History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 78

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 78

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).

On the 9th of December, 1711, several members of the Congregational Church in Hampton were dismissed for the purpose of being organized into a new church in the south part of the town, now Hampton Falls.' Some pioneer work had already been done in that section.

While the early town or parish records of Hampton Falls afford but scanty materials for a church history, and the records have been destroyed by fire, there has fortunately been preserved a small volume of church records kept by Messrs. Cotton and Whipple, the first two pastors of the church. This volume is about four inches by six in size, strongly bound in calf and boards, and composed of about two hundred pages of coarse, unruled paper. It seems to contain most of the church records during these two pastorates, embracing a period of about forty-five years. Seaborn (born at sea) Cotton and John Cotton, pastors at Hampton, were son and grandson of Rev. John Cotton, in compliment to whom the town of Boston was named, Boston, in England, being his birthplace. Theophilus Cotton, the first pastor of Hamp- ton Falls, has been considered by some as the son of Seaborn, but he was probably a cousin, being descended from another branch of the ministerial Cotton family which settled in Plymouth, Mass.

Title page number one is inscribed :

-Theophilus Cotton's --- Jan: 1712 The Chh Records off Hampton falls Beging January 2d 1712 By Theophilus Cotton Pastor of that chh.

On the next page, "4," occurs this entry under date of 10th of May, 1726, three months before Mr. Cotton's death :

"I Then took col. weare along with me to the house off John Cass & before him and the mother off John casses wife, Dealt with her for with Drawing from our communion, and for embracing the principles off the Quaquers who proving obstinate I did thereupon as Pastor of yt chh. In the name of Xt (Christ) Reject her, and Renounce her as one belonging to our communion and the good Lord have mercy on her And all hers Amen."

"Theophilus Cotton was ordained Pastor of the chh. of Hampton falls.

The 2d Jan : 1712: The Revd. Mr. Rogers of Portsmouth giving him the charge And the Revd. Mr. Cushing of Salisbury giving him THE RIGHT HAND of fellowship."

In 1726, the last year of Mr. Cotton's pastorate and about three weeks before his death, which occurred August 16th, he again visited the Shoals, perhaps for his health partly, and baptized seventeen children. On the second page of the back fly-leaf of the little volume we find this record, apparently in the hand of his successor, Mr. Whipple :

"Hampton, August 16, 1726. Died the Revd Mr Theophilus Cotton, Pastor of the Second church of Hampton after a faithful Discharge of that office for nigh 15 years & was Decently Buried the 18th following att the charge of the Parish."

685

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

This act indicates the love and respect of his parish, and not the necessity of his own case. The remains of this faithful minister of the gospel lie in the old parish burying lot, a part of the lower parsonage lot, nearly in front of the entrance, under a stone slab supported by brick-work. The following is the inscription cut in a slate tablet imbedded in the slab, which is of coarse freestone. The tablet has been badly cracked by the formation of ice beneath it:

"HERE LYES Ye BODY OF Ye REVd. Mr. THEOPHILUS COT- TON, Ye FIRST MINISr OF Ye CHURCH AT HAMPTON FALLS, WHO, AFTER HE HAD SERVED GOD FAITHFULLY IN HIS GEN- ERATION, DECEASED AUGUST Ye 16th 1726 IN Ye 45th YEAR OF HIS AGE.

" 'Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord.'"

At a parish-meeting held six days after his death the selectmen were directed to settle with Mrs. Cotton; she was voted the free use of the parson- age during the summer; the selectmen were instructed to negotiate with her for the entertainment of supplies for the pulpit; and they were to "asses Every men of Estate in ye parish Excepting Quakers in order to pay the Charges of our Reverend Mr. Cotton's funeral." At a meeting November Ist it was voted to call Mr. Whipple at a salary of "one hundred and forty pounds money Annualy," he finding himself in firewood and everything else. Deacons Nathaniel Weare, grandfather of Meshack, Benjamin Sanburn, and Nathaniel Bachilder were named as the committee to treat with him. Rev. Joseph Whipple was ordained January 4, 1826-7.

In October, 1734, it was

"Voted that if the people on the west part of this parish-now Kensing- ton-hire a minister for four months this winter Ensuing the charg thereof Shall be adid into our Reverend mr Whippel Rate in order to be paid by the whole parish."

And at the next annual March meeting the selectmen were authorized and instructed to raise money to pay Mr. Gilman for this service. The depre- ciation of the currency was the chief disturbing cause during the ministry of Mr. Whipple, the subject appearing at most every annual meeting, com- mencing with 1732, when twenty pounds additional was voted to him for the ensuing year.

