USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Salem > History of Salem, N.H. > Part 7
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Samuel Currier
John Bailey
Abiel Kelly Jun.
Robert Corgill
Thomas Eaton
Ephraim Clark
Richard Kelly
Daniel Peaslee."
Abiel Kelly
This petition suffered a fate similar to that of its predeces- sor. But it served to warn the people of the town proper that there were men in the north part who were justified in their demands for better facilities for worship and education. Early in the spring of 1729 a fifty-acre lot was laid out lying north of World's End Pond, for the use of a school. It bordered on the path which led from the river near Salem Village to the Howe Road, now so called. The schools were not given the attention demanded by the General Court. This led to the imposition of a fine in 1731, which, however, was removed, as a school was ar- ranged for during the following winter. In fact, school was kept in three parts of the town. Francis Swan was the teacher in the southeast part near the conflux of the Spicket and Merri- mack rivers, Ebenezer Barker in the west, and Thomas Eaton
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
near Spicket Hill. Each teacher provided a room in his own house, where the pupils came together for their lessons. The length of the term this winter was one month.
SPICKET HILL PETITION.
At the annual meeting in March, 1734, a paper was presented known as the "Spicket Hill petition." It was signed by Abiel Kelly, Joseph Peaslee, Evan Jones, Benoni Rowell, Richard Kelly, Daniel Peaslee and several others of the inhabitants of that part of the town. It was worded in the following manner :
"March the 13, 1733-4. We, the inhabitants of the north part of the Town of Methuen, living distant from the public worship of God, and laboring under great difficulty thereby; although we are but small in number at present, and not able, according to appearance, to maintain the public worship of God amongst ourselves, yet hoping for the blessing of God on our endeavors, we have thought fit to make our request to our fathers and breth- ren of said Town, now assembled, to see if they will be pleased to give their consent to set us off, to be a distinct parish by our- selves.
"This is the humble petition of the subscribers, that the Town would be pleased to grant us a line as followeth, viz. Begin- ning at the middle of the World's End pond so called, thence running a west line so far until it comes to Dracut line, thence running an east line until it comes to Haverhill line. And if it please our fathers and brethren of the Town to grant our re- quest in this respect, we hope by the blessing of God, we shall be enabled to maintain the public worship of God among our- selves."
The town, as in previous cases, promptly voted not to grant the request. But at the meeting held the following October it was "voted to add ten pounds more to the minister rate the next year, in answer to a petition of Spicket Hill people for some ease in their cost of hiring a minister to preach amongst them four months in the winter season, the next winter, if they hire one four months."
At the meeting of April, 1735, another petition for a second precinct was presented but voted down.
-
هاى محمد
HON. FRANK P. WOODBURY.
MOSES MESSER HOUSE. (M 376)
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BUILDING THE TOWN.
In the fall of this year the town was first officially represented in the General Court. Each year the voters had refused to elect a representative. This was at last felt to be an unwise policy. Therefore, on November 18, 1735, it was voted to have Richard Saltonstall, the representative from Haverhill, act also in behalf of Methuen.
In 1735 action was also taken toward building a schoolhouse. It was to be "twenty feet one way and eighteen feet the other way," and located at some convenient place. It was then voted "that the school shall be kept two months at the schoolhouse, if the schoolhouse be built, and one month at some convenient place at Spickett Hill, where the selectmen shall order it for this winter coming. Then, in less than two months, with that lack of consistency which characterized so many of the official trans- actions of the early times, they voted "not to pay out any money this fall for a schoolhouse." The records leave us uninformed as to whether the original vote for a term of school at Spicket Hill was also nullified by this action.
NORTH PARISH SET OFF.
