USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > Wolfeborough > History of Wolfeborough (New Hampshire) > Part 4
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A LTHOUGH the action of the town proprietors of Wolfe- borough in some matters has been already partially de- scribed, yet as the proprietary records are not very full or explicit, copies of certain documents, fortunately preserved, that may help to a better understanding of that action, are here introduced.
Here follows the warrant for what was probably the second proprietary meeting :-
"Province of To the Proprietors of the Tract of Land called Wolfs Borough .-
New Hampshire.
Greeting:
You are hereby Notified and required to assemble yourselves at the dwelling House of Mr. John Stavers, Innholder, in Portsmo., on Wenesday, the 3d Day of Sept. next, at Six of the
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Clock in the afternoon, then and there to receive the Report of the Committee employed to Lay out said Tract, if they are ready for the same-to examine the Treasurer's ammounts .- To raise such Sum or Sums of money as may be found necessary .- To de- termine some method relating delinquent Proprietors' taxes .- To alter the Name of the said Tract Called Wolfs Borough, if you think proper, and to door act on any other matter or Thing relating to said Proprietry, as shall by you be thought Proper & needfull. Dated at Portsmouth the 5th Day of August, anno Domini, 1760. David Sewall, Prop. Clerk. Not't Ten the 6th of August, 1760.
3 Sept. Do. 4 .- Proprietors met & voted that Dan'l Peirce Esqr. be moderator for this meeting. Voted this meeting adjourned to the 17th of this Instant September at place before mentioned 7 o'clock afternoon."
Here is the form of a contract to be made with any settlers : -
"This Indenture made & Executed by & Between Paul March, John Wentworth Jun'r & Ammi Ruhamah Cutter, all of Portsmouth in the Province of New Hampr. Gentlemen as a Committee of the Proprietors of a Tract of Land in said Province called Wolfborough for this Special Purpose Chosen and Appointed at a Meeting of the Proprietors Legally assembled Decem'r 8th, 1762, of the one Part & L. M. of Portsmouth afores'd Yeoman of the other Part.
Now this Indenture witnesses That the said Committee in Pursuance of their said Trust for Promoting the Settlement of said Tract, In Con- sideration of the Covinants herein expressed on the Part of said L. M. to be done and perform'd have and hereby Do give, grant, Bargain, Sell, Convey and Confirm unto him the said L. M., all the Right, Title, Interest, Property & Demand the said Proprietors have unto -acres of Land within said Town ship being No. - in a plan of said Township Returnd by Walter Bryant Surveyor with the Prive- lidges and appurtenances thereof to have and to hold the said de- scribed Premises with the Privelidges thereof to him the said L. M. his Heirs & Assigns to his and their use Benefit and Behoof forever and the said Committee do covenant Grant and agree to and with the said L. M. that within the Term of Three Years they will pay or
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
cause to be paid unto him the said L. M. or his Order the Sum of £- old Tenor money of the Province of New Hampr. or other money equal thereto. Whereupon the said L. M. Doth on his part Covenant Grant & agree to and with the said Comee. their Exer. & adminr. that he will within Three years from the Date hereof clear up Five acres of Land fit for the Mowing & Plowing and Build a House 18 feet Square & will Reside with said Tract of Land called Wolf borough for the Term of 15 Years to the true and Faithfull per- formance of which the said Partys have hereunto Interchangeably Set their Hands & Seals the - Day of, &c."
The committee on settlements had at some time made arrange- ments with Josiah Miles, Elisha Bryant, and others to settle. It appears that they had not complied with the terms agreed on, and here is a copy of a letter, the purport of which will be readily un- derstood.
"Portsmouth Nov'r IIth, 1765.
Capt. Josiah Miles, Sir-As you have thought fitt to neglect fulfilling your agreement with the Proprietors of Wolfeborough in Setling a number of families, &c. & have not complied with any part thereof we think it necessary to advise you that we look upon Said agreement as wholly void & of none Effect & that before you pretend to do anything in Setling s'd Township You have a new bargain to make with us-for which end it will be highly neces- sary you should meet us here as soon as your Conveniency will admit.
We are &c.
D. P.
D. R.
A. R. C. J.P."
In the autumn of 1765, Paul March made a contract with the proprietors, of which the following is the copy :
"Portsmouth, Nov. II, 1765.
