History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 56

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

USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 56

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).

Garrison-Houses .- Notwithstanding Londonderry dwelt in comparative security from Indian attacks, a few garrison houses were built, to which the people could repair should danger impend. The house of Capt. James Gregg, near the mill, was a garrison, and also the house of Samuel Barr. The town paid for a "flanker" round Reverend Mr. McGregor's dwelling, and there were other garrisons in the East Parish. Mr. John A. Plumer, who was born in the West Parish garrison house, remembers, when a boy, of looking through the holes cut in the immense timbers, through which an assailed party could thrust their guns. John Woodburn, a proprietor who died in 1780, is said to have lived in a garrison-house.

Town's stock of bullets and ammunition.

In June, 1718, the Province of New Hampshire enacted a law requiring towns to keep on hand one barrel of good powder, 200-weight of bullets, 300

512

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

flints for every sixty listed soldiers for use in case of an Indian attack. Lon- donderry obeyed the law of the land and always had a full supply of the required ammunition. There are payments recorded in the town books like the following :

"To Daniel McAfee for making bulits, fo 4s. od."

"To James Alexander for lead for bulits, fo 2s. od."

People were paid for taking charge of the town stock. By vote of the town at one time the stock of powder was stored in the attics of the meeting- houses, a pleasant and useful place in case of lightning during church services. "1745, voted to buy two barrels of gunpowder and lodge one-half in the old meeting-house and the other half in the new."

Early Grist-Mills .- Capt. James Gregg built a grist-mill in 1722, in what is now Derry Village, probably on the spot where the mill of W. W. Poor now stands. This is usually regarded as the first in town. There is, how- ever, a record on the town books indicating that the mill of David Cargill, at the eastern extremity of Beaver Pond, may have an earlier date. It is the record of the road running along north of the pond from Samuel Marshall's house to George McMurphy's, dated February 13, 1720. The road crosses "the brook below Captain Cargill's grist-mill." The Gregg mill was long kept in that family, but since it passed to other hands has had many owners.

In Londonderry the mill privilege of E. C. Kendall has been improved as such since about June 1, 1731. At that time the proprietors granted it to Benjamin Wilson, who built the first mill. It has since been known as Moor's mills and Gross' mills, and now Kendall's. Mills were first built in the northeastern part of Londonderry, by David McAfee.

Early Saw-Mills .- A grant of land was made by the proprietors June 17, 1719, to Robert Boyes, James Gregg, Samuel Graves, and Joseph Symonds, on condition that they should build a saw-mill upon Beaver River ( Brook.), to be ready some time in the month of September of that year. The "privilege of the stream was also granted to them and their heirs forever, from the foot of the falls to the upper end of Beaver Pond, and James Gregg to build a grist-mill on said stream." It is not known just what time this saw-mill was built, but it must have been before February 20, 1720, as the road between the two villages was laid out at that date, "beginning at the bridge below the saw-mill." William Gregg was paid in 1721 four pounds for sawing boards for the meeting-house. In 1721 a grant of the privilege of Aiken's Brook and one acre of land was made to the proprietaries in Aiken's Range, on condition that they should build a saw-mill. This mill must have stood where is now the mill of Washington Perkins. Horne's mill is on the same stream, lower down.

Highways-First Road .- The following is the record of the laying out of road between the villages: "Feb. 13, 1720. A byway laid out from the bridge below the Sawmill, from thence running sou-easterly by Mr. Gregg's hous, from thence turning more easterly, along by James Clark's new hous, & so up by James Neasmath's & so along as the old way as far as the east corner of Robert Wear's fence." There is no authority given for this, but December 16, 1725, the selectmen of that year indorsed it, and added, said road to be "two rods wide & to be open & common without gates & bars." The English Range road from George W. Dickey's to Samuel Marshall's,

513

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

and along the north of the pond to George McMurphy's, was laid out about the same time.

