History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 83

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 83

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).

725

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

latter from the Highlands of Scotland, settled, according to an old record, in 1721. The place was then an unbroken wilderness-no trails or paths through the forest save as they made them by spotting trees. John Waddell, on the highest point of land near Cemetery Hill, was an early pioneer, and built the first house in town. In 1723, "Daddy" John Dinsmoor, the emigrant, located on the line between Windham and Londonderry, at what is now known as the Hopkins' farm. He had been an Indian captive, but was released, and came to Londonderry. His father was a native of Crehenmead, Scotland, and he himself was the ancestor of the two governors of that name, of Robert Dinsmoor, the "Rustic Bard," and all the Dinsmoors of Windham. About 1730, Samuel Morison, son of James and grandson of John Morison, of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, located in the range. He was the ancestor of the Morisons of the town and of the writer. Thomas Morison, his cousin, settled about the same time near him. He afterwards settled in Peterborough.

In 1733, Henry Campbell, born in Londonderry, Ireland, son of Daniel, of Scotland, settled in the west part of the town, and where his descendants "live unto this day." About this same time Alexander Simpson and Adam Templeton struck for settlement here.

John Cochran, also of Scotch blood, came in 1730, and upon his farm, which he hewed from the wilderness, his descendants have since lived. Alexander Park and John Armstrong appeared soon after.

These are some of the pioneer fathers: William and Robert Thompson, Joseph Waugh, Thomas Quigley, Alexander and James Dunlap, John Kyle, John Morrow, Hugh Graham, John and James Vance, Samuel and William McAdams, James Gilmore, Andrew Armour, John Hopkins, Daniel Clyde, William Thorn, John Stuart, Francis Langlie, Hugh Brown, Samuel Kin- kead, Alexander Ritchie, William Jamison, Nathaniel Hemphill, James Cald- well, and others, who were here in early times, and not a single descendant of any one of whom bearing their names live in town today.

The First Settlers .- Immediately after the first settlement had been made in Londonderry, near what is now Derry East Meeting-house, individuals went out to work in summer upon the more distant glebes and returned to the more populous settlement in the winter. Many of the young men would thus live several years, laboring to provide a home for their future com- panions. Then they went or sometimes sent to Ireland for the brave lass who had consented to cross the wide ocean, braving the dangers of the deep and the perils of the wilderness to meet her stern lord in the forest home. Land was cheap, and John Hopkins bought a large tract for a web of linen cloth. Neighbors were far apart, oftentimes as much as three miles, and it was said "we were obliged to go three miles to borrow a needle, not being able to buy one."

Then there were no grist-mills nearer than Haverhill or Andover, Mass .; so the grain was carried upon poles which trailed from the horse's back. They broke their corn into meal by two revolving stones, being a land mill called a cairn. They lived mainly on what could be raised in the ground. They possessed but little wealth, for their lot was cast in a wintry land like their fatherland, Scotland, with a rocky soil.

Amid the trials of their lot their character stands out in bold relief. They were not illiterate people. They had received a fair education, many of them in Scotland or Ireland.

726

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

They were stern, uncompromising Presbyterians, and held to their form of worship with great tenacity. They loved intelligence, liberty, and religion. No sacrifices were too great for liberty, no sufferings too severe for their religion, no hardships too extreme to win a home for themselves and their posterity where liberty and true religion, twin sisters, might dwell together, and the domestic virtues might undisturbed shine forth with peculiar brightness.

Petitions and Act of Incorporation .- Up to this period the residents of the territory now known as Windham and nearly a third of Salem had been included in the Town of Londonderry. They labored under great difficulties. They were seven miles from either church of Londonderry. In order to remedy these disadvantages, and to secure a more perfect union among them- selves, forty-seven freeholders, in 1747, petitioned for the erection of a new parish to Gov. Benning Wentworth and the Legislature. The act of incor- porating the Town of Windham was passed and assented to by the governor February 12, 1742. The bounds of the town were as follows: "Beginning at the dwelling-house of one John Hopkins of said Londonderry, yoeman, and from thence running on a due west course to Beaver Brook so called, then beginning again at the said house at the place where it began before (so as to have ye said house to ye Northward) and from thence to run on a due east course till it comes to ye easterly line of said Londonderry, thence to run as said line runs till it comes to the southerly boundary of said Lon- donderry, thence to run to the westward as the said boundary runs till it comes to the said brook, and thence to run as the said brook runs until it comes to the place on the said brook where the said west line runs across said brook." There were excepted out of these limits the polls and estates of John Archibald, James Clark, James Morse, John Hopkins, and John Cochran, and their respective families. This exception was a fruitful cause of disorder and litigation for many years, till at last they were legislated into Windham, where they have since remained. By the provisions of the charter Robert Dinsmoor, Joseph Waugh, and Robert Thompson were author- ized to call a meeting of the inhabitants March 8, 1742.

