History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 42

Author: Scales, John, 1835-1928
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 988

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Durham, April 11, 1749.

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STRAFFORD BANKS BUILDING, DOVER, N. H.

GONIC MANUFACTURING CO. PLANT, GONIC, N. H.

ST. LEO CATHOLIC CHURCH AND RECTORY, GONIC, N. H.

TTT

SAWYER MILL, AMERICAN WOOLEN CO., DOVER, N. H.

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Jonathan Chesley, Ebenezer Smith, James Drisco, Joseph Duda, Jr., Joseph Wheeler, Benjamin Jackson, William Bruce, Thomas Young (of Newmarket ), John Cromel, Benjamin Mathes, Thomas Tush, Samuel Wille(y), Samuel Stevens, James Thompson, Jeremiah Drisco, Peter Moo, Job Runels, Jr., Walter Bryent, Jonathan Durgin, Abednego Lethers, Jeremiah Burnum, Jr., Joseph Hall (of Newmarket ). Joseph Smith (of Newmarket), Philip Cromet, John Andras, Benjamin Smith, Simon Rendel, Robert Burnum, Robert Kent, John Beckford, Joseph Burnum, Samuel Adams, John Edgerly, Abraham Bennick, Jr., Thomas Langley, Ebenezer Jones, Eliphelet Daniels, John Foot- man, Thomas Stevenson, Jr., Valentine Mathes, Ichabod Chesley, Thomas Chesley, Jonathan Chesley, Jr., Abraham Stevenson, Francis Drew, John John- son, Nathaniel Frost, Joseph Smith, Jr., Abraham Mathes, Eleazer Bickford, Benjamin Bennick, John Mason, William Weeks (of Greenland), Lemuel Chesley, Joseph Sias, Samuel Chesley, Thomas Wille, Jr., Miles Randel, Samuel Sias, Solomon Seas, Treworthy Durgin, John Burnum, Joseph Chesley, Daniel Rogers, Samuel Smith, Jr., John Bennick, John Elliot, Benj. Jenkins, David Davis, Winthrop Burnum, Ichabod Denbo, John Wille, Jr., James Smith, Jeremiah Burnum, Joseph Thomas, Stephen Jones, Jr., Wm. Jack- son, Jr., Philip Chesley, John Durgin, Francis Durgin, Benmore Duda, Nicholas Duda, Joseph Jones, Thomas Chesley, Jr., Joseph Drew, John Drew, John Adams, Minister, Thomas York, William Durgin, Theodore Wille, John Beckford, Jr., Valentine Hill, Richard Denbo, Caleb Wakham, Joseph Weeks (of Greneland) and Joseph Bickford. The names on the petition are all numbered from I to 80.

On the 5th of May, 1749, the Masonian Proprietors granted the petition above presented to them. The land to be along the headline of Rochester and to be of the extent of "six miles square adjoining a tract of land granted to Ebenezer Varney, William Wentworth and others and the headline of the said tract to be parallel with the Rochester headline." A plan of the town was made at Portsmouth, May 2, 1750, "At a Proprietors' meeting held at the house of Ann Slayton,-The Draft of ye Shares or Lots of ye Township granted to Jonathan Chesley, Ebenezer Smith and others." A draft of the lots was made, which is shown on pages 102 and 103 of volume 28 of New Hampshire State Papers, which is Vol. 5 of the Town Charters.

This tract of land was included in the charters of "Kingswoods," Oct. 20, 1737, which was granted during the administration of Governor Belcher, which was before the so-called "Masonian Proprietors" had purchased the claim to New Hampshire territory, above the old towns, from John Tufton Mason; so these "Proprietors" sold it over again, disregarding the "Kings- wood" transaction. Nothing appears to have been done toward making a

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permanent settlement of the territory until Dec. 7, 1762, when it was incor- porated with full town privileges, by the Provincial Assembly. Major Thomas Tash, a brave soldier of the French and Revolutionary wars, was authorized to call the first town meeting. He did not remove from his home in Durham to New Durham until about the close of the Revolutionary war. He died there in 1809 at the age of eighty-seven years.