The road to "Ammasceegg Falls" was first laid out by Capt. James Gregg and William Aiken in 1724. But a small part of this road is now in use. The roads from the East Church in Derry to the pond, and that running south by the cemetery, and also the highway across the Double Range south of West Running Brook were all worked out by the selectmen June 1, 1723. The Aiken's Range road, November 6, 1723, to be four rods wide across the Aiken lots, and two through the village to the mill. The Chester road was laid out November 17, 1723. The highway between Derry Village and the depot, and thence to William P. Nevin's land in Londonderry, three rods wide, was laid out in 1737. Many of the leading highways in Derry were laid out in 1723 and the two or three years following. The Londonderry turn- pike was built in 1806. In Londonderry the laying of roads began June 19, 1730, at John Duncan's house. The road running east to meet the Aiken's Range road was laid out at that time. January 31, 1740, was laid out the highway by Aaron P. Hardy's house, north and south, and west by the grave- yard. No roads over the old graveyard hill were laid out till 1739, although there must have been much travel there. The road from W. P. Nevin's land, running west by the house of John Gilcreast to Mason Boyd's house, three rods wide, was laid out in 1737, and the main road across Londonderry, east and west to Litchfield, in 1744 and 1745, and from Dinsmore's Corner north to the Baptist Church in 1745. The Mammoth road was built in 1831.

Some laid-out highways were never built, and many years elapsed before even the main portion of them were anything but bridle-paths. In the last hundred years great improvement has been made in both towns in widening and straightening.

Wild Animals .- The early settlers of Londonderry found the forests alive with many kinds of game. Deer and bears were abundant. A moose killed in the West Parish gave name to a hill there of 500 feet elevation. For more than sixty years the town elected men to "prevent the killing of deer out of season." Bounties were paid on wolves' heads, and as late as the Revolu- tion people brought their sheep to the fold every night to guard against the depredations of this fierce animal. Many stories relate encounters with bears. Probably the last one killed was in 1807. It took fifty men and three days' time to capture him. He weighed 200 pounds dressed, and his skin afforded the party a whisky-punch and a jollification.

Domestic Animals .- Horses were common in town from the first settle- ment. The earliest accounts record payments similar to the following: "To Abel Merrill for money due from the town and horse hire, £o 12s. od. To James Nesmith for his horse fo 8s. od." There was constant use for horses in "going to ye Bank,"-that is, Portsmouth,-with salmon and cloth for the state officials, and in "going down for the elements of the Sacrament"; and the long distances that had to be gone over by most of the people every Sunday in attending meeting needed the services of this useful animal. Deacon James Reid, the father of Gen. George Reid, lived in the locality called Kilrea, on the extreme southern border of Derry, but was always a regular attendant at the West Parish Church. The McClary family never failed to appear at church in the East Parish, although their residence was in the west part of Londonderry, near the present site of the Baptist Church. Large numbers

514

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

traveled equally as far to their places of worship, and were constant in their attendance. Just what time oxen came into general use is not known. The following extract from the records, dated March, 1722-23, would indicate that cows at least were abundant, possibly too much so: "Voted that all persons shall have the liberty to bring in cattle to the town, so as to make up the number of six with his own cattle and no more, and those that have cattle of their own have the liberty to bring the number of ten if they bring a bull with them, otherwise to bring in no more." Hogs were plenty and trouble- some, and were allowed to run at large, requiring a by-law that compelled their owners to yoke them. 1722, "voted that hogs shall be yoked from the 20th of March to the last of October." The people were often called upon to entertain the governor and other gentlemen high in office, and when salmon or venison were out of season a sheep or lamb was brought to the block.

Exempt Farms .- A few of the Londonderry settlers who were in the siege of Londonderry, Ireland, 1688-89, and who took an important part in the defense of the city, were, in common with all the soldiers engaged there, exempted from taxation by an act of the British Parliament. This exemption continued down to the Revolution, which terminated all the authority of England here. Among the exempts were Rev. Matt. Clark, John Barr, Wil- liam Caldwell, Abraham Blair, and James Wilson. There were probably more, but their names are unknown. James Wilson lived on the Proctor place.

Slaves .- There were a few slaves in town before the Revolution. The census of 1773 enumerated twelve male and thirteen female persons of this class. Reverend Mr. Davidson had two, mother and daughter, named "Poll and Moll." In the West Parish, Deacon James Thompson and Thomas Wal- lace held property of this kind. The latter owned a negro boy, for whom he had paid $100. Toney made a raft and went for a ride on the flowed meadow of the "fourteen-acre meadow brook." The craft proving unsafe, Toney, in fear of drowning, shouted to his owner to come and help him and save his $100.

