History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 135

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714

USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 135
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 135

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phy, William McMurphy, William Moore, Robert Mack, David McClary, Archibald Mack, James Nes- mith, James Nesmith, Jr., William Parker, Joshua Reid, William Rowell, Thomas Roach, Abel Senter, James Stinson, Samuel Senter, Samuel Thompson, John Vance, Ingh Watts, Thomas Wilson, John Patterson, Henry Parkinson, Samuel Stinson, John Smith, Richard Cressey, and James Moore, and six men from Windham, privates. Lieut. Reid was of Windham. As William Adams, William Gregg, and David McGregor were in the service at that time, they were probably at Bunker IIill. There were also seven- teen men from Londonderry in Col. Prescott's regi- ment who took a part in that engagement, and proba- bly 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, Alexan- der Craige, William Colby, Patrick Fling, William Adams, James Boyer, Jr., Jonathan George, Charity Killicut, and John Lancaster, privates. In Decem- ber, 1776, the following enlistments 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.

574

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

selectmen to circulate papers for signature affirming opposition to the British government. In London- derry there were three hundred and seventy-two males over twenty-one who signed a declaration of independ- enee, substantially the same as the memorable decla- ration 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 asperities of that period, and the " king's friends" are now every- where designated by the less opprobrions name of loyalists. Considering the power of England, the feebleness of the colonies and their poverty, it is not surprising that large numbers of the 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 set- ting sun. The ambition and enterprise of younger days were gone, and after the severe struggles they had endured in suhduing 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 undisturbed 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 hesitated 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 Hol- land 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 mer- chant, 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 Nov. 19, 1778, and his property, numbering four farms, was confiscated. The same aet also pro- scribed 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 Col. Holland. There were perhaps some twenty men in town who were Tories, but they were not promi- nent 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 aeross 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 fol- low political discussion, and a fight between those stalwart men would be no small affair. The par- ties, 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. Alex- ander 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 Pen- nacook, now Concord, N. H. In going from Haver- hill to Pennacook, "abont 11 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 Lon- donderry ; 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 previons Indian wars. They often got together of a winter's night, and after in- spiring draughts of punch and flip the old-time memo- ories 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 Al- lison 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 sev- eral 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, three hundred 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 ex- citement of the Jefferson campaign. Ile had Jeffer-

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LONDONDERRY.

son'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 ap- propriate to go with Jefferson." " Well, then," said Brinton, "I will just paint the devil!" At Derry vil- lage the Danforth tavern is now the house of Dr. Crombie. A hotel has long been kept where Mr. Saunders entertains the public. Of the landlords there, Charles Redfield and Richard Melvin are the best known.

Stores .- The Londonderry fair obviated the neces- sity of very early stores. The precise date of the first · has not been ascertained. James Ayers was a trader in 1735, and Christopher Ayers also about that time. John Duncan early had a store at the Duncan place. A part of his shop is now used as a dwelling. The Duncans were a race of merchants. At a "cate- chising" in answer to the question, "Who was the first Christian martyr?" Col. William Adams, when a boy, replied, under a little confusion of the term, that "he didn't know, but thought he might have been a Duncan." John Dickey, Esq., who removed to New York in 1819, was a merchant in the West Parish many years. Since then, in the present town of Lon- donderry the leading merchants were John N. Ander- son and Arley Plumer, now both dead, and William Anderson, Esq., now a resident of Derry.

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.

To convince the friends in Ireland that such was the fact, in 1744 a member of the Cochran family sent over a pine-tree shilling as a specimen of the money in use. The present commercial value of that shill- ing, could it have been made available to the early settlers, would have been more than sufficient to pur- chase one of their best " Ilome Lots," or even their " Precept." It remained in Ireland one hundred years, and in 1844 it was sent back to Londonderry, and is now in possession of the writer. Most busi- ness 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." AAll such bills authorized before 1742 were called " Old Tenor," and the issue of that year and subsequently till the Revolution were denomi- nated " New Tenor." The temptation to over-issues beyond the credit of the government to respond could not be resisted, and great depreciation was the natural result, to the severe embarrassment of the people. The salary of Rev. Mr. Davidson, of the East Parish, in 1767 was fifteen hundred pounds old tenor, and the next year it was seventy-five pounds lawful money. The depreciation of the Continental money wrought financial ruin to large numbers of the people. The !