"And whereas the vallue of Provision is gratly Risin & the wood on the Parsonag is allmost gon," it was voted at the annual meeting in 1738 to give him £30, on condition of his signing a receipt in full. Said receipt appears on record February 29, 1739.

In 1740 the term "badness of our money" is used, and in 1743 the annual allowance was increased to £40, and this was continued until 1747, when provision was made for the annual appointment of a committee to adjust the salary under oath, making it equal to what it was at the time of his settle- ment, December 24, 1756. The selectmen called a meeting as follows :

"Whereas it has Pleased God in his Providence to visit our Revd Pastor Mr Joseph whipple with sickness so as he has been for some time past taken off from his Publick Labours In the ministry among us and there doeth not yet appear any prospect that he will be able for some time to Preach among us-Therefore to se if the Parish will agree to hire some suitable person for to Preach among us till such a time as Mr Whipple, shall be able to Preach again," &c.

686

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

Mr. Whipple's death occurred February 17, 1757, at the age of fifty- seven, just after entering on the thirty-first year of his pastorate, and at that date a meeting was called for the next day, when a committee consisting of Deacon Jona Fifield, Capt. Richard Nason, and Col. Mesheck Weare, were chosen to take charge of his burial at an expense not exceeding £400. At a meeting, March 15th, Colonel Weare and two others were chosen a committee to secure preaching for two or three Sabbaths. And it was voted that Mrs. Whipple should have the use of one-half of the parsonage-house for one year, also half of the garden, the fruit of thirty apple-trees, the use of half the barn, the pasturing of a cow at the upper parsonage, the improvement of the whole lower parsonage for pasturing a horse and cutting hay for a horse and cow, and also the full produce of an acre of rye sowed at the upper parsonage. At a meeting, May 3d, a committee was chosen to present to Mr. Josiah Bailey a unanimous call to settle with them as the successor of Mr. Whipple. And at a meeting, May 23d, he was offered a salary of fifty pounds sterling and a part of the parsonage lands. Declining to accept this offer, on the 23d of June the other lands were included, with the pro- vision that he should keep in repair at his own expense the buildings and fences. This offer he accepted in the following form:

"To the Inhabitants of the Parish in Hampton falls, Gentlemen-I have calmly weighed & deliberated upon the last vote you passed for my encourage- ment to settle in the work of the Gospel ministry over you in this place. And under a solemn sense of the great importance of this work and with humble dependence upon the Grace & good Providence of God, I hereby declare my acceptance of your invitation and offer to settle in the work of the Gospel ministry, not doubting your readiness not only cheerfully and faithfully to make good your purposes for my outward comfort but upon every occasion to testify the same good will for me as unforeseen Providence may give occasion and above all a constant remembrance of me at the throne of grace that I may be faithful and successful in my office among you who am Your affectionate friend and humble servant for Christ's sake.

"JOSIAH BAYLEY. "Hampton Falls June 30th 1757."

The above is the first instance in the records where Falls is written with a capital F. And Levi Lane, a man of excellent ability and education, con- tinued until 1861 to write it with a small f in the records of one of the religious societies.

Mr. Bayley died on the 12th of September, after an illness of more than seven months. He was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, in. 1734, graduated at Harvard 1752, was ordained October 19, 1757, and died at the early age of twenty-eight, having been settled less than five years. On the day of his decease, a meeting of the parish or town was legally called for the next day, to make arrangements for his burial at the expense of the parish, and at that meeting the selectmen were instructed to proceed in the matter at an expense not exceeding £350 old tenor. Side by side in the old parish burying-ground lie the remains of the three first pastors of Hampton Falls.

All natives of the same state, two of them from adjoining towns, all grad- uates of Harvard, laboring in the same field, they together rest in the com- pany of many whose spiritual welfare they sought by precept and example. A dark slate head-stone marks the resting-place of Mr. Whipple, inscribed as follows :

687

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

"Here lies the Body of the Revd Mr JOSEPH WHIPPLE, Who having wisely and faithfully Discharged the Pastoral office, In the second Church in Hampton, Deceased Feby. 17th, 1757, In the 56th Year of his age,

And 32d of his Ministry, highly Esteemed and beloved in Life, And in Death much Lamented."