The census of 1790 shows there were 562 inhabitants in the town of which number 138 were free white males 16 years of age and upward. includ- ing heads of families of whom there were 104. There were 142 children. In 1785 there were 70 poll tax payers. New Durham was settled largely by citizens of Durham, as is shown by the United States census of 1790, as published in 1907. Following are some of the Old Durham names that appear in the New Durham census. Samuel Runnels, 13 in family; Thomas Tash, Io in family; John Edgerly, 4 in family; Josiah Doe, 5 in family; Caleb Edgerly, 6 in family; Samuel Willey, 4 in family; Nathaniel Hanson, 6 in family; Lemuel Davis, 4 in family; Ebenezer Durgin, 5 in family ; Thomas Tash, Jr., 4 in family ; Ebenezer Beckford, 9 in family; Jacob Leighton, 7 in family ; Moses Evans, 8 in family; Stephen Drew, 5 in family; John Beck- ford, 6 in family : Stephen Meader, 4 in family; Thomas Dame, 2 in family ; Jonathan Hayes, 4 in family ; John Bennett, 6 in family ; John Roberts, 8 in family: Joseph Jackson, 4 in family; Ichabod Buzzey, II in family; John Glidden, 8 in family; John Collemny, II in family ; Elisha Davis, 7 in family ; Nathaniel Durgin, 7 in family ; Samuel Beckford, 9 in family ; Moses Evans, 8 in family: Andrew Nute, 5 in family; Joseph Durgin, 8 in family; John Berry, 5 in family; Isaac Hanson, 8 in family; Zach Boodey, 7 in family : Thomas French, 7 in family ; David Elkins, 9 in family ; Nathaniel Kennston, 9 in family. The U. S. census of 1790 shows 562 inhabitants; the census of 1910 shows the number 523, that is 39 less 120 years before. In 1900 the population was 625, that is 63 more than 110 years before. In 1890 the number was 579, only 17 more than 100 years before.

In 1770 Timothy Murray and Shadrach Allard made an inventory of the families, houses, improved grounds and fell trees in New Durham; following are the heads of families: Ebenezer Dow, Edward and Wm. Peavey, John Bennick, Rob Boody, Nick Glidden, Benj. Bickford, John Glidden, Zeb Glidden, Nathaniel Kenniston, Jonathan Buzzell, Zach Boody, Jeremy Dow, Joseph Libbey, Eben Bickford, James Berry, David Allard, Benj. Mathes, Joseph Doe, John Collome, John Doe, Marriam Berry, Benj. Mooney, James Palmer, Jeremiah Taylor, Henry Allard, James Stillson, Timo Murray, Sidney Allard, Benj. Berry, John Rogers, Theo. Atkinson, Timo Davis, John Allard, Paul March. They reported 37 houses in town; 302 acres of

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improved ground. They stated that the meeting house was enclosed, shingled and under floor laid; it was underpinned and the window frames in "and no more finished towards it." There were two sawmills in running order, one had recently been burnt down. A sworn statement was made Jan. 4, 1770, before John Plummer, justice of the peace, that the report was correct. Another inventory was taken in April 1770 and the report shows 41 houses, an increase of 4 during the winter; and the number of families had increased from 33 in January to 42 in April; and there was one gristmill reported in operation. One sawmill had been burned during the winter. The number of acres of improved (cleared) land was reported as 4481/2 acres.

CHAPTER LI HISTORY OF NEW DURHAM (II)

LOCATION, SCENERY AND BUSINESS

New Durham is peculiar in shape. By the terms of its charter its south line was the "headline of Rochester," and Rochester then included Farming- ton, and its "uppermost (northern most) line was to run parallel with the Rochester line"; its east and west lines were to be long enough to make an area of six square miles, and of course run parallel; so the length of the side lines is eleven miles, and the width between them four miles. The side lines run very nearly north and south; the distance from the northeast corner to the southwest corner is twelve and one-half miles. On its south line is Farm- ington ; on the east are Middleton, Brookfield; on the north is Alton, Wolfebor- ough and Carroll; on the west is Alton, which in ancient times was called New Durham Gore. High hills, big rocks and mountains abound, with fertile valleys here and there. New Durham ridge is three miles north of the southwest corner of the town. On this is the beautiful, historic village where the first church of the Free Will Baptist denomination was organized in 1780. The ridge is a high elevation about three miles long and has some of the best farm land in the county. It was one of the earliest places settled. The village is a little more than a mile from the railroad station, which lies on the northeast, in the valley between the ridge and New Durham Corners, which village is one mile northeast of the station. The railroad is in the valley of Ela river, which flows from Cold Rain pond and empties into the Cochecho river at Farmington vil- lage. This river is the source of power for several sawmills. The town hall is at The Corners, a very pretty village, with various industries, and good farms about the five roads that meet there. In the center of the west side of the town is the village of Downings mills, which takes its name from Hon. S. Downing, who for many years conducted a large lumber business at the falls in Merry Meeting river. It is about a half mile northeast of the railroad, near the Alton line. This river flows from Merry Meeting Pond, whose outlet is two miles and a half north of Downing's mills, and half a mile from the Alton line. The Union Powder works are located near the outlet, and for many