Whereas Capt. Josiah Miles has forfeited his agreement with
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
the Proprietors of Wolfeborough with Regard to Settleing said Township & has not complied with any part thereof, the same necessarily becoming void & of none effect, Therefore we the Sub- scribers being a Committee fully impowered to Contract with any persons to Settle Said Township do hereby agree with Paul March Esqr. that in consideration of his Settleing ten Families this fall or Winter on that part of said Township adjoining to Tuftonboro' & which we have sat off for that purpose we will confirm to each Settler One hundred & fifty acres of Land and to s'd March the same Quantity of land-that is 150 Acres-for his trouble herein. It is to be understood that each Settler shall have by the first day of May next four acres of Land Cleared fenced & fit for tilling one half of which to be sowed or planted next Spring & by the first day of October next to have a good tenantable House built, at least twenty feet Square-or equal thereto-& to be there inhabiting on the Spot & there to remain ten years mak- ing progressive improvements, or some one else in his or her stead.
Copy.
D. Pierce Dan'l Rindge A. R. Cutter Jno. Parker.
Province of New Hamps.
I the Subscriber do hereby agree with the Committee above mentioned to comply with & fulfill in every Respect the above written agreement upon Penalty of forfeiting my Right in the Township of Wolfeborough & twenty five pounds Lawful Money besides. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the IIth day of Oct'r, 1765.
Witnesses. George Meserve Will'm Torrey"
Paul March (L. S.)
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
March did not comply with the terms of the foregoing contract ; but, as will subsequently appear, he did evidently commence a course of action that essentially promoted the settlement of the town.
The titles by which the town proprietors held their respective lots of land were evidently established by the record of the draw- ing of said lots in the "Proprietary Book of Record" by John Parker, proprietors' clerk, a sworn officer. This drawing was according to a "Plan of Wolfborough" prepared by Walter Bryant, Jun. agreeably to a survey made by him, and took place, as previously determined by a vote of the town proprietors, at the house of Zachariah Foss, innholder, in Portsmouth, N. H., Feb. 19, 1766. The "Plan of Wolfborough" as well as the account of the drawing was placed on the "Proprietary Book of Record."
In only one instance is it known that the town proprietors gave a written conveyance of land to one of their number. Surveyor Bryant had estimated that Wolfeborough Neck contained twelve hundred acres of land, and divided it into two lots, which were drawn by John Parker and Henry Rust. An actual survey, how- ever, showed that the "Neck" contained only five hundred and forty-seven acres. This was given to Parker, and Rust was al- lowed to take six hundred acres from the "Bryant Reservation."
Here is a copy of the conveyance of his lot :-
"Wolfborough May 20th 1767 Pursuant to Orders from Mr. John Parker, the Proprietors Clerk of said Wolfborough, I have laid out to Capt. Henry Rust one of the Proprietors of said Wolf- borough Six Hundred Acres of Land in said Township as his Share and Proportion in the Division of the Lands in said Town- ship, regard being had to the Situation, Quantity & Quality of said Lands, which Lot is Bounded as followeth. Viz., Beginning at the Northeast Bay of Winnipisiokee pond, where the Dividing Line of the Highway Between Lott Number fourteen in said Town (and one Thousand & Fifty Acres left & Intended for Elisha
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Bryant & other Settlers in the Southeast Corner of said Town- ship) takes its Departure from said Pond & thence running Northeast bounding on said Highway which makes the Afore- said Division and also by part of Lott Number Thirteen to the Westerly Corner of Lott Number Twelve thence turning off at right Angles and Running Southeast on the highway adjoining Lott number Twelve to a Tree marked No. four on one side & three on the other side thence turning off at right Angles and run- ning Southwest to the Southwesterly Boundary Line of said Township thence turning off at right Angles and running North- west to the aforesaid Pond and also by said Pond to the Bounds first Mentioned, which is Lott No. 15 in said Township. Laid out by Walter Bryant Jun. Lott Layer for said Proprietors re- corded agreeably to the Return made by said Walter Bryant Jun. which is on File.
John Parker, Proprietors Clerk."