The sun which rose on the morning of February 12, 1742, ushered in a new and brighter day to the people. That day Windham became a town with a legal name, clothed with individuality, possessing the same rights, enjoying the same privileges, and subject to the same burdens and responsi- bilities of other towns in the province. Henceforth the people of this little republic in their congress, where every man was a member, and could and would be heard, were to manage their domestic affairs in their own time, in their own way, and for their own good.

First Town-Meeting was holden at 10 o'clock March 8, 1742. As Robert Dinsmoor's name stands first on the list of committee, he probably called the meeting to order and presided till Lieut. Samuel Morison was elected moderator. . He presided in the first meeting, and in twenty-nine subsequent legal gatherings of the freeholders. First officers chosen were Robert Dins- moor, Joseph Waugh, Robert Thomson, Samuel Morison, William Gregg, selectmen ; William Thom, town clerk; Thomas Morison and John Dinsmoor were chosen inspectors of dears.

It was "voted that the selectman is to provide too staves, one for the Constable, and one for the taything man, and a town book."

727

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

In this simple, plain, direct way, Windham commenced her career as a municipality. The officers worked without pay.

In March, 1744, commenced the French and Indian war, which lasted till October, 1748. This town escaped the ravages of the merciless foe, but she shared in the general alarm, and her sons aided in defending other towns in the state from the enemy, and William Campbell, William Gregg, Jr., N. L. Smiley, and William Smiley were scouting as soldiers of Windham in the Merrimac Valley in July, 1745, and other of our soldiers did good service in the war.

The year 1752 was one of trouble. There was contention in their annual meeting, one party seceded and held another meeting, and two boards of officers were elected. The proceedings of each meeting were declared illegal by the Legislature. A new meeting was ordered, the vanquished became the victors, and so ended the dual government of the town.

This year Windham was dismembered, and about one-third of its terri- tory was annexed to Salem.

Windham was so much weakened by this dismemberment that it could no longer support its pastor, Rev. William Johnston, who was dismissed.

The Last French and Indian War .- The treaty of peace signed between England and France Ocotober, 1748, was of short duration.

In 1754 hostilities commenced anew. It was the conflict of differing civilizations, and did not cease till French-Catholic supremacy was over- thrown in Canada, that province conquered and placed under the domination of the British government. As an integral part of the British empire this town was called upon for sacrifice, to contribute her share for the prosecu- tion of the war, so her sons left the delights of the home and fireside for the sufferings of the march, the duties and privations of the camp, and the perils of the battle-field. Among her soldiers were Samuel Thompson. William Thompson, Hugh Dunlap, Daniel Clyde, and many others too numerous to mention here.

In August, 1757, the French and Indians captured Fort William Henry on the north shore of Lake George, in New York, and 3,000 troops sur- rendered, when an infamous massacre of prisoners took place. In a New Hampshire regiment of 200 men, eighty were killed. Windham soldiers were there. Among them was Thomas Dunlap, who was pursued by a savage, who caught him by his queue, and was on the point of braining him with his tomahawk, when Dunlap sprang away, tearing out a large part of the hair from his head, escaped, reached the fort, and was protected by the French.

Some fifty-five different men from this, or the same men at different times, served in the course of the "seven years' war." This was a heavy burden on the young settlement, and we can look back with pride upon this military page of our local history, which shines so brightly with self-sacrifice, heroism, and patriotism. The conflict drew to a close, and Great Britain was victorious. The struggle between the two rival powers of Europe for supremacy in America had ceased, and great was the rejoicing of the English colonists.

The world advances, is educated, and brought to a higher plane through conflict, suffering, sacrifice, and blood. This conflict had aroused the martial spirit of our people, developed their manhood, strengthened their determina-

728

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

tion and resolution, and fitted them for the greater conflict, the grander struggle of the Revolution, which was so rapidly approaching.

1770, Windham helps colonize Belfast, Me.

In 1770, a year or two previous, and for several years succeeding, citi- zens of Windham settled in Belfast. Among the actual settlers were John Davidson, Deacon John Tufts, and, later, Lieut. James and John Gilman, sons of Col. James Gilman. Owners and proprietors were Alexander Stuart, Robert McIlvaine. At a later date John Cochran, Joseph Ladd, and A. W. Park became residents.