Revolution .- Londonderry was not behind other towns of New Hamp- shire in carrying the burdens imposed upon them by the War of the Revolu- tion. The town entered early into the conflict with men and means, and held resolutely on till the long and severe contest with England was terminated in the treaty of peace in 1783. Mr. Parker, in his history, says, "When the news came that General Gage was marching troops into the interior, New Hampshire at once took up arms and hastened to the scene of action. Twelve hundred of her sons instantly repaired to Charlestown and Cambridge. Among these was a company from Londonderry. The tidings had no sooner reached the town than the whole community were seized with a warlike frenzy. A number of men, dropping instantly their implements of husbandry, hastened to spread the news, and in a few hours all who could bear arms were assembled on the common at the meeting-house. They were prepared to act. From the two companies of militia in town a large company of volunteers was at once formed. They started instantly on being organized, their provisions, ammu- nition, and whatever was necessary for their encampment and future wants being afterwards forwarded by express. The roll of this company is as follows: George Reid, captain; Abraham Reid, first lieutenant; James Anderson, second lieutenant: John Patten, quartermaster-sergeant: Daniel

515

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Miltimore, John Nesmith, Robert Burnet, John Mackey, sergeants; James McCluer, Robert Boyer, Joshua Thompson, George McMurphy, corporals; Robert Burke, drummer; Thomas Inglis, fifer; Matthew Anderson, Robert Adams, Samuel Ayers, Hugh Alexander, John Anderson, Alexander Brown, William Boyd, John Campbell, Thomas Campbell, Peter Christie, Solomon Collins, Stephen Chase, William Dickey, James Duncan, Samuel Dickey, John Ferguson, John Head, Asa Senter, Samuel Houston, Jonathan Holmes, Peter Jenkins, John Livingstone, Hugh Montgomery, John Morrison, James Morrison, Joseph Mack, Martin Montgomery, Robert McMurphy, William McMurphy, William Moore, Robert Mack, David McClary, Archibald Mack, James Nesmith, James Nesmith, Jr., William Parker, Joshua Reid, William Rowell, Thomas Roach, Abel Senter, James Stinson, Samuel Senter, Samuel Thompson, John Vance, Hugh Watts, Thomas Wilson, John Patterson, Henry Parkinson, Samuel Stinson, John Smith, Richard Cressey, and James Moore, and six men from Windham, privates. Lieutenant Reid was of Windham. As William Adams, William Gregg, and David McGregor were in the service at that time, they were probably at Bunker Hill. There were also seventeen men from Londonderry in Colonel Prescott's regiment who took a part in that engagement, and probably a few others, as the town paid bounties to ninety-nine men.

Capt. John Nesmith commanded a company raised in August, 1776, in which were thirty-nine men from Londonderry. Of these, not before named, were Samuel Cherry, ensign; Solomon Todd, sergeant; Michael George, drummer ; Timothy Dustin, fifer; John McClurg, William Rogers, Robert McCluer, James Ewins, Robert Boyer, Jr., John Orr, Samuel Rowell, John Humphrey, John Cox, Edward Cox, John Anderson, Jr., Thomas White, Ephraim White, James Moor, Samuel Eayers, John Ramsey, David George, Jonathan Gregg, Abner Andrews, Alexander Craige, William Colby, Patrick Fling, William Adams, James Boyer, Jr., Jonathan George, Charity Killicut, and John Lancaster, privates. In December, 1776, the following enlist- ments were made, not before named: Jonathan Wallace, William Lyon, Moses Watts, Thomas McClary, Jesse Jones, Arthur Nesmith, John Todd, Benjamin Nesmith, James Hobbs, Nathan Whiting, Benjamin Robinson, David Marshall, William Burroughs.

The enlistments in 1777 and 1778 of three years' men numbered about fifty, several of whom had previously seen service. Capt. Daniel Reynolds commanded a company of seventy men at Bennington, David McClory and Adam Taylor lieutenants, John Smith, John McKeon, John Anderson, and John Robinson sergeants. Lieutenant McClory was killed there, and is said to be the only man from Londonderry who lost his life in battle during the war, although according to the muster-rolls the town furnished more men than any other in New Hampshire. Twenty-five men under Capt. Joseph Finlay served for a short time at Saratoga in 1777, and the same year there were five men in Col. Henry Jackson's regiment. In 1778 the town paid bounties to twenty men for service in Rhode Island. 1779 there were seventeen enlistments : in 1780, thirteen : in 1781. thirty. ( See Chester. )

Association Test .- At the beginning of the second year of the war there were so many persons in all our towns suspected of Toryism that the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, in accordance with a recommendation of the Continental Congress, requested selectmen to circulate papers for sig-

516

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

nature affirming opposition to the British Government. In Londonderry there were 372 males over twenty-one who signed a declaration of inde- pendence, substantially the same as the memorable declaration of July 4, 1776, and but fifteen who refused to sign.

