USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of old Chester [N. H.] from 1719 to 1869 > Part 22
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About 1830 there was a joint stock company formed, and a stage run from Dover to Lowell, passing Raymond and Chester, which carried a mail. About 1734 Stephen Os- good, of Raymond, having purchased a large share of the stock, put on a stage from Pittsfield to Cliester, connecting at Chester with the Lowell stage, which would supply Can- dia with a mail. These stages I think ran three times a week until the Boston and Maine railroad took the travel, in 1838 or 1839. After the Manchester and Lawrence railroad went into operation, a stage was run from Chester to Derry depot, which carried a daily mail, and the Haver- hill stage ran into Manchester, and finally ceased. For a long time after stages ran and mails were established, newspapers were carried by a post-rider. About 1808 or '9 one James Tallant, of Concord, rode post from Concord to Chester, and perhaps farther, and carried the " New Hamp- shire Patriot " and " Concord Gazette " in his saddle-bag s
272
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
but whether both papers could agree to be in one end, I do not know. After Tallant, my brothers, Moses and John, had papers come by stage, and carried them on horseback through Candia, Deerfield, &c., to Exeter ; and my father, B. P. Chase, carried them through the Long Meadows to the Neck.
CHAPTER XII.
LITERARY AND PROFESSIONAL. - HISTORY OF SCHOOLS. - EARLY STATUTES IN RELATION TO SCHOOLS.
Nov. 11, 1647.
" It being one chief point of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, as in for- mer times by keeping them in an unknown tongue ; so in these latter times, by persuading from the use of tongues, that so at least the true sense and meaning of the original might be clouded by false glosses of saint-seeming deceivers ; that learning may not be buried in the grave of our fathers, in the church and commonwealth, the Lord assisting our endeavors :-
" It is therefore ordered, that every township in the juris- diction, after the Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty householders, shall then forthwith appoint one within their town to teach all children as shall resort to him, to write and read, whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children ; or by the inhabi- tants in general, by way of supply, as the major part of those that ordered the prudentials of the town shall ap- point ; provided those that send their children be not oppressed by paying much more than they can have them taught for in other towns.
And it is further ordered, that where any town shall in- crease to the number of one hundred families, or house- holders, they shall set up a Grammar school, the master thereof being able to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the University : provided, that if any town neg- lect the performance hereof above one year, that every such town shall pay £5 to the next school, till they shall per- form this order."
273
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
An act passed in 1714 provided,
" That for building and repairing meeting-houses, minis- ters' houses, school-houses, and allowing a salary to a schoolmaster of each town within their province, the select- men in their respective towns shall raise money by an equal rate and assessment upon the inhabitants, in the same man- ner as in the present act directed for the maintenance of the minister ; and every town within this province shall, from and after the publication hereof, provide a schoolmaster for the supply of the town."
An act passed 1719, provides,
"That every town within this province having the number of fifty householders, or upwards, shall be constantly pro- vided of a schoolmaster to teach children and youth to read and write. And when any town or towns shall have the number of one hundred families or householders, there shall be a grammar school set up, and kept in every such town, and some discreet person, of good conversation, well in- structed in the tongues, shall be procured to be master thereof; and every such schoolmaster to be suitably encour- aged, and paid by the inhabitants."
The act empowers the selectmen to employ such masters, and raise money by way of rate to pay the same, and inflicts a penalty of twenty pounds for neglecting to settle such master six months.
An act passed in 1721, provides,
" That not only each town, but cach parish of one hun- dred families, shall be constantly provided with a grammar school."
A penalty of twenty pounds is inflicted upon the select- men for neglecting one month. An act passed January, 1779, recites in the preamble, that the penalties in the fore- going acts were originally set in paper bills-of-credit, and not in lawful money, and reducing the penalty to ten pounds.
An act passed Dec., 1805, provided for dividing towns into districts, and empowered districts to raise money for building and repairing school-houses, &c.
An act passed Dec. 22, 1808, requires the selectmen to raise a sum equal to seventy dollars for each dollar of the town's proportion of the state tax ; and authorizes districts 18
274
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
to hold land. It also requires towns to choose three or more inspectors or visitors of schools.
An act passed July 6, 1827, requires selectmen to raise ninety dollars for cach dollar of the town's proportion of the state tax.
At a meeting of the committee, January 25, 1720-21,
" Voted, That whereas the number of proprietors is Con . . . and no provision made for a School Master, That the next proprietor that Shall Forfeit his Lott, the Same Shall be appropriated for a School."
This provision was made after the first grant of the land, but before the charter, and there was hardly a permanent settler there.
The next we find on the records is at an adjourned meet- ing, April 7th, 1737,
" Voted, to Rais thirty Pounds to Hier a Schoolmaster this present year.
" Voted, that the Selectmen shall Remove the said schoolmaster to the severall Parts of the town as shall be Conveniant."
Though there is no evidence that anything had been done by the town, it is hardly to be supposed that nothing had been done to educate the children for about eighteen years. The schools were held at private houses, and although re- moved to different parts, all the children in town might fol- low the master into the several quarters.