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years was a very busy place engaged in the manufacture of powder and other industries. Merry Meeting pond is ten miles in circumference, covers 1,000 acres and extends more than three miles from east to west of the town; it is very deep. It is surrounded by the mountains of the town. Directly north of its eastern end is Mount Major, one mile ; one mile north of Mount Major is Crop- ple Crown ; one mile west of Mount Major and a half mile north of the pond is Mount Molly ; about two miles west of Mount Molly and bordering on the pond is Devil's Den Mountain; south of the pond is Birch hill; at the foot of the south side of this hill is Marcelis pond, which is nearly in the geographical center of the town, which is one source of the Cochecho river which flows through Farmington and Rochester to Dover. There are several mills at falls along its course. At one of these falls Mr. F. W. Coburn has had a knife factory in successful operation for more than a half century. From a small plant in 1860 it has grown to proportions that afford sales of knives in every state in the Union. His sons continued the business. In the northern part of the town, between the mountains and Wolfeborough is Shaw's pond. Near the center of the town is Rattle Snake hill, on the south side of which is a per- pendicular ledge 100 feet high. The lumber business has always been a source of much profit ; the ground, when cut over, quickly reforests itself.

CHAPTER LII HISTORY OF NEW DURHAM (III)

NOTABLE CITIZENS AND EVENTS

Many who had served in the Revolutionary army were led to be settlers at New Durham by Col. Thomas Tash, a soldier in the French and Revolu- tionary wars and was a conspicuous and influential citizen of Durham, a notice of whom is given under the head of Durham. He went there to reside after the close of the war, and he and his sons and grandsons were among the leading citizens for many years. Their names appear frequently on the town records and in business affairs for a century. In the state papers, edited by Isaac W. Hammond, are published petitions that were presented by the vet- erans, after the war with the French, to the General Assembly in 1764. The signers are Gideon Gould, Timothy Clough, Henry Frink, Nathaniel Merrill, Richard Hull, Ebenezer Brow and Robert Pike. They claimed they had not received proper compensation for services rendered at Crown Point in 1760. In 1785 Mrs. Doe of New Durham claimed pay from the General Court for services of her husband, David Doe, as a Continental soldier. Another petition was presented by Peter Drown of New Durham who had served as a captain in Col. Stephen Peabody's regiment, in the State of Rhode Island in 1778. He was paid with depreciated currency and he asked to have the depre- ciation of his pay made up. Col. Thomas Tash appeared in behalf of the peti- tioner. Captain Drown was murdered Feb. 2, 1788, by Elisha Thomas, an account of which is given in the first part of this volume. In December, 1788, Samuel Runnels, petitioned for pay for service for six months in Rhode Island from Dec. 31, 1778, to June 30, 1779. In January, 1787, presented a petition to the General Court stating that he was a resident of New Durham and had served in the army under Col. Thomas Tash in the New York campaign on North River and "in discharging his gun his left hand was torn to pieces by bursting of said gun, and his thumb carried away and his fingers and hand rendered almost useless, by means whereof he suffered most excruciating pain for a long time and has ever since been in a great measure deprived of the means of a subsistence for himself and a numerous family

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of children." Wherefore he asked for a pension or compensation in some way. On Feb. 3, 1791, Richard Colomy of New Durham petitioned Congress for a pension, stating "that he was a soldier in Capt. Frederick Bell's company, Col. Reid's regiment, Gen. Poor's brigade in the late Continental army-that on the 19th of April, 1777, in battle at Stillwater, he received two wounds, one in his knee and the other in his hip, and the ball still remains in his hip-by means of which your Petitioner and Memorialist is much disabled-that by reason of his living remote in the country, & being poor & ignorant of what to do, he never made application to be enrolled as an invalid pensioner in New Hampshire till the time of enrolling had expired." Therefore he applied to Congress and was put on the invalid pension roll.

The following is the resignation of Colonel Tash in favor of his son in 1791 for justice of the peace in New Durham. It is given verbatim :

New Durham, Jan. 10, 1791.

DEAR SIR: This Comes to Inforime you that I wrot to let you know that I am willing to Resign being appointed a Justice of the Peace In favour of My Son Thomas Tash. If the President and Counsel Sees fit to appoint him in my Room. I Suppose that he Is well qualified for that Commission and will be no dishonor to them that appoints him, and I expect it will be agreeable to the Town (New Durham) he Lives In which Is all from your friend and most humble Sarvnt.