The crisis was now on them! The waves of that long contest, the French and Indian war, had hardly lulled themselves to rest before the ominous mutterings of another tempest were distinctly heard. The breezes of the Atlantic brought to American ears the approaching danger. This war was to prove the mettle of our people, to show the stern grit of our citizens.

Our men were soldiers by their mode of life in the new settlement. They had seen great exposure in the previous wars. They weighed the issues of the coming contest in the intellectual balances of their minds, and were pre- pared to meet the danger which their conclusion involved. They knew their strength, and were not afraid to use it. They were true in peace and quiet, they were steady and true in the tempest and storm.

A company of minute-men was formed, and when the swift courier brought the news of the Lexington alarm, Capt." Joseph Clyde left his field hurriedly, rallied his company, and was gone. The good housewives cooked provisions, loaded them upon the backs of horses, and sent them after the soldiers.

The following men enlisted immediately after the Lexington alarm, April 23, 1775: James Caldwell, Samuel Caldwell, John Caldwell, Nathaniel Burrows.

May 25, 1775, Lieut. John Dinsmoor was sent a delegate to the County Congress.

Committee of Safety, 1775, were George Davidson, Peter Merrill, Robert Hemphill, Samuel Morison, Joseph Smith, John Dinsmoor, James Gilman, Nehemiah Hadley, and William Campbell.

June 17, 1775, the battle of Bunker Hill was fought, the cannonading being distinctly heard in Windham. Her sons mingled in the deadly fray, and some had sealed their devotion to American liberty by their death. Tra- dition says five were slain, but the name of only John Collins has come down to us. John Simpson lost a part of his hand, and received a pension.

These men were in the Continental service July 8, 1775: William Duty, Charles Amiss, Mark Duty, Alexander Brown, John Jameson, Abram Planet. Jacob Nordy, Moses Morys, Jonathan Thompson, John Kinkead, William McIlvain.

The legislation of the town was patriotic. It was always in favor of the patriots. Their quotas of men and money were usually promptly furnished. When a few citizens wished to be excused from the soldier rates, the town always voted not to excuse them.

Ninety-four signed the association test, which was virtually a declaration of independence and three refused or neglected to sign.

During the whole war our men shared in the joys of the army's triumphs. or in the sadness of its defeats. Fourteen men, at least, from Windham

729

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

were in the battle of Bennington, as follows: in Stark's brigade, Col. Mons Nichol's regiment, Capt. Daniel Runnell's (or Reynolds') company, who enlisted July 20, 1777, were John Campbell, Samuel Campbell, John Stuart, John Kinkead, John Jameson, Jesse Davidson, James Wilson, Thomas Karr, history of that town. )

In Capt. Jesse Wilson's company, same regiment, were Ensign David Gregg (afterwards lieutenant), Samuel Morison, sergeant (grandfather of the writer), Ephraim Kyle, corporal, Alexander Morrow, David Campbell, John Kinkead, John Jameson, John Davidson, James Wilson, Thomas Karr, William Bolton.

Casualties .- David Gregg had his thumb shot off. Samuel Morison suffered severely from sunstroke. James Wilson was taken prisoner by a British soldier, and he in turn took his captor captive. John Kinkead was killed. His sad fate and other incidents of the battle have been put in verse by the "Rustic Bard."

The success at Bennington was the harbinger of a brighter day. The auspicious morning was at hand when England would be compelled to accord justice to America. The gallant sons of the old Granite State now rallied to join the northern army as men flock to a feast. The British commander was effectually "bottled up," and on the 17th of October, 1777, Burgoyne sur- rendered to General Gates. Windham men helped to swell the ranks of the patriot army, and participated in those battles, and shared in the glories of the victory. Among them, who enlisted September 29th and discharged October 28th, were Col. Isaac Cochran, Sergt. James Davidson, Sergt. Eliph- alet Ladd, Robert Dinsmoor ("Rustic Bard"), Fifer William McCoy, John Campbell, Alexander Gregg, John Cochran, John Armor, Alexander Simp- son, John Dinsmoor, Daniel McIlvaine, John Williams (Corp. Daniel McIl- vaine was incorrectly credited to Londonderry in Parker's history of that town). In Capt. Joseph Finley's company at Saratoga, which marched from Londonderry, enlisted October 1, discharged November 4, 1777, were Adam Dunlap, John McCoy, David Quentin, and William McKeen. These four Windham soldiers are incorrectly credited to Londonderry in Parker's his- tory of that town.