Even in this very year the persistence and determination with which a separate parish had been sought was rewarded. At the town meeting held December 15, 1735, a petition was presented signed by Henry Sanders, Joseph Peaslee and about twenty- seven others. The long-continued agitation of the matter had served the purpose of acquainting the voters of the town with the real and pressing needs of their fellow townsmen. Accord- ingly, it was voted to grant their request, which is here pre- sented :
"Methuen, December 15, 1735 The humble petition of us, the subscribers, to the inhabitants of this Town, this day assembled, humbly showeth; That, whereas, we the subscribers live at so great a distance from the public worship of God in this place, that we cannot attend upon it with our families, without a great deal of difficulty, we have therefore been at the charge to hire a minister to preach to us in a more convenient place, which we think is hard for us to do, so long as we are obliged to pay our full proportion towards the support of the public worship of
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
God in this place, and although we have of late made our appli- cation to this Town for some help under our difficult circum- stances, we have been denied any. We therefore pray that you would set us off, a distinct precinct by ourselves, according to this line following, viz. Beginning at the north side of World's End Pond, so running easterly to the south side of Peter Mer- rill's land, and so to Haverhill line; and from the World's End Pond to a wading place in Spickett river by Jonathan Corliss', and so running with a straight line to a pine tree in Dracut line, on the south side of Porpepine brook, to Dracut line; which, if you will be pleased to do, you will oblige your humble petition- ers."
The next step was to obtain recognition by the General Court. Within two weeks of the parish grant Henry Sanders had his pe- tition drawn up, signed by other citizens, and presented to the legislature at a meeting held December 26. The result was an order for a legal meeting to be held at the house of Daniel Peas- lee. He lived just at the west end of Spicket Hill, only a few rods back of the present cellar of the burned house of Silas Carey. Peaslee's cellar may now be plainly seen among the apple trees, although in recent years it has been nearly filled with rock and refuse from the land about it. Henry Sanders lived on Bluff Street, and operated the sawmill at the old Clement place, re- cently the property of the late William G. Crowell. Both Peas- lee and Sanders were powerful leaders in the new community, being men of high motives and great versatility. It will be in- teresting to trace the close identity of these two men with the spirit of progress in the various lines of activity and growth of the new parish, district and town.
Following is the first call for a parish meeting, including also the first warrant :
"Whereas the grate and general court or assembly for ye province of ye masachusets bay in new england holden by ajorn- ment on wensday 19 day of november 1735 on ye petition of henry Sanders and other inhabitants of ye north parish of me- thuen in ye county of Essex in ye house of Representitives De- cember ye 26: 1735 is hereby alowed and Impowered to call ye first parish meeting all ye freeholders and other inhabitants
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BUILDING THE TOWN.
qualifyed to vote in parish meetings are hereby desired to as- semble them selves together at ye house of Daniel peaslee in ye north parish in methuen on thursday ye 15 day of this instant at ten of ye clock in ye forenoone to act as ye parish shall think best on ye following perticulers namely first to choose a parish Clerk and other parish oficers as ye law directs to stand till ye anual meeting in march next 2ly to see if ye parish will Raise money to pay mr. greenleaf for his preaching with us this win- ter that is past and for ye Rest we hiered him to preach with us 3ly to see if ye parish will choose a Committee to lay out a bury- ing place 41y to see if ye parish will Raise money to buy a book and to defray other parish charges: dated in ye north parish in methuen january ye 1 1735/6 henry Sanders by order of ye general court."
At this meeting the first parish officers were chosen. They were : Joseph Peaslee, collector; Edward Clark, moderator; Peter Merrill, parish clerk; Thomas Eaton, parish treasurer; Henry Sanders, Edward Clark, and Peter Merrill, assessors. From this time on the affairs of this part of Methuen were ad- ministered very largely by the parish officers. To be sure, the men from the second parish attended the town meetings, some of them still holding office. Thus Henry Sanders was one of the selectmen, and also sent to the Newbury court as a juror from Methuen ; also Peter Merrill was a juror to the court at Ipswich. The great gain to the north parish was of course in their ability to hire a minister who could preach and live among them. During the winter of 1834-35 Mr. Greenleaf had been hired to preach. Mr. Hale succeeded him, but whether it was the fol- lowing year is not clear. At any rate, Mr. Hale was preaching here the first winter after the meetinghouse was raised, 1738 -39. The minister boarded at Richard Kimball's, who received two shillings per day for "keeping a minister and his horse."
PARSONAGE GRANT.