THOS. TASII.

P. S .- I wrote this Letter Least you had not received the other.

New Durham has always been noted for its good schools. Not only that, but in the years previous to 1797 the citizens had organized a library society for the pleasure and improvement of its members, as appears by the following petition which was presented to the New Hampshire General Court, May 25, 1797:

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives for the State of New Hampshire to be convened at Concord, in said State on the first Wednes- day in June next :

The petition of the Subscribers, a Committee appointed by the New Dur- ham Library Society for the purpose, at their meeting held in said town on the 12th day of September last-humbly shows that said Society consists, at present, of forty members, each of whom have paid four dollars a piece for the use of said society which money has been laid out to the best advantage, in furnishing said society with the best and most useful collection of books for the use of the Members :- That said Society is still increasing in number and respectability and would in their opinion much faster increase if they were incorporated and made a body corporate and politic-on a plan similar

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to other institutions of the kind now existing in this State; that said Society at present are subjected to inconveniences, for want of such incorporation :- And as you are our political fathers and guardians and, we are assured, wish patronize and promote tiseful literature, knowledge and good order among citizens at large, which beneficial ends are much facilitated by institutions of this kind :- Your petitioners would therefore humbly pray, in behalf of them- selves and their associates, that your honors would be pleased to permit them to introduce a bill of incorporation for the purposes aforesaid, under such regulations and restrictions, as your Honours may deem just and reasonable, And your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray --

New Durham, May 25, A. D. 1797.

SAMUEL RUNNELS, THOMAS TASH, JR. JOSEPH JACKSON, Committee.

The committee was granted leave to bring in a bill, which was done and the society was duly incorporated. Since then no country town in New Hamp- shire has had a class of better educated people than New Durham.

Among the noisiest events of the town have been the explosions of the powder works several times; the noise of each explosion was heard for many miles away.

NOTED MEN

Probably the Rev. Benjamin Randall should be ranked as the most eminent citizen New Durham has had. He was born in Newcastle, Feb. 7, 1749; he died in New Durham Oct. 22, 1808, in the 60th year of his age. He was son of Captain Benjamin and Margaret ( Mardaunt) Randall. He was grandson of the immigrant Randall, who came from England in 1700 and settled on Great Island, later known as New Castle. His parents late in life removed to Ossipee. At their death they were buried at New Durham ridge. He gave his son Benjamin a good mercantile education and had him learn the trade of sailmaker and tailor, at both of which trades the future preacher did good work. He gave the sea captains good sails and his patrons in Ports- mouth "good fits" in fashionable suits. He liked the work well enough but it did not satisfy his mental powers or his religious feelings. He united with the Congregational Church in Newcastle when he was twenty-three years old. When he was twenty-six he changed his views on the question of baptism and joined the Calvin Baptist Church at Berwick, Me. When he was a boy he went on sea voyages with his father occasionally, but he never learned to swear, as was then the fashion among sailor boys. He was married when twent- ty-two years of age. His wife was Joanna Oram, daughter of Robert Oram of

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Kittery. In 1775 he was orderly sergeant for a while during the siege of Boston in Captain Mooney's company. On leaving the army he began to preach, having been baptized, by immersion, by Rev. William Hooper at Ber- wick, the first Baptist minister in Maine. Mr. Randall conducted meetings, in an itinerant way, in various towns, Madbury among the number. At this place some New Durham people, who were visiting their old homes in Durham, heard him preach and invited him to visit their new town and conduct meet- ings, and he went there in the spring of 1777; he went there again in the autumn of that year. That was the way he was led to towns in which he was to do his historic work. The next year, 1778, he moved his family, wife and several children, to New Durham and that remained his home the rest of his life. There his children were educated, having the advantage of library already referred to. No doubt Elder Randall was one of the forty members of the Library Association. He purchased thirty acres of land on the ridge and kept it well cultivated in raising good crops for his family. His corn crops were among the best in town.