Tories of the Revolution .- Londonderry had perhaps her share of Tories. This offensive name was given to those persons who took sides with Great Britain in our War of Independence, and was applied to those who even leaned that way. "Time's effacing fingers" have softened down the asperi- ties of that period, and the "king's friends" are now everywhere designated by the less opprobrious name of loyalists. Considering the power of Eng- land, the feebleness of the colonies and their poverty, it is not surprising that large numbers of people either openly favored the crown or were inclined that way. It is to be added, however, that as soon as the first blow was struck a large portion of the latter class sided with the patriotic party, and joined with them heart, hand, and purse in the unequal contest with England. Many of the loyalists were on the shady side of fifty years, and were looking towards the setting sun. The ambition and enterprise of younger days were gone. and after the severe struggles they had endured in subduing the forest and the Indian enemy that roamed through them they desired to possess their homes of peace and plenty in quiet, and pass the remainder of life undis- turbed by war's alarms. But when aroused by the blood shed at Bunker Hill, many of them were ready for the fray. It is related of Samuel Campbell, of Windham, who leaned at first to the loyalist side, that when he heard from Bunker Hill he saddled "his old meer," and took provisions in his saddle-bags to his two boys, who had been in the fight, thinking, as he said, "they might be hungry." The loyalists, as a class, were men of wealth, education, and respectability, many of them holding office under the crown. It is no wonder then that large numbers hestitated to go at once into rebellion. For some reasons not known there were more loyalists in the English Range than were to be found in any other part of the town. There were a few that lived near the First Church, now East Derry. Among them Col. Stephen Holland was the most prominent. His reputation as a Tory was more than local, as the history of the times clearly proved. He was tavern- keeper and a merchant, was a man of wealth and education, and his influence, in the language of the day, is said to have "tarred numbers of the people with the stick of Toryism." He was proscribed and banished by the act of November 19, 1778, and his property, numbering four farms, was confiscated. The same act also proscribed and banished the following men of London- derry : Richard Holland, John Davidson, James Fulton, Thomas Smith, and Dennis O'Hala. It does not appear that any one suffered confiscation except Colonel Holland. There were perhaps some twenty men in town who were Tories, but they were not prominent enough to cause much trouble. John Clark, of the English Range, was confined for a time to his own premises, with liberty only to attend church on Sunday. He ventured to step across his lines to pick up a hawk he had shot, for which he was fined. A barn was raised on the hill where Mr. Clement lives during the height of the Tory excitement, and much apprehension was feared that trouble would ensue, as the Tories of the English Range would be there and meet the Pinkertons, the Aikens, and the Wallaces. It was feared that blows would follow political discussion, and a fight between those stalwart men would

517

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

be no small affair. The parties, however, had the good sense to raise the barn, quietly drink their whisky, and depart for their homes in peace. The women of that day had their politics as well as the men. The wife of Dr. Alexander Cummings "wished that the English Range from its head to Beaver Pond ran ankle-deep in Whig blood."

Taverns .- Before May 12, 1726, John Barr, who lived on the John B. Taylor place in the East Parish, kept a tavern for the "accommodation of Man & beast." This is made certain by the following extract from the journal of John Wainwright, clerk of the Massachusetts Bay Committee, sent to lay out Pennacook, now Concord, N. H. In going from Haver- hill to Pennacook, "about II or 12 o'clock we arrived at Nutfield, alias Londonderry, & refreshed ourselves & horses at the house of one John Barr, an Irish tavern-keeper, but we had nothing of him but 'small Beer.' "

There were numbers of hostelries in Londonderry: many of them, however, were merely places where spirits in some form was sold, and they were much frequented long after the Revolution by the old soldiers of that and the previous Indian wars. They often got together of a winter's night, and after inspiring draughts of punch and flip the old-time memories would come over them, and as "the night drave on wi' sangs and clatter," they would "shoulder their crutches and show how fields were won." The loyalist colonel, Stephen Holland, kept tavern where the late David Bassett lived, and after him Capt. Samuel Allison and others. Dr. Isaac Thom, with much other business, was a hotel-keeper. In Derry lower village a public- house was kept at the Thornton place several years by John Dinsmoor and others.