-following table, kept by Deacon Thomas Patterson at the time, shows how rapid was the decline of the Continental bills :

1777.

1778.

1779.

1780.

1781.

Jan ........ At par.

325 per 100

742 per 100 2934 per IC0 7, 00 per 100

Feb ........ 104 per 100 350

868

.3322

7.GIRO

March ... 106

375

1000

1104

4000

7,500

May ....... 115

400

1215

4600)

7,500

Jnne ...... 120

400

1340

5700

12,000

July ...... 125

4:25

1470

6000

Ang .... . 150

4.50)

1630

6300

Sr.pt ....... 175

476

1800

1500

Oct ....... 275

500

2000

6700

Nuv .......: in)

545

2108

17000

Dec ........ 310

634

2313

7300

The snbjoined 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 JONER, CONSTABLE :

" Please pay or discount with James Rogers, ten shillings in certifi- cats, nud five shillings of Indents, & three sb llings and four pence out of your town list, & one shilling & cight pence in specie, & one shilling eight pence in specie orders, and one shilling eight pence ont 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. 13, 1790."

Schools .- The settlers of Londonderry made carly and as full provision as possible for the rising gener- ation; and this good example has been followed to the present day. An early law of the province re- quired " every fifty householders 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 It 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 school- master were thirty-six pounds per annum. March 25, 1732, " Voted that there shall be two school- 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 pres- ent system of common 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. Ile 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 col- lege student, anxious for his success, asked Deacon Thomas Patterson how Sam was getting on in school. The deacon replied, " Very well ; only I think he had

7,500

April ...... 110

400

576

HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

better leave his cane at home to-morrow." The hint was taken, the cane was left at home, and an excel- lent school was the result.

The various divisions in town known as school dis- triets were at first called "classes," and prudential committees called " heads of the class." The divis- ions were not numbered as at present, but designated by some local name, as the Aiken's Range Class, etc. All through the years great attention 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 pro- viding for the welfare of the rising generation.

Spotted Fever of 1812 .- The town has always enjoyed remarkable immunity from epidemics. But two of any account are known in its history. In 1753 a fever of great malignity, much resembling the yellow fever of later years, carried off several of the inhabitants, among whom were a few of the leading citizens. The ravages of the spotted fever of 1812 caused great excitement, and many families suffered severely. In the West Parish three children in the family of Alexander Anderson died, and three or four in the family of David Anderson. Robert Taylor, who lived in the East Parish, lost four children, and William Thompson, two. Bleeding was thought to be a means of eure, but the sickness was so general that the doctors were unable to respond to all the *cases. In this emergency Christopher Thom, Abra- ham Morrison, and Joseph Gregg went through the town using the lancet. Physicians from abroad were employed. The writer has a bill paid by the town for one hundred and twelve dollars to Dr. Matthias Spalding, a noted physician of Amherst, N. H.

War of 1812-15 .- Soon after the declaration of war President Madison requested Governor Plumer, of New Hampshire, to order into service of the United States such a part of the State militia as he should deem necessary for the defense of Portsmouth. company was drafted from the Third Brigade, to which Londonderry belonged, to serve six months, and Capt. John Leonard, of this town, was put in command. The following-named men went to Ports- mouth : Capt. John Leonard, Moses C. Pillsbury, John Palmer, Moses Messer, John Plumer, David Wilson, John Saunders, and James Whittemore. Under Governor Gilman's order of Sept. 9, 1814, Capt. James Thom, of Londonderry, was in com- mand of a company for a short time, but there were no privates from town in this company. Under the same order Londonderry furnished twenty-two men for the service, who were enlisted Sept. 23, 1814, for sixty days. In the same company there were ten men from Windham. The names of all the men above enumerated are on record, but the town fur- nished others that the muster-rolls are silent in respect to. The political sentiment of the town

being largely in opposition to the war, the voluntary enlistments were few. Most of the men were drafted.