In his preaching he had expressed opinions which the Berwick Baptist Church pronounced heretical and he was arraigned before a council for exam- ination. The council excommunicated him. He was soon after ordained as an evangelist, April 5, 1780. On Saturday, June 30, 1780, he organized the First Free Will Baptist Church, at New Durham ridge, his home. Mr. Ran- dall made a draft of the Articles of Faith and the Covenant, and seven per- sons endorsed the draft, and the First Free Will Baptist Church was born. It still lives and flourishes on the ridge. In these later years the word "Will" was dropped from the name. Soon others joined the new society. For thirty years Elder Randall was its clerk and the records are in fine shape for historians to consult. Elder Randall did not "hide his light under a bushel"; he lived on a high hill and he let his "new light" shine near and far. The commotion he produced cannot be appreciated in the calm days of this twen- tieth century. The people were all stirred up, and those who opposed his views drew out the thread of their verbosity much finer than the staple of their discourse which stirred up the people all the more. He became a tireless worker and aroused others to take hold and help him; but he was everywhere acknowledged as leader-the others followed. They did not have to attend a theological school to learn how to preach Elder Randall's free will doctrine; hearing him preach a few times was enough. He crossed the line into Maine and stirred up the people everywhere he went. Churches were organized; then followed the Quarterly Meetings; then the Yearly Meetings, so, before he died in 1808, he had a perfect organization, working harmoniously and vigorously. Elder Randall (they called all their ministers Elder, not Rev-

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erend) did not start out to do any such a big job in 1778, but once he started he could not stop; the terrific opposition he met pushed him forward instead of backward.

Benjamin Randall was a man of sound judgment, possessing a well- balanced mind. He was a good organizer and a strict disciplinarian. His piety was deep and strong. As a preacher he reasoned instead of ranting. His integrity was never questioned. He had a keen sense of ministerial propriety. He was a total abstainer from the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, at a time when rum drinking was fashionable and its use was con- sidered necessary for courteous treatment of friends and strangers, and especially at weddings and funerals.

Mrs. Randall survived her husband eighteen years, dying in 1826. They have many distinguished descendants.

Rev. Joseph Franklin Joy was born on New Durham ridge, May 15, 1838, son of Samuel and Waty ( Pettegrew) Joy. His father was a farmer and deacon in the First Free Will Baptist Church, organized by Elder Randall. Mr. Joy fitted for college at New Hampton Academy ; graduated from Dart- mouth College in 1863. After graduation he was connected with the Sanitary Commission at Washington, D. C., for several months, then took up the study of medicine at Bowdoin College Medical School, but gave that up at the end of a year to prepare for the ministry, being strongly impressed that he must take that course. He was licensed to preach by a Quarterly Meeting of the Free Will Baptists at Northwood in January, 1865, and was ordained at New Durham in May, 1865, and became pastor of the church on the ridge, which position he held until 1872; he was minister at Milton 1872-75; and again at New Durham 1875-1883. He then went west and resided at Frankfort, South Dakota, engaged in farming until 1891, when he returned to New Hamp- shire and was minister of the church at Farmington 1891-96, and member of the school committee several years. He lived retired after that, engaged in farming.

Elder Joy was a faithful student in college and Christian gentleman every- where. As a preacher he was not the equal of Elder Randall, but he was a faithful supporter of the doctrines as the Great Founder proclaimed them. He was always ready to lend a helping hand to every good cause, so far as his means permitted. He was a very cordial man to converse with and was a faithful worker in all that he undertook. In his later years he was in poor health. He died in 1907.

Rev. John S. Runnels was born in New Durham in 1797, son of Samuel and Mary (March) Runnels. His parents were among the first converts under the leadership of Elder Randall. They were well-to-do farmers and their

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son followed that business until he was thirty years of age, when he made a change and engaged in business in Portland, Me. May 29, 1831, in that city, he married Susan McCann. He was always a zealous Free Will Baptist and active in church and Sunday school work. About 1840 he became impressed to enter the ministry ; in 1842 he was ordained by the Wolfeborough Quarterly Meeting and commenced itinerant work in New Hampshire and proved to be an efficient worker from 1842 to 1847 ; he was pastor of the Second Free Will Baptist Church, at Poland, Me., from 1847 to i854. He died there March 22, 1854.

Rev. Charles Luther Pinkham was born in New Durham Nov. 18. 1841, son of Luther Hale and Mary Chamberline ( Wallace) Pinkham. He was educated at the New Hampton Institution and Bate's Theological School. from which he was graduated in 1879, but he had been licensed to preach in 1874 and had done much work in that line while carrying on his studies. He was ordained Oct. 17. 1879. He then became pastor of the church there and served ten years. After that he held several pastorates ; was chaplain of the state prison two years : state missionary and secretary seven years ; treas- urer of the New Hampshire Mission Board six years ; pastor of the Free Will Baptist Church several years, during the time being its representative in the Legislature in 1903, in which year he died. December 22. Mr. Pinkham for many years held a place in the front rank of the Free Baptist ministry.

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History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 42

Author: Scales, John, 1835-1928 Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 988

Author: Scales, John, 1835-1928
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 988