The lettering remains clear-cut, while that on the soft, light-colored head- stone of Mr. Bayley has begun to be obliterated. The latter is inscribed as follows :

"Here are Interred the Remains of the REVd. Mr. JOSIAH BAYLEY, Third Pastor of the Church In Hampton Falls, Who after He had Wisely and Faithfully Discharged the Duties of his office for the Space Of 5 Years Was Received Into the Joy Of his LORD, SEPTr. 12, 1782. ÆEtats 28."

Both head-stones are ornamented ( ?) with the figure of a cherub, accord- ing to the fashion of that period.

We now come to the record of efforts made to secure a successor to Mr. Bayley in the pastoral office. At a parish-meeting on the 2d of Novem- ber a committee of five, Deacon Jonathan Fifield, chairman, were instructed in behalf of the parish to extend a call to Mr. Paine Wingate.

"At a Leagul meeting of the Free holders of Hampton falls parish held the thirty-first day of october 1763, Ily, Voted that Col. Mesheck weare be moderator for said meeting. 2dly, Voted to renew the call to mr Pain Win- gate to settle in the work of the ministry in this parish. 3dly Voted that for an allowance to mr Pain Wingate for his salary and support During his Continuance in the work of the ministry in this Parish in case he shall settle in that work here. Then be paid him the sum of sixty-five pounds sterling money of great Britton or Equivalent thereto in the Curraincy of this Prov- ince yearly and Each year During his Continuance in said work, also that he have the use and Improvement of the parsonage House Barn orchard and gardens and about five acres of Land near mescheck weares House commonly called the Lower parsonage the Buildings and fences to be kept in Repair by the Parish or if it will be more agreeable to mester Wingate to have the Improvement of the whole personage lands and buildings Belonging to this Parish the fences and Buildings to be kept in Repair by the Parish as afore- said then he to have for his salary in money only the sum of fifty-five pounds sterling or Equivalent thereto in the Currency of this province to be paid him yearly and he to determine at his first settlement which he will take that the parish may be at a certainty."

Mr. Wingate's answer: "To the Church and Congregation at Hampton

688

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

falls-Hond and Beloved Inasmuch as thro the permission of divine Provi- dence your attempts to resettle in order of the gospel have once and again been disappointed and your disposition towards my settling with you seems at present so far as I can learn in general not to be alienated or divided by our former parting and the Trials you have since made but rather increased contrary to my expectations. I may I think look upon your Renewed Call as a Call of divine providence notwithstanding the uneasiness of some whose dissatisfaction I cannot account a sufficient discouragement to my settling with you but hope thro' the interposition of divine goodness will soon be removed-I therefore now accept of your invitation and purpose by the will of God to devote myself to his service in the work of the ministry among you and being sensible of my own Imperfections and humbly depending on the help and grace of God I ask your prayers continually for me and wishing grace mercy and peace may be multiplied unto you I Remain ready to serve you in the gospel of our common lord.

"PAIN WINGATE JUNR.

"Hampton falls Nov. 7th 1763."

Under date of December 14th Mr. Wingate chose to take the whole par- sonage with a cash salary of fifty-five pounds sterling.

From another source it is learned that in 1763 a Presbyterian meeting- house was built in the south part of the town, now Seabrook. No allusion to the matter appears on the parish records until 1765.

"Providence of New hampse: these are to Notify the freeholders and Inhabitants of the Parish of Hampton falls in said province who are by law qualified for to vote to meet at this meeting-house on Monday, the Second day of Septr next, at one of the Clock in the afternoon for the following purpose, viz. : Whereas a Number of persons in said parish have Lately professed themselves of the Presbyterian perswasion, and have applied to some ministers at Londonderry, whome they Call the Boston Presbytrey, desiering to be under their care, Representing that they apprehend them- selves able and are freely willing to maintain a minister of the orthodox faith, and that is united with said ministers in the Presbyterian government, and have made some objections to paying towards the support of the settled minister in said parish, and altho' there is no just reason that the above- mentioned persons shuld in any Respect be Excused except that it may Probably be most for the peace of said parish that the above-mentioned per- sons and their Estates should be set off to act in all Respects as a Distinct Society or parish by themselves Except paying there proportion of the prov- ince tax until a new proportion thereof. Therefore to see if the parish will vote to set off the above-mentioned persons and there estates to be Incor- porated if they think proper to apply for it to act in all respects by themselves

as a Distinct society or parish Except paying there proportion of the Provence tax until a New proportion thereof, and to pay all other charges as usual untill they shall be set off as above mentioned, the line of said New Parish to be fixed by a comtte of the general Court with Liberty for such of the above-mentioned persons as shall not fall within said New Parish to fall off with there Estates and Belong there to and for any who shall fall within said New Parish who are not of the Presbyterian Perswasion to fall off with there Estates, and belong to the old Parish, and for any who are of the

WEEKS HOUSE, NEAR GREENLAND VILLAGE BUILT 1638

WEEKS PUBLIC LIBRARY, GREENLAND, N. H.