As within the limits of this lot is situated the principal part of the village of South Wolfeborough, it seems proper to more fully describe it. Beginning at the bay referred to in the foregoing conveyance was a range-road which extended to Lake Went- worth, a distance of four hundred and forty-four rods. For three hundred and fifty rods this range was the northwesterly boundary of Rust's lot, and separated it from lot fourteen (Treadwell's) and lot thirteen (King's). That portion of this range which now connects the highway leading to South Wolfeborough with the one leading to Pleasant Valley was subsequently opened to the public. At a point on this range ninety-four rods distant from Lake Wentworth, commenced another range road, now a public highway, which extended to New Durham line. For two hundred and seventy-five rods this range formed the northeasterly bound- ary of Rust's lot, and separated it from lot twelve (Thomas Wentworth's). The other lines of the lot are easily determined, one running directly to Lake Winnipesaukee and the other forming
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
a portion of its shore. Within the limits of the Rust lot, were situated the larger portion of Rust's Pond, the Col. Rust farm, afterwards known as the Parker farm, the William Rust farm, the Henry Rust farm, generally called the "Rust farm," and the Rich- ard Rust farm. A considerable portion of the last named farm still remains in the possession of the Rust family, and the greater part of South Wolfeborough is built on land that was once a por- tion of it.
Lots thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, and seventeen are, as a whole, more densely populated than other portions of the town, and the endeavor is made to determine with a tolerable degree of ac- curacy their boundary lines.
Lots thirteen and fourteen were situated between Lake Winni- pesaukee and Lake Wentworth, the former adjoining Wentworth, and the latter Winnipesaukee, their southeast border being the range-road which extended from one lake to the other, the head of the Rust lot, and their northwestern boundary a parallel line which separated them from lot sixteen (Sewall's) and lot seven- teen (Torrey's). The abutting line between these two lots prob- ably extended from a point near the site of the Parker house, and ran southwesterly of the older Daniel Brewster house to a point in the farm of Joseph L. Avery, northeast of the present high- way and nearly opposite Green Street. Each lot contained four hundred and eighty acres of land, having a length and breadth of about equal extent.
Lots sixteen and seventeen had the same southeastern line al- ready described, bordering on lots thirteen and fourteen. Their combined northwestern boundary line was seven hundred and eighty rods in length, a portion of the range-road that ran from Lake Winnipesaukee near Sewall's Point to Center Square. The abutting line between these two lots commenced a little east of the Joseph Varney premises near Bay Street, ran in the rear of the site of the shoe factories to Pickering's Corner, and con- tinued in the same general direction until it reached the neighbor-
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
hood of Green Street. This description of lines determines the location of Sewall's lot. Its northwestly line to Sewall's Point was three hundred and eighty rods long; that to Clark's Point, probably less than two hundred and fifty rods. The lot at its widest part measured two hundred and eighty rods, but was very irregularly shaped. It contained four hundred and forty acres.
Three lines of lot seventeen have already been described. The other, the northeastern line, abutted on lot eighteen, which eventually became a part of the Wentworth Farm. It was sep- arated from that by a range-road about one hundred and fifty rods long, which commenced at a small bay that sets in from Lake Wentworth, near Moose Point. This lot was four hundred rods long, two hundred and eighty rods wide, and contained seven hundred acres. Within its limits, extending from Picker- ing's Corner to the land now occupied by Charles D. Hersey, was the one-hundred-acre mill-lot, a tract one hundred and sixty rods long and one hundred rods wide, which now includes within its boundaries the most of the business section of Wolfeborough Falls.
From the foregoing description of the boundaries and divisions of lots thirteen, fourteen, sixteen, and seventeen it will be seen that the territory included within these four lots was either bor- dered or crossed by three parallel lines that began at Lake Winnipesaukee and ran in a northeast direction, two of them reaching Lake Wentworth, and the other the extreme south- western border of the Wentworth Farm. Transverse lines sep- arated lot thirteen from lot fourteen, and lot sixteen from lot seventeen. These lines were not continuous, the former being situated about fifty rods northeast of the latter. Lot thirteen had but one set of buildings on it, those erected by Daniel Brewster ; all those situated on South Main Street, from the Henry Rust line to Green Street, are within the limits of lot fourteen. Almost the whole compact part of the "Bridge," including Sewall Street and Sewall's Point, is within the limits of lot sixteen. About one-
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
half of Factory Street, that part of South Main Street between Pickering's Corner and Green Street, Center and Pine Streets, the whole of Wolfeborough Falls, Whitten's Neck, and the most of Bay Street are within the limits of lot seventeen. "King's Hill," "Sewall's Point," and "Torrey's Opening"-terms applied to cer- tain localities at the time of the early settlement of the town- indicate the ownership of certain original lots.