At an adjourned meeting, November 2d, 1738,
" Voted, That their Shall be twenty Pounds Raised to Support a School in this town."
At an adjourned meeting, April 8, 1740,
" Voted, that their Shall be a School maintained in the town this year throughout ; Partly by School masters, and Partly by School dames, as the Select men Shall Judge best for the town."
In the warning, March 9th, 1721, is an article
" To act what may appear needful about building a School house or houses.
" Put to Vote, Whether to build a School house in the Senter of the town or ne. Passed in the negative."
At the annual meeting, March 25, 1742,
275
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
" Voted, That there shall be a school Keept in this town the year through out, and that the Select men Shall Re- move the Said School into the Severall Quarters of Said town, so that they Shall have their Equal Proportion of the the Same, according to what Rates they Pay."
They probably refused to build a school-house in the center, because the school might be kept there all of the time.
In the warning for a meeting, March 29th, 1744, is an article,
" To see if the town will build a School house or housen, or to act and do any thing about Keeping a School, or Schools, or building a house or housen, as Shall appear mose for the benefit and advantage of the town.
" Voted to Build School Housen.
" Voted, That a Committee shall be Chosen to Divide the town into Severall Parts, in order to accomodate School Housen.
" Voted, That Capt. Sam" Ingalls, Benjamin Hills, Insin Jacob Sargent, william Haley and andrew Crage, Shall be the Comitte."
In the warning for the annual meeting, March 28th, 1745, is an article,
"To See if the town will Except of the return of the Committee that was chosen to Divide the town into parts for the Conveniancy of building School housen ; or act and do anything that shall be thought needful and nessecery about a school or schools, and a school-house or housen."
At an adjournment of the meeting, April 4th,
" Voted, that the Committee's Return that was Chosen to Divide the town into parts, In order to accomodate School housen, be Excepted.
" The Persons under named Decents against the fore- going Vote, . . . . John Robie, Sam" Bartlet, Jonathan Blunt, Jonathan Moulton, Robert Runells, Enoch Colby, David Crage, Isaac Foss, Page Bachelder, Benjamin Bach- elder, Sam" Powell, Francis Towl, Ebenezer Dearborn, Junr., Benjamin Hills."
We have no means of knowing to a certainty into how many parts the town was divided, or their boundaries ; but there probably were but three ; for if there had been one at the Centre, John Robie, Jonathan Blunt, and Ebenezer
276
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
Dearborn, Jr., who lived near the Centre, and Benjamin Bachelder and Robert Runnels, who lived within about half a mile up street, and others - Jonathan Moulton, Enoch Colby, and Samuel Bartlett - within a mile below, would not have dissented. I have conversed with people who remembered the three. One stood on John Sanborn's, opposite Moses Webster's home lot No. 21; one at Walnut hill, not far from Robert Shirley's ; and the third at the Long Meadows, between Samuel Aiken's (Charles C. Grant's) and David Witherspoon's (the Hardy place). Mrs. Whit- tier, daughter of Samuel Aiken, recollects this house, or of hearing her parents tell about it.
In 1746 the select men charge :
£ s. d.
Paid unto master Wood 66 00 0
Paid unto Dech Ebenezer Derbon, for boarding . 19 90
Paid unto Insd Jacob Sargant, for bording ye master 4 10 0
Paid unto Abel Morse, for bording ye master 5 12 0
Paid unto John Haiseltine, for bording the master 8 11 0
Paid unto Andrew Crag, for bording the master
8 20
Paid to Capt. Morse, for three days, horse and man, for going after a Coolmaster 1 15 0
1847. Master Wood is paid 80 0 0
and Dea. Dearborn, John Hazeltine, and Andrew Craige, for boarding .
80 00
1748. Master Wood is hired again, at 44 00
and Capt. Blunt, Joseph Calf and Dea. Dearborn boarded.
John Robie is paid for bringing up the master, time and expenses . 2 00
Master Wood, it seems, lived somewhere down country, and is probably the one who was afterwards Dr. George Wood.
£ s. d. 1749. Paid Doctor Samuel Moores, for schooling 108 0 0 Paid to the Long meadow Quarter for Schooling 31 0 0
The Long Meadows had one-quarter of the money paid to them. Dr. Moores is said by Eaton (History of Candia,
277
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
page 91) to have come from Hampstead. He settled at Candia Corner.
& s. d.
1750. Paid to m' Henry Herring, for Schooling 112
00
Paid to m' John Hickey, for Schooling
88 0 0
Paid to Mr Samuel Moores, for Schooling 40 0 0
for a Journey to newbury after a Schoolmaster 2 00
for time and expence hireing School master 3 00
1751. Paid to m' John Hickey, for schooling 104 0 0
Paid to m' James Dresser, for schooling 27 10 0
Paid to m' nehemiah mc neal, for schooling 32 0 0
Paid to Nathaniel Blasdell, for bording the masters 15 0 0
for three Days, man and horse, after a School- master 4 10 0
for one day of a man and two horses, bringing up
the master from Bradford 2 00 0
for time and Expense hireing School masters . for time and expense making up with School- masters
1 10 0
1 00 0
In 1752 Master MeNeil is paid ££154. Deacon Hasel- ton, Andrew Craig, Enoch Colby, Peter Dearborn, Mr. Carr, Deacon Dearborn, Mr. Knowles and Mr. Basford are paid for boarding. It seems that this year, though they had no school-house, they had a school in the north part.
In 1753 Mr. Hazelton and Mr. MeNeele were the mas- ters, and Deacon Dearborn, Mr. Craige, Jacob Chase and John Knowles boarded.
In 1754 " master Heseltine, master mefarson and mas- ter meneal, at the Longmeadows," were masters, and Dea- con Dearborn, Jacob Chase and Thomas Haseltine boarded.
In 1755, "Paid to mr. Hessard, for teaching school, £132; To mr. Boies, for teaching school, £28." Captain Blunt, Charles Moore, William Tolford and Bradley Carr boarded, and William Graham and Patten, at the Long Meadows.
At the annual meeting March, 1748,
" Voted, To Raise two Hundred Pounds, old tenor, the present year for Schooling and other necessary town Charges.
278
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
" Voted, That Each Quarter of the town as it is Divided Shall Share theyr Equell Proportion of the money Raised for Schooling, appropriated to that use and no other.
" Voted, That the town Defend and Secure the Select- men from any Damage they may come at, for not Provid- ing a Gramer School."
In a warning for a town meeting, June 21, 1756, is an article,
" To See What the town Will Do Concerning Hiering a Gramer School master for the year 1756; It being an Express from the Court by the Grand Juryman to the present Selectmen.
" Voted, That the present Selectmen (viz.), John Robie, Andy Craige and Jacob Basford, Shall take Care, and if they can, Provide a Grammer School master for the town, So as to fulfil and answer the Intents of the Law ; and if they cannot obtain one, then they are fully impowered to address the Court In behalf of, and in favor of, the town on that account, and at the Charge of sd Town."
In the warning for the annual meeting March 30, 1758, are articles,
" 24. To See if the town Will Vote that all the people within three Quarters of a mile from the old meeting-house in Chester Shall have their proportion of the schooling at that place according to the taxes they pay, and chuse their own School master or mistress, as they shall See Cause.
4. 3ª. To see if the Town will Raise Such a Sum of money as they shall judge Needful for schooling ; and to see if the Town will give Every Division their Proportion of the money so Raised, and every Quarter to be obliged to Put Said money to said use ; and that the Quarter may Chuse their own master or mistress as they Shall Judge Needful.
" 9th. To see if the town will vote that Charming fare, so called, shall Have their Proportion of schooling.
10th. To see if the town will vote that the North Parish, called Freetown, shall have their proportion of Schooling.
12th. To see if the Town will Vote that the Society about Jacob Basford's Shall Have the Schooling made up to them which was omitted the year past, 1757.
" Relating to the second article in the warning of said meeting, Pat to Vote, past in the Negative.
"Relating to the Third artikill in the warning of said meeting, It was put to Vote and past in the Negative.
279
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
" Relating to the ninth and tenth artikells in the warning of this meeting, It is Voted that the Inhabitants of the North parish, so called, and the Inhabitants of Charming- fare, so called, shall have Their proportion of schooling amongst them, according to the whole tax they Pay towards schooling.
" Relating to the twelfth artikell in the warning, put to . Vote, past in the Negative."
A meeting was called the second day of May, 1758,
" 2ª. To See if What money the town will Raise this present year for the use of Schooling.
" 3. To See if the Town will allow the north part of the Town by Cornet Lane's, and the Inhabitants Round about, a Larger Share of the School this year for their not having had their part of the School for five or six years past, Except one month the Last year.
"4. To See if the town will allow the north East part of the Town by Jacob Basford's, and the Inhabitants their- about, any thing this year, they not having their part of the Schooling Last year.
" Relating to the Second artikell in the Warning of this meeting on account of Schooling,
". Put to Vote Whether to Raise any Certain Sum of money for that End; and,
" Voted, That the Selectmen Raise for the use of school- ing the present year, the sum of six Hundred Pound, old tenor.
"3. Voted, That that part of the Town near Cornet Lane's shall have their part of the Schooling for the present year, according to what they Pay towards that Rate.
"4. Voted, That the north East part of the Town about Jacob Basford's, shall have forty two Pounds, old tenor, Paid to them this year Towards Schooling more than their proportion, they not Having any the year past."
In the warning for a town meeting, March 29, 1759, was an article,
" 4th. To See if the Town will Vote off the middle of the Town, three Quarters of a mile Each way from the old meeting house, with Respect to the school; or further, if the Town shall think it best ; and the Rest of the Town, Each and Every part of it, may have their Equal part of the money that is Raised, or their equal proportion of the school the year Ensuing."
280
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
At the meeting it was
" Voted, That for Conveniency of schooling Three Quar- ters of a mile Round the old meeting house shall have the Priviledge of sending to School there ; and the other parts of the Town Shall Have the Liberty of Joining together for Convenieney in the several parts of the same ; and Every one of Said Parts shall Have their Equal proportion, according to what money they Pay Towards the schooling this year ; Provided, they Lay it