WEARE'S MILL, SEABROOK, N. H.

BROWN MEMORIAL LIBRARY, SEABROOK, N. H.

MAPLE RIDGE FARM, SEABROOK, N. H.

BIRTHPLACE OF GOV. MESHECK WEARE, SEABROO N. H. BUILT 1705; BURNED AUGUST 6, 1913

689

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Presbyterian perswasion who have or shall have lands within said New Parish to poll off said Lands to belong to the parish of Hampton Falls.

"Hampton Falls, August 22, 1765.

Meshack Weare,

Richard Nason,

Nathan Tilton,

Samuel Collins,

Selectmen of Hampton Falls.

"At a Leagul meeting of the freeholders and Inhabitants of the parish of Hampton falls held the Second day of Septr 1765 Coll Meshack Weare chosen moderator for said meeting.

"Voted that the people Called presbyterians in this parish be sett off as a Destinct Parish by themselves according to the foregoing Notification for the aforesaid meeting."-(Not signed. )

The following notification bears the same date as the other :

"Province of New hampse: Pursuant to a Request to the selectmen in hampton falls by thirty Inhabitants there in Desiring them to Call a parish meeting-Ist to see if the Parish will Exempt the Presbyterian Society in Hampton falls from all Charges that may hereafter arise by the support of the Congregation minister or ministers in Hampton falls. 2ly to see if the parish will sett off to the presbyterian society a proportionable of the par- sonage and priviledges which belong to the Inhabitants of Hampton falls."

Then follows the legal notification of a meeting for August 22d, signed by the same selectmen. The following is the record of the second meeting, held the same day :

"At a Leagel meeting, etc., Col. Meshack Weare chosen moderator for said meeting. The first article in the notification was put to vote, and it was voted in the negative; and also the second article in the notification, and that was voted in the negative."

Signed by the parish clerk.

They next appeal to the General Assembly,-

"representing themselves aggrieved at the settlement of the Rev. Mr. Pain Wingate as a minister in said Hampton Falls, that the religious senti- ments and doctrines preached by the said Mr. Wingate are different from theirs and disagreeable to them."

Therefore they pray to be set off as a separate parish and exempted from taxation for ministerial support in the other parish. As the immediate result of this action a parish-meeting was held the 30th of December, at which Col. Meshack Weare, then-and most always at this period-moderator, was chosen chairman of a committee of six to appear at the General Court in behalf of the parish-

"to make a True Representation of the proceedings of the parish and to endeavor that the Petition may be Dismissed or that the petitioners may be set off in all Respects to act as a Distinct Parish by themselves."

In this last clause is found the first intimation of the town or parish of Seabrook. As to the result of the first petition of the Presbyterians the records are silent; but it appears that in the final disposition of the matter the petitioners got more than they wished, while in the division of territory which followed Hampton Falls obtained the lion's share, in the opinion of some of the present residents of Seabrook.

In 1767 they again petitioned the General Assembly "to be set off as

690

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

a Distinct parish for ministerial affairs only;" and on the 23d of November, Colonel Weare was again chosen chairman of a committee to appear and answer the petition, and "Represent the Inconveniences that would attend the prayer thereof being granted."

At a meeting held the 25th of April, 1768, it was voted that the select- men "be a com. to wait on the com. appointed by the General Court to Divide the parish of Hampton falls to inform said com. * and to repre- sent to said com. what may appear necessary," etc.

These records are copied from the first volume of the records of Hampton Falls, but the charter of the new South Parish does not appear on record until eleven years later. It may be found on the 123d page of the second volume, inscribed in beautiful penmanship. The following is the heading :

Seabrook Charter Anno Regni Regis Georgii tertii mgnæ Brittaniæ Francia et Hibernia

octavo

"An Act for erecting and incorporating a new Parish in the Southerly part of Hampton falls in this Province." "Whereas a considerable number of the Inhabitants of the Southerly and Westerly part of Hampton falls have petitioned the General Assembly to be set off from the old and erected into a new Parish, which has not been opposed; &c."

This act of incorporation was signed by John Wentworth, June 3, 1768.