As a means to help raise money to pay a minister the parish desired land which would yield some income. To secure this a committee was chosen on March 31, 1736, consisting of Joseph Peaslee, Abiel Kelly and John Bailey, to treat with the propri-
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
etors of the common land in Haverhill and Methuen to see if they would grant land for a parsonage: The proprietors, how- ever, did not see fit to take favorable action on their request and the matter was dropped until the next spring. The following records from the Haverhill Proprietors' records will best show the conditions of the next petition :
"Haverhill, May 16th 1737 At a legal meeting of the propri- etors of Haverhill by adjournment from the twenty fifth day of April last past, The Inhabitants of the Second Parish in Methuen petitioning the proprietors of the Common lands in Haverhill and in Methuen belonging to said proprietors by their Commit- tees appointed for that purpose, viz; that whereas the Inhabi- tants of said parish are now about building a Meetinghouse, and sittling a minister in order to the regular carrying on the wor- ship of God, amongst them, and being in their infancy and at present under great difficulties, with respect to the same, money being so very scarce, and there being a considerable quantity of common land in Methuen, between land now in possession of Wm Smith and land of Joseph Peasly, for which you have a right, we humbly request you would give or sell us some of said land, part for a parsonage and part for the first minister, which may hereafter be settled amongst us which may encourage him and us and you will oblige your humble petitioners in behalf of said parish.
"Henry Sanders "Edward Clark 1 (Committee"
"Peter Merrill
This petition received no better attention than had the other. It seemed that the proprietors were insensible to the needs of those in the outlying districts. The petitioners, however, were used to such treatment by this time, and simply waited until the meeting a year later, when they presented another request, al- most identical in phraseology with the preceding. This time their perseverance was rewarded; the meeting was on June 19, 1738 :
"In Answer to their Petition Voted that fifty Acres be given and granted to the Inhabitants of the said parish for the use within mentioned and fifty Acres more to their first Ordained
RESIDENCE OF ISAAC WOODBURY. (M 184)
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BUILDING THE TOWN.
Minister to Encourage him to Settle Amongst them if so much Common land there be to be had and that after the bounds of the Common Land be settled there by the Committee Appointed for that purpose, the same Committee viz John Watts, Edward Flynt & Richard Hazzen, lay out the Same & make return thereof to the Proprs. all to be done on the petitioners Cost. Voted in the affirmative.
"Haverhill, Nov. 6th, 1738 at a legal meeting of the commoners and proprietors of the common and undivided lands of the town of Haverhill and Methuen, belonging to said proprietors by ad- journment from Sept. 18th last past Nath1 Peasley being Mod- erator then received the following return, viz-
"Haverhill Nov. 4th 1738 We the subscribers being appointed a Committee by the proprietors of the common and undivided lands in the town of Haverhill and lands in Methuen belonging to said proprietors to lay out to the Inhabitants of the second parish in Methuen fifty acres of said common land to be appro- priated to the use of the ministry in said parish, and fifty acres more to the first minister who may hereafter be settled and or- dained in the ministerial office in said Parish accordingly at- tended the service and laid out the same as followeth viz. Be- ginning at stake and stones on the southerly side of the path leading to Mitchels Spicket Meadow, formily Mrs Wards meadow, thence running southwesterly about ninty three poles by land formerly John Eatons, to a black oak tree marked J. E. which is a bounds of Wm Smiths land thence by said Smiths land ,westerly about one hundred and six poles to a white oak tree marked W. S. thence southerly by said Smiths land about fifty six poles to a stake and stones, thence northwesterly to a white oak tree, marked, by spicket river with M. which line measures about eighty poles, thence running up said river and bounding on spicket meadow till it comes up to the aforesaid way leading to wards meadow and by said path to the bounds first mentioned, within which bounds is comprehended the said hundred acres which is to be divided hereafter betwixt the minister and in- habitants of the second Parish for the use aforesaid in quantity and quality
"Richard Hazen ) Committee "John Watts
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
"Which return was accordingly accepted and the land therein mentioned given and granted for the use within mentioned by a free vote of the proprietors.
"Attest Richard Hazen prp. Clerk."
A glance at the map will show that this lot lay east of the Spicket, bordering on the road which leads from Salem Center to Grosvenor's Corner. The road now running past the Wheeler farm toward Stillwater did not then exist. In fact the only travel was along the paths, which were few and for the most part poorly trod.
MEETINGHOUSE RAISED.
