast.

Notwithstanding all this, Londonderry furnished at different times men and means to assist in repelling the incursions of the "Indian enemy." There were three men from the town in the famous expedition of Capt. John Love- well to the Pigwacket country in 1725,-John Goffe, Jr., subsequently Colonel Goffe, Benjamin Kidder, his brother-in-law, and Edward Linkfield. Kidder was taken sick, and was left at a fort by the company at Ossipee Lake. Goffe, with several others, also remained at the fort. Linkfield alone of the three was in the fight which took place May 19th. He was one of the nine that received no considerable wound, and, with Goffe and Kidder, returned home in safety. In the summer of 1745, Capt. Peter Pattee, of Londonderry, "scouted the woods with a small company of cavalry," and the next year Capt. Samuel Barr with seventeen men performed a like service. Capt. Andrew Todd also arranged the woods in July, 1746, with twenty-two men. During the year 1755 the town furnished many men at Crown Point, and enlistments were made in 1757 and 1758. In the expedition to Canada in 1760 Londonderry was largely represented. The town furnished one com- pany at Louisburg in 1745. It was under command of Capt. John Moor.

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History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 55

Author: Hazlett, Charles A Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390