War History, 1812-15 and 1861-65 .- When the War of the Revolution was over the best of feeling did not exist between England and her late colonies. In 1795 war between the nations was averted by an unpopular treaty. There was an itching on the part of the Government and a portion of the people to reduce the arrogance of Great Britain, who was mistress of the seas. War at length broke out. It was extremely unpopular in Windham, and denounced in unmeasured terms as a wicked, causeless war, and a useless sacrifice of blood and treasure. It is said that only four men in the town voted in favor of the war, and the conditions of the treaty of peace between the nations justified the views of our people. Though bitterly opposed to the war, the following persons were enlisted or drafted for the service, the most, if not all, being stationed at Portsmouth: Benjamin Blanchard, Wil- liam Balch, Robert P. Dinsmoor, Samuel Dinsmoor, Thomas Nesmith, Samuel Davidson, Richard Dow, David Campbell, Alexander Gordon, John B. Hilands, Moses Sargent, Phillip K. Wilds, Rufus Patterson, Stephen E. Blaisdell, Samuel Rowell, Amos Dow, Thomas Moore, David Durrer, Phineas Danforth, James Simpson, Samuel Marshall, Aaron Senter, Solomon Corliss,

730

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

John Webster, William Simpson, John Nesmith (served in a Massachusetts regiment). Woodbridge Cottle. When the treaty of peace was signed, Decem- ber 24, 1814, and ratified by the President, February 17, 1815, there was great rejoicing by all parties. The news of peace was brought from Harbor Hill. Mass., to Windham by Samuel Armor, Esq., who rode up to the houses of people shouting, "Peace, peace, peace!" and with only a word of explana- tion he reined his horse into the highway and was gone to carry joy to other households.

So far as this town is concerned, peace reigned for many years. The war with Mexico did not affect us, and not a soldier is known to have gone from the town. But a storm was brewing which would shake to their center the foundations of our national Government. The slaveholders' rebellion was at hand, and the hour would call for sacrifice on the part of our people. Suinter was attacked April 19, 1861. The North sprang to arms. The following list is very nearly correct of the men furnished by the town :

Walter Burnham, Asa Bean, Seth N. Huntley, William Wyman, Moses Wyman, James G. Batchelder, Jesse Crowell, Theodore Clark, Joseph R. Everett, Albion K. Goodwin, Horatio Gleason, John Calvin Hill, Samuel Haseltine, John G. Johnson, Lemuel Marden, Moses Myrick, Louis McCon- nihe, Lewis Ripley, James G. Stone, Caleb G. Wiley, Moses Wyman.

William Anderson, John G. Bradford, Asa Bean, George W. Colburn, Henry W. Chellis, Horace W. Hunt, Seth N. Huntley, John W. Hall, David B. Fessenden, Micajah B. Kimball, William N. McConnihe, Reuben A. Phillips, James S. Stephens.

Carl Albert, Joseph G. Ayers, James Baker, James Brown, C. H. Bach- elder. George W. Durant, Severe L. Duplissis, Albert Fletcher, Charles E. Hanscom, George A. Jackson, Joseph F. Mugot, Elixis Marcotte, Truworthy Norris, Ephraim Plimpton, Wentworth S. Cowan, Thomas Crook, Patrick Hannan, Bernard McCam, Oliver Burns, James Murphy, Russell W. Powell, Jasques Dreux, James Brown, Charles Cole, Frederick Otis, James C. Crowell, Charles Fegan, George W. Carr, Whiting R. Richardson, Gilman Jaquitt, James Jones (colored), Harry Hancock. Seven citizens were drafted and sent substitutes. Eleven citizens voluntarily sent substitutes to the war.

The Scotch settlers of Windham were of a stern and rugged type, and clung to the tenets of the Presbyterian Church with an obstinacy hard to surpass. Nor is this surprising when we consider the circumstances of their lives and stock to which they belonged. They were the descendants of the Covenanters. Their fathers had resisted the onslaughts of the Roman Cath- olic and the English Established Church. They hated Popery, and had but little more regard for the English Church. They had struggled on through the troubled years, bearing aloft the ensign of their faith-to them the only true faith-and. their banner the only true standard of the cross.

The story of the past was familiar to our first settlers. It was engraved upon "the red-leaved tablets" of their hearts, and that they should cling with great tenacity to the faith and form of worship of their fathers is not surprising.