Tomatoes were first raised in town in 1822, by Madame Morrison, widow of Rev. William Morri- son, she having brought.the seed from her early home at Octorara, Pa.

Emigrations from Town .- No sketch of London- derry can be perfect without mention of towns colo- nized therefrom. Very early several of the propric- tors relinquished their "home lots" and settled in other parts of the town on second divisions, or amend- ment land. Among these were John Woodburn, of the Ayers Range, and John Senter, of the English . Range, who removed to the lower part of the High Range in the West Parish. John Goffe, four years town elerk, took up residence in 1734 at "Goffe's Falls." Prior to 1736 a vaguely-defined strip of land, called ITarrytown, extending several miles along the eastern bank of the Merrimac, opposite Amoskeag Falls, had been partly settled by the Scotch-Irish and English. Much contention arising among them rela- tive to the fishing interest, the former thought best to strengthen their party by a reinforcement from the Scotch-Irish fighting blood of Londonderry. John McNeil, in 1735, and Archibald Stork, in 1736, and several others responded to the call. How well the imperiled settlers, struggling to maintain their claim, judged of the character of the men they summoned to their aid let Chippewa, Bunker Hill, and Benning- ton in a succeeding generation tell.

Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., N. Y., settled in 1740, received an important addition to its population from that part of Londonderry now Windham. Col. Sam- uel Campbell, Samuel Clyde, and several others were among the early settlers. Bedford, N. H., incorpo- rated May 19, 1750, was largely represented by settlers from Londonderry. Among them were the Riddles, the Moors, the Aikens, the Walkers, the Orrs, and many others. Many of the leading families of Peters- boro', N. H., incorporated Jan. 17, 1760, were from Londonderry,-the Morrisons, Smiths, Steels, Greggs, ete. In 1760 a company of Archibalds, Taylors, Fishers, and others settled in Truro, Nova Scotia. Large numbers of the early citizens of New Boston, N. H., were of Londonderry,-the Crombies, Coch- rans, Clarks, Pattersons, McColloms, McAllisters, etc. Nearly all the proprietors of Henniker, N. H., were from Londonderry. Those who removed thither were most prominent in the new settlement,-the Wallaces, Campbells, and Pattersons. The first permanent set- tler in Antrim, N. H., was Deacon James Aiken, of Londonderry. He was succeeded by Duncans, Greggs, and others. The towns of Acworth, Merrimac, and Goffstown, N. H., elaim a Londonderry origin for many of their people, also the towns of Londonderry and Windham, Vt. Belfast, Me., is indebted to this town for its most prominent settlers.

Londonderry Literature .- Several of the early colonists were said to be gifted with poetical talent,

577

LONDONDERRY.

and among them were Rev. Matt. Clark and Robert Boyer, Esq. The former was an eccentric minister, and the latter was a man of talent, had great influ- ence in town, and was often in public employment, . but the specimens of their writing that have come down to us do not warrant us in giving them a very high place among the poets. Dr. Thornton is said to have left a manuscript work on some religious subject. Rev. David McGregor, Rev. Dr. Morrison, and Rev. Daniel D. Dana, among the older ministers, and Rev. E. L. Parker and Rev. L. S. Parker, of later years, all published sermons. The century sermon of Rev. E. L. Parker in 1819 is the basis of the history of the town he had got nearly ready for the press at the time of his death in 1850. The history, a work of three hundred and fifty-eight pages, was published by his son, Edward P. Parker, Esq., in 1851, and is regarded as a very valuable work, and one of the best town histories. Copies of the work are very rare, and, like all Londonderry literature, command high prices. In 1870 a compilation of the " Exercises on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the town's settlement" was published.