The proprietors of Wolfeborough obtained possession of the township in the autumn of 1759. It is not known that special efforts were made to secure settlers until the spring of 1762, when Paul March, John Wentworth, and Dr. Ammi R. Cutter were appointed a committee with authority to offer gifts of land and money to settlers, and adopt such other measures as would be likely to promote settlements. Their efforts were not successful. Other members were added to the committee, and its powers were enlarged : still the coveted success failed to materialize. At the beginning of the year 1766 no permanent settlers had been se- cured.
On May 26 a meeting was held to consider the proposal of George Meserve to build a saw-mill and a grist-mill on Smith's River. The agreement made between Meserve and the pro- prietors was that Meserve should build a saw-mill "to be ready to go" by the last of November and a grist-mill in two years from date. That is, the saw-mill was to be fit for use in November, 1766, and the grist-mill in May, 1768. The proprietors were to give Meserve the right of ownership to the mill-lot of one hundred acres with all the privilege pertaining thereto, the largest island in Smith's Pond, supposed to contain one hundred acres, and forty-five pounds, lawful money. Meserve was to pay for any excess of land, should it contain more than one hundred acres, and give the proprietry a bell, when it should be of use in the township. Peter Livius, who had commenced an agricultural en- terprise in Tuftonborough, on the shore of the pond in the south- ern part of the town, desired to have an interest in the mills equal
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
to a Wolfeborough proprietor, and was allowed the privilege. It is probable that Meserve built the saw-mill that season, but not the grist-mill.
October II, 1769, the proprietors took the following action in relation to the matter :
"Whereas the Conditions on which the Mill Stream & privilege at Smith's River were agreed to be granted away, appear to this propriety not to have been complyed with in the Article of a Grist Mill as well with respect to the time as the Quality thereof in the said Conditions expressed-therefore Voted that the same Stream & privilege are forfeited & revert to the Grantors for non-perform- ing the said Conditions-and that Henry Rust be and hereby is appointed & authorized special Agent & Attorney to the Pro- prietors to enter into & take into his actual possession the said Mill privilege and Stream and all buildings thereon for the use of said Proprietors." The buildings were probably a saw- mill and dwelling-house, which Meserve had erected, having re- ceived the pledged forty-five pounds.
March 28, 1770, it was voted "that the Mill Stream & Privilege on Smith's River with the Appurtenances which were formerly granted to George Meserve, but were forfeited and reverted to the Proprietors, be & hereby are granted to Dr. A. R. Cutter & David Sewall to them & their Heirs & Assigns forever on Con- dition that they have a good Grist-Mill built to the Acceptance of the Proprietors in eighteen months from this Date & that they keep said Mill & the saw mill in good Order & Repair."
At a proprietors' meeting held March 13, 1771, George King, William Torrey, and John Parker were appointed a committee to inquire if the mills met the required conditions, and report at the adjournment.
At the adjourned meeting, held May 7, the committee above mentioned made the following report :
"It appears that Ammi Ruhamah Cutter and David Sewall have
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
erected a good Saw Mill & Grist Mill on a Stream issueing from Smith's Pond into Winnipissiokee Lake & upon the Land & Falls in Wolfeborough commonly called the Mill privilege & have fully complied on their part with the proposed Conditions of their hav- ing the Lands called the Mill privilege with the Falls Stream & Appurtenances containing one hundred Acres together with a cer- tain Island in Smith's Pond called Mill Island suppossed to con- tain one hundred acres."
Upon hearing this report of the committee, the following ac- tion was taken :-
"Voted that the said Land called the Mill Lot with the Mill privileges therein together with the aforesaid Island called Mill Island now in the Actual Tenure & Occupation of the said Cutter & Sewall with the Buildings and Appurtances be and hereby are given granted and Confirmed to them the said Cutter & Sewall their several and respective Heirs and Assigns forever, and to perpetuate this Grant and Confirmation John Parker the Clerk of this Proprietry is hereby directed at the Request of the said Cutter & Sewall to make an Exemplification of the same in the Name of the Proprietors and having affixed the Proprietors' Seal thereto to acknowledge the same before any Justice of the Peace of the Province as the Act and Deed of this Proprietry."
At a meeting of the proprietors for drawing lots, held in Feb- ruary, 1766, it was voted that each proprietor should settle one family on his "right" on or before the first day of March, 1769, or forfeit two hundred acres of land.
A meeting was called April 12, 1769, to ascertain what pro- prietors had failed to put settlers on their respective lots, and who of them had neglected to pay the tax assessed on their prop- erty. At this meeting it was voted that the time limited for settling lots be extended to the last day of the following June, when, in case of non-compliance with the original agreement, two hundred acres of each delinquent's land should be sold at public
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
vendue. It was also voted to sell land in the same way to pay overdue taxes.