With this land at the disposal of the parish, the work of settling a minister was greatly facilitated. With the income of one hundred acres of good land to build upon, the taxes were made much lighter without a decrease in the total to be raised. The amount of the minister's tax and other incidental charges for 1737 was one hundred and seventy pounds, which was raised by vote of the parish. The meetings, both religious and secular, were held at Daniel Peaslee's house, as the most convenient and acceptable place in the parish; but the demand for a regular meetinghouse had been felt for some time, and now became more and more urgent. Definite arrangements were formulated, and at a meeting held June 27, 1738, it was voted to accept of a com- mittee to provide boards for the meetinghouse. The quantity ordered was four thousand four hundred and ninety-two feet, at three pounds seven shillings per thousand. Daniel Peaslee, Evan Jones and Peter Merrill were chosen a committee to make a contract with some carpenter to frame it. This was no small task, and the committee showed their good judgment in employ- ing a man who could do full justice to the undertaking. This man was none other than Henry Sanders, he who had already done such lasting work in behalf of the parish. He cut the tim- bers at his mill during the summer, and fitted them ready for raising. The specifications voted called for a building forty- eight feet long and thirty-eight feet wide, with a twenty-two foot post. The committee having charge of the finishing of the out- side were Edward Clark, John Ober, Daniel Peaslee, Henry San- ders, and Robert Ellenwood.
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BUILDING THE TOWN.
When the frame was about ready the question of location came up. A meeting was held on November 8, at which it was "voted to have the meetinghouse on the west side of Spicket river, near the new bridge." On the following Wednesday, November 15, 1738, the frame was raised in the presence of the entire parish. How well it was put together needs no further evidence than the state of its present preservation. In spite of the fact that it has withstood the New England storms and gales of nearly one hundred and seventy years, meantime having been moved from its original location, it is today a staunch and goodly building. May the sons and daughters of Salem be ever watchful lest in some evil hour this venerable monument to the past, this struc- ture which was the center of the life of the new community for so many years, should fall the victim to the schemes of some am- bitious political faction. Nay more, if any change is ever to be contemplated, let the old building be reinstated upon its former site on the common, with its ridgepole pointing to the rising sun at dawn, and the side entrance open to his noontide beams. Let the memories of the past be linked with the dreams of the fu- ture as a sane and safe guide for the endeavors of the present.
In connection with the last mentioned vote we wish to call attention to a mistaken belief that has been for a long time prev- alent regarding the comparative ages of the two bridges over the Spicket at Salem village. All of the "accounts" of the early days of the town state that the bridge near the old graveyard was the first to be built across the river; that before that was built, the various fording places were used. This idea is entirely in- correct and without foundation. This bridge was built probably in 1735, as it is not mentioned in any records prior to that date, and the first reference to it designates it as does the record above quoted, "the new bridge." The old bridge was about where the "'causeway" now is, being in a direct line with Old Spicket Path, which passed over it. Daniel Peaslee's house was close beside this path. The age of this bridge may be conjectured from the fact that in 1733 a considerable discussion took place in the town meeting at Methuen in regard to repairing it. It was said by Daniel Peaslee to be in no safe condition for travel. This mat- ter, with the evidence bearing thereon, will be more fully treated under the chapter on Highways and Bridges.
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
No effort had been made to induce a minister to make a per- manent settlement in the parish up to the building of the meet- inghouse. Mr. Hale was again engaged in April, 1739, this time for a period of three months; but before his term expired, it was decided to obtain a permanent minister. On June 14, 1739, it was voted to hire a minister to come on trial, with a view to a settlement. Three hundred fifty pounds was voted to de- fray parish charges. It will be noticed that this was more than double the amount raised only two years before. Henry San- ders was chosen a committee to procure, at the expense of the parish, the land where the meetinghouse stood. It had not been given to the parish by the Haverhill Proprietors. Several meet- ings were held in August and September of this year, with the result that Mr. Samuel Chandler was selected as a candidate for the ministry here. A short stay, however, sufficed to show either Mr. Chandler or his congregation that his services would not be needed, as the adjourned meeting of September 17 voted to give the call to Mr. Abner Bailey. He was evidently well liked, for he was formally elected as permanent minister, November 13, 1739, at a salary of one hundred forty pounds in bills of credit, "according as bills of credit are payable at this time." The parishioners were desirous of expressing their approval of the selection of Mr. Bailey. At the adjournment November 27, they voted him a free gift of one hundred fifty pounds, and "as ye parish incres in welth and mr bayley's needs Requier mor there shall be an adition made to his salery." Following is Mr. Bay- ley's reply to the call for permanent ministry :
"Gentlemen of the north or Second parish in Methuen In- asmuch as you have given me a call to settle with you in the work of the ministry I accept of your call hoping that you will not neglect to minister to my necessities.