The religious side of their characters was strongly developed. They were the followers of John Knox, and exhibited much of the stern, honest, plain. uncompromising spirit of that reformer.

This town has been decidedly orthodox from the beginning. Many

731

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

families attended meeting at what is now East Derry. After attending to their morning duties the whole family, even women and children, would walk eight or nine miles to meeting, listen to two long sermons, and then return to their homes, not reaching them till after dark. So they prized the sanctuary, and appreciated and loved dearly the faith in which they trusted. The first religious meetings were holden in barns during the warm season for eleven years, when, in 1753, the first meeting-house was built on the high ground southeast of Cobbett's Pond. Following the custom of the dear old fatherland, the burying-ground stood beside the kirk.

Rev. William Johnson received a call, July 12, 1742, to settle here, but was not installed till 1747. His salary was 200 pounds and the use of the parsonage, besides 300 pounds as a settlement. He ordained as ruling elders Nathaniel Hemphill, Samuel Kinkead, and John Kyle. By the dismember- ment of Windham, in 1752, whereby about one-fourth of our territory with its people were annexed to Salem, the society was so weakened that it could not support the minister, and he was dismissed in July, 1752, having been with this people ten years.

Rev. John Kinkead was installed October, 1760, with a salary of £1300, old tenor, or about two hundred and sixteen dollars, six pounds making one dollar. He was dismissed in April, 1765. .

Rev. Simon Williams was ordained in December, 1766, with a salary of about two hundred and thirty-three dollars and thirty-three cents, with a settlement of $200 and the use of the parsonage. He was pastor here for twenty-seven years, dying November 10, 1793. He did a noble work, and his influence lives after him. He established a private academy, which was an important tributary of Dartmouth College.

A new church was at the center of the town in 1798. Rev. Samuel Norris was ordained over the church October 9, 1805, and continued as pastor till he was dismissed on account of failing health, in 1826.

Rev. Calvin Cutter was installed over the church in April, 1828, and died February 19, 1844. He had previously been settled in Lebanon, N. H., was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1819, at Andover Theological Seminary, 1823. During his ministry the church was built ( 1834), and the old house used as the town-house. The latter has at different times been occupied for preaching some three months a year by the Methodists and Unitarians.

In 1845, November 5th, Lorin Thayer was ordained over the church, with a salary of $500. Like the most of his predecessors, he continued with his people till death. For over twenty years he continued their pastor, and the disease which terminated in his death, September 19, 1869, was the cause of the dissolution of his pastoral relation with his people, April 25, 1866.

He died at the age of fifty-four years, and he is buried among us, as are three of his predecessors. He was thrice married, his last wife being Eliza- beth C. Farley, who became closely identified with the society and interest of the people. She survived her husband till March 4, 1878. His ministry was an eminently successful one, and the memory of him and his wife are tenderly cherished by many. January 20, 1868, Joseph Lauman received a call to settle, and he was installed June 2, 1868. A parsonage was built in 1868 at an expense of over three thousand dollars. Mr. Lauman's pastorate continued till his resignation. He was dismissed February 6, 1872.

732

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

Rev. Charles Packard was installed April 29, 1873, at a salary of $800 and the use of the parsonage. The church was thoroughly remodeled in 1874, and rededicated December 29, 1874. The outlay was $2,600.

Mr. Packard was born at Backfield, Me., October 14, 1818, graduated at Bowdoin College in 1842, at Bangor Seminary in 1845. As a pastor he was faithful, as a friend he was true, as a citizen he was always upon the right side, and always had the best interests of the people in view.

He performed his pastoral duties till January 29, 1881, when the disease which had been upon him culminated in entire prostration, and he died Feb- ruary 20, 1881, and is buried in Farmington, Me.

Rev. Joseph Smith Cogswell was born in Boscawen, N. H., October 29, 1836, and was installed over the church December 21, 1881. He was followed by Reverend Mr. Westervelt from 1892-96; Rev. Jas. P. Harper in 1898; Rev. Albert Watson, 1899-1910; Reverend Mr. Funk acting pastor in 1912; Rev. Frederick McNeill in 1913; and the Rev. A. L. Dunton the present pastor.

Previous to 1800 some of our people were shareholders in a library in Salem, and the books were much read. The first book controlled by the town was in 1800. This was the commencement of the first public or social library, which was incorporated June 7, 1806. It had a constitution, by-laws, and a board of officers annually elected. In 1825 the number of volumes exceeded two hundred-and valuable works.

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 83

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