In the West Parish, James Thompson, at the Hurd place, entertained the surveyors for Holland's map in 1784, and near the close of the Revolution, at the Dinsmoor corner, 300 Hessian prisoners from Burgoyne's army, on their way to Boston, were kept for a night. Packer's tavern was on the High Range. He employed Richard H. Brinton, a deserter from the British army, to paint a sign during the excitement of the Jefferson campaign. He had Jefferson's likeness put on one side of the sign. The painter asked what he should paint upon the other. "Oh," replied Packer, "I am not particular ; anything appropriate to go with Jefferson." "Well, then," said Brinton, "I will just paint the devil!"

Currency .- Like all new countries, the people of Londonderry suffered great inconvenience for want of a circulating medium wherewith to transact their business. There was but little of what could be called money in the settlement during the lives of the emigrants, and yet they were not wholly destitute. Most business was done by means of barter, corn, beans, peltry, and even spinning-wheels taking the place of money. In the emergencies arising from the various Indian wars the Government was compelled to issue "Bills of credit." All such bills authorized before 1742 were called "Old Tenor," and the issue of that year and subsequently till the Revolution were denominated "New Tenor." The temptation to over-issues beyond the credit of the Government to respond could not be resisted, and great depre- ciation was the natural result, to the severe embarrassment of the people. The salary of Reverend Mr. Davidson, of the East Parish, in 1767 was 1,500 pounds of old tenor, and the next year it was seventy-five pounds lawful

518

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

money. The depreciation of the Continental money wrought financial ruin to large numbers of the people.

The subjoined order among the town's papers will illustrate some of the difficulties the fathers had to wrestle with in relation to their currency :

"To Mr. Jesse Jones, Constable :

"Please pay or discount with James Rogers, ten shillings in certificats, and five shillings of Indents, & three shillings and four pence out of your town list, & one shilling & eight pence in specie, & one shilling eight pence in specie orders, and one shilling eight pence out of your county list, it being for his father's pole tax, rated and dead in the same year, & it will be allowed on settlement of your lists.

"George Reid, Select Clerk.

"Londonderry, Jan. 15, 1790."

Schools .- The settlers of Londonderry made early and as full provision as possible for the rising generation; and this good example has been followed to the present day. An early law of the province required "every fifty house- holders to be provided of a schoolmaster to teach children and youth to read and write, and one hundred families were required to set up a Grammar school." Accordingly the town voted in 1726 "That a Grammar school shall be sett up by David McGregor." And the same year "Voted to build a school-house 18 ft long beside the chimney, that there shall be two fire-places in one end as large as the house will allow, 7 foot in the side of logs at the meeting-house." In 1728 the wages of a schoolmaster were thirty-six pounds per annum. March 25, 1732, "Voted that there shall be two schools kept as public schools for the year; the one at the meeting-house, and at or by, as near Allen Anderson's house, or thereabouts, and Mr. John Wilson shall be the schoolmaster." Before the establishment of the present system of com- mon schools all through the town teachers were employed, and schools were taught in private houses, and not infrequently barns were used as school- rooms. The Hon. Samuel Bell, afterwards governor of New Hampshire, when in college taught a winter term in a dwelling-house in the West Parish. He was a strict disciplinarian even for those times, and during the first week of the term some of the mischievous boys got sundry raps over the head from a cane in the hands of the teacher. The following Sunday, at church, John Bell, the father of the college student, anxious for his suc- cess, asked Deacon Thomas Patterson how Sam was getting on in school. The deacon replied, "Very well; only I think he had better leave his cane at home tomorrow." The hint was taken, the cane was left at home, and an excellent school was the result.

The various divisions in town known as school districts were at first called "classes," and prudential committees called "heads of the class." The divisions were not numbered as at present, but designated by some local name, as the Aiken's Range Class, etc. All through the years great atten- tion has been given to all matters pertaining to education, and large sums annually expended in support of common schools. The fact that high schools and academies were early established in town is abundant proof that the people have not been and are not behind other towns in providing for the welfare of the rising generation.

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.

History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 56

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