"Methuen December 24: 1739
" Abner Bayley"
In 1740 the tax raised for ministerial and other parish charges was four hundred pounds. It was at the beginning of this year that the church was organized. At the parish meeting of De- cember 24, 1739, when Mr. Bayley's acceptance was presented, arrangements were made to hold the first public fast. This meet-
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THE ROOF-FRAME OF THE TOWN HOUSE. (See page 78.)
FRANK D. WILSON.
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BUILDING THE TOWN.
ing was held on Monday, and the fast was appointed to be held "'ye next wensday come three weeks." This would be January 16, two weeks preceding the date set for the ordination of Mr. Bayley, which took place Wednesday, January 30, 1739-40. There were expenses of twenty-eight pounds incurred for these exercises, of which fifteen pounds was provided by Edward Clark and thirteen pounds by Daniel Peaslee. What these expenses were for is not stated, but probably included travel and enter- tainment for clergymen who assisted in the ceremony. Elab- orate preparations were made in order that this all important event might be fittingly observed. It was a double privilege to organize the first church and ordain the first settled minister at the same time.
Meantime the work on the meetinghouse had progressed slowly. These items for labor in the framing are found :
pounds
shillings
Henry Sanders
33
5
Daniel Peaslee
5
7
John Ober
2
9
Richard Dow
1
2-6
Ebenezer Ayer
3
4
Thos Eaton
1
4
Peter Merrill
1
11
Richard Kimball
3
9
Ephraim Clark
2
0
Fitting up the building for worship was a very slow and tedi- ous process. It was a number of years before the inside was made to exhibit any finish other than the bare timbers of the massive frame. Rough plank benches served as seats, which, however, might well have been dispensed with altogether in a building which had absolutely no facilities for heating.
From time to time orders were given for building material for twelve or fifteen years. Henry Sanders was paid sixteen shillings for building the pulpit, which was on the north side, at the middle of the length (the side of the house which is now next the river), and was placed high against the wall. This compelled the worshipers to tip their heads back at an angle
7
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
which must have been anything but comfortable, if they wished to look at the minister while he preached.
The windows were small and high above the ground, with no glass till 1749, when a bill was presented for "glass and sashes for ye meeting house." It was even later than this that the house was laid out into pews, each owner being compelled to build his own after having bid off the location at a public auction. The pews had high sides, and against these the seats were turned up on hinges. After standing during one of the lengthy prayers of that time, the weary congregation were ready to drop into their seats. As they tipped the seats forward and released them, at the sound of the " Amen," each contributed his share to the rattle of the seats dropping into place. In later years many of the congregation brought small foot stoves, in which were red-hot coals. These were placed on the floor inside the pews. But oth- ers refused to be so progressive, and held to a stern, rigid, re- ligious discipline, which will best thrive in the cold air of a New England winter.
Work on the meetinghouse was paid for at the rate of six shil- lings per day. Following are a few items of construction ex- penses : April 3, 1739, "voted henry Sanders for one thousand and one hundred of bord at ye mill, 3-10-0, to henry sanders for haling bords from ye mill to ye meeting-house 10 shillings pr thousand, to oliver sanders for one thousand and one hundred of bord at ye mill 3-17-0, to benoney Rowel for one thousand bord 3-10-0, to samuel Rowel for 283 feet of board 0-19-8, to John Rowel for a hundred and half of bord 0-10-6."
November 13, 1739, "voted to Richard dow for going to Chas- ter and for bords, three pounds"
December 17, "voted to abiel kelly for bords, 1-30, to John Bayley for underpining 1-10-0, to thomas Eatton for underpin- ing 0-12-0; to John Moulton for underpining 1-7-0, to Edwd clark Jun'r for a days work 0-6-0"
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