Another meeting of the proprietors was held September 13, for the purpose of ascertaining what persons were still delinquent in settling their lots or paying their taxes. This meeting was ad- journed to October II, when portions of six lots were sold for taxes, and two hundred acres of each of four lots declared forfeited to the proprietry. These forfeited lands were at the same time granted to "His Excellency, John Wentworth, Esq., on condition that he complies with the terms of settling said rights within twelve months from this date."
In 1767 it became evident that the time was approaching when the efforts of the proprietors to secure settlers for Wolfeborough were to be successful. Individual proprietors were making strenuous efforts to induce families to settle on their respective lots, and March's schemes seemed likely to succeed No family came to the town to reside until the following year, but during the summer, Benjamin Blake and Reuben Libbey commenced felling trees on lots they had selected for future occupancy. Just as they had nearly completed their labors, Libbey's ieg was broken by a falling tree. Blake set the bone as well as he was able, built a booth over his companion to protect him from the summer sun, placed near him the scanty remnant of food and a vessel of water, and set out for Gilmanton to procure aid. He was unavoidably absent two days. Libbey, in the meantime, hav- ing drunk the water left him, suffered much from thirst and an- noving insects which swarmed from the surrounding forest. On the evening of the second day help arrived, and an examination by the medical attendant showed that Blake's surgery needed no emendation.
The permanent settlement of Wolfeborough dates from the year 1768, although a few persons, unaccompanied by their fam- ilies, had previously spent limited portions of time within its bor- ders. The region was noted for its peltry, and was frequently
GOVERNOR JOHN WENTWORTH
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
visited by hunters. Persons also who had settled on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee came to the meadows on the borders of Lake Wentworth in the hay season, cut and stacked the grass, which grew there bounteously, and in the winter removed it to their homes on the ice. William Rogers, when a lad, spent an en- tire winter on the shore of Lake Wentworth, caring for neat stock, which was kept in a hovel. He was visited only occasionally by members of his family with supplies of food.
CHAPTER V.
GOVERNOR JOHN WENTWORTH-PARENTAGE AND ANCESTRY-A STUDENT AT HARVARD -- FRIENDSHIP WITH DR. AMMI R. CUTTER-BECOMES AN INTERESTED PROPRIETOR OF WOLFE- BOROUGHI-APPOINTED JOINT AGENT FOR THE PROVINCE AT THE BRITISH COURT-MADE SURVEYOR OF THE KING'S WOODS IN NORTH AMERICA AND GOVERNOR OF THE PROV- INCE-HIS RECEPTION AT PORTSMOUTH-FELICITOUS COMMENCEMENT OF HIS ADMINISTRATION-LADY WENT- WORTH-THE GOVERNOR'S INTEREST IN DARTMOUTH COL- LEGE AND ROAD-BUILDING-LIVIUS' CHARGE OF MAL- FEASANCE - POLITICAL ANTAGONISMS - REVOLUTIONARY FORESHADOWINGS -- GOES TO PORTSMOUTH-HIS LAST OF- FICIAL ACT-SUBSEQUENT CAREER AND DEATH.
G OVERNOR WENTWORTH was from the first a most zealous promoter of the settlement of Wolfeborough, and as early as 1768 commenced operations on his own lands. Be- fore proceeding with a particular account of the settlement of the town, therefore, it may be well to give a sketch of its most dis- tinguished patron.
John Wentworth, the last provincial governor of New Hamp- shire and proprietor of a large estate in Wolfeborough, was born
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
in Portsmouth in 1737. He was the son of Mark Hunking Went- worth, a prominent merchant of that town, the grandson of Lieutenant-Governor John Wentworth, and the nephew of Ben- ning Wentworth, his immediate predecessor, who acted as gov- ernor of the province of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1767. At the age of fourteen years he entered Harvard College, making the journey to Cambridge on horseback, accompanied by a servant. Here he met Ammi Ruhamah Cutter, who for two years had been a student at the college. Between these two young men com- menced a close intimacy that lasted for a score of years, and a friendship that was lifelong. The parting of the political ways, however, forbade companionship through the greater part of their protracted lives. Society in the sober classic town was not wholly agreeable to the lively young denizen of the busy seaport, as will appear from the following letters addressed to Dr. Cutter, who had just commenced the practice of medicine in Portsmouth.
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