The ministry of Mr. Wingate, so peculiar in its inception, was fraught with changes in parish affairs. The dissatisfaction of some at the time of his settlement appears to have led to the final division of the parish. And the setting off of the new parish disturbed the equilibrium of the balance, and led to other important changes.

On the 19th of December it was voted that a new meeting-house, 40 by 55 feet in dimensions, be built on the vacant lot near Jeremiah Lane's; that John Tilton, Abner Sanburn, and William Prescutt, selectmen, with Elisha Prescutt, Samuel Prescutt, and Jonathan Cram, be the building committee, and that this committee sell the pews to the highest bidder. Under the changed situation of the parish the meeting-house was at one end, and the majority of the parishioners towards the other end of the parish. And the result was that at a meeting called for the purpose October 20th it was voted that a new meeting-house be built near the center of the inhabitants of the parish. And the selectmen and two others, most of whom resided in the upper part, were chosen a committee to fix the location. To this action dissent was then and there made for three reasons: first, it ought not to be removed during Mr. Wingate's ministry; second, on account of the expense of land and new buildings, while by the terms of the deed the old ones could not be put to other use; third, because such hasty action has the most direct tendency to make confusion and lead into such difficulties as will probably ruin the parish.

The following is the last half of a request addressed to Mr. Wingate. signed by sixty-one legal voters, and dated December 4, 1769:

"And we, the subscribers, * * your Parishioners being Desirous that the said meeting-house may be Solemnly Dedicated to the Public wor- ship of God, and that the Duties of your Sacred Function may be by you

691

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

performed there Do hereby signify to you our hearty Desire and Sincere Request that you will Come to the said house and Perform the Same. In doing which we Trust and hope you will Honour God, acquit yourself Worthily, in your Sacred Office, and Do Great good to your Parishioners."

To which Mr. Wingate replies, December 28th, taking the ground that he had no power to change the place of worship; that the petitions of others could not convey to him that power; and that even the next, under date of May 10, 1771, is recorded the delivery of the new house to the parish by the building committee. The next document which contributes to the history of these events is dated August 30, 1770, signed by Nathaniel Healey and fifty-seven others, and states that whereas Mr. Wingate refuses "to Per- form the Duties of his ministerial Function at Said new meeting-house," "agreeable to the Vote of Said Parish and the advice of Neigboring ministers," and they are obliged to hire preaching in the new house at their own expense, they "Do hereby Protest against all and Every Tax & assessment for the salary or support of the said Mr. Wingate."

The following document closes the controversy between Mr. Wingate and the party of the new meeting-house. It appears that the new meeting-house party outvoted the old, but were out-generaled by Mr. Wingate:

Mr. Wingate's Resignation. A Legal Document.

"Hampton falls Dec 4th 1771.

"To the Parish of Hampton falls. Genl and attested copy of the votes passed at your Parish meeting on the Twenty-fifth of November last has been laid before me & I have observed in them the steps taken by you in order for my Dismission from the ministry in this place and a final settle- ment Between us-and since from your proceedings I find no encourage- ment to expect peace and Quietness with you in the ministry and hoping that thro' the overruling providence of God it may be most for the interests of Religion in your unhappy circumstances & for my own Comfort and useful- ness I Do now agreeable to the decrees of the late Council ask a Dismission from my ministry among you to take place at the time & after the manner specified as follows (viz) That I shall receive Fifty pounds Lawfull money of the Parish to be immediately paid or sufficiently secured to me with interest until paid and shall still continue a settled minister of this Parish by virtue of the agreement made at my Settlement in this Place and shall Enjoy all ministerial Rights and privileges as heretofore except those I shall Resign by a mutual agreement Between me & the Parish-that I shall be exempt from all taxes in the Parish & shall Retain the free quiet & faith possession Enjoyment & improvement of all the parsonages Buildings & Lands now in my possession the Repairs to be kept good by the Parish, all the aforesaid right Priveledges & Enjoyments as a Settled minister of the Parish to Con- tinue secure to me for the space of four years from next March & no Longer : that I shall be wholly released from performing any ministerial Service in or for the Parish except what I shall voluntarily consent to after the usual term of the present year & shall have Liberty to resign my ministerial Rela- tion whenever I shall see fit short of the four years and Remove out of the Parish and in that case the Parish warranting to make Good the improvement of the Parsonages Buildings and Lands as above During the aforesaid term of four years the above sum of money to be paid & all the aforesaid priviledges and improvements to be continued to me as an equitable & humble compen-

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 78

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