Rev. Luther B. Pert, pastor of the Presbyterian So- ciety in Londonderry, published in 1876 a valuable centennial sermon, historical of the society, church, and town.

Londonderry elaims many eminent men who were either natives of the town or residents for a time. Of these may be mentioned John Bell, ancestor of three Governors of New Ilampshire and three United States senators; Gen. George Reid, the trusted friend of Washington; Gen. John Stark, the hero of Ben- nington ; Matthew Thornton, the jurist and statesman ; Samuel Livermore and John Prentice, the accom- plished lawyers; Rev. Dr. Joseph McKeen, first pres- ident of Bowdoin College; and many others, of whom there is no space in this sketch even to name. Very large numbers of the most prominent living men in the land "claim kindred here, and have their claims allowed." A fuller account must be reserved for a complete history of the town now in preparation.

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

LONDONDERRY .- (Continued.)

1827-82.

Post-Offices and Postmasters .- On the 18th of August, 1827, soon after the division of the town, a post-office was established in the High Range, in the western part of the town, and Ebenezer Whittier appointed postmaster. Aug. 30, 1828, the office was removed two and one-half miles eastward to the store of William Anderson (3d), who was made postmaster. May 7, 1829, the Post Office Department ordered the , office back to the store of Mr. Whittier, who was again

put in charge of it. It remained there until the 6th of March, 1835, when it was again removed, this time to the store of William Caldwell, on the Mam- moth road. He served as postmaster till the appoint- ment of Arley Plumer, April 6, 1836, when Mr. Plumer was relieved by Daniel H. Batchelder, Aug. 28, 1850. Mr. Plumer again received the appoint- ment, Sept. 27, 1852. A. J. Morse sueceeded him July 20, 1875, and was postmaster till May 15, 1876, when D. H. Burns took the place. Mr. Burns gave up the office June 2, 1881, to the present incumbent, W. P. Wallace.

Post-Office and Postmasters at North London- derry .- An office was opened here May 21, 1832, with Reuben White as postmaster. Succeeding him were Dr. David Flanders, March 29, 1839; Reuben White again, May 28, 1846; Mrs. Rachel White, April 9, 1858; B. F. Garvin, April 22, 1862; S. C. Barker, July 17, 1865; Robert W. Wilson, Jan. 18, 1866; Dr. John Haynes, January, 1868; and James W. Mackey, May 5, 1873. For thirty years the office was kept in the hotel of Mr. White; afterwards for a short time at the depot of the Manchester and Lawrence Railroad ; since then at the store near by. The mail was car- ried by stage-coaches on the Mammoth road till they were taken off in 1849, and then for a few years by special messenger to Manchester. At present it is carried by the Manchester and Lawrenee Railroad.

Post-Office at Wilson's Crossing .- The office here was established June 25, 1862, and Warren Riehard- son appointed postmaster, who still serves in that capacity.

Mammoth Road .- This road was built in the summer of 1831, and opened to travel in the autumn of that year. It became at once a popular line be- tween Concord, N. H., and Boston. Three lines of daily stages were put on the road, which carried vast numbers of passengers. In the winter season large quantities of country produce were carried over the road, seeking a market at Lowell and Boston. This continued till the opening of the Concord and Nashua Railroad, in 1838. The Mammoth road, so named in derision by its enemies, has always been a great con- venience to the people of the town. In 1832 Presi- dent Jackson and eabinet passed over it on their way * from Boston to Concord, N. II., and dined at the hotel of Mr. White, in the north part of the town.

Libraries-Leach Library .- A social library was established by a few citizens in 1830. It contained several hundred volumes, and was kept at first at the store of William Anderson, now an honored resident of Derry. In 1834 the books were transferred to the house of Robert Maek, on the Mammoth road. In a few years they were sold at auction, and the avails divided among the stockholders. Feb. 23, 1858, forty individuals raised money and purchased about two hundred volumes; but having no renewal fund, the books have been donated to the Leaeh Library. David Rollins Leach, born in Londonderry, Aug. S,

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History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 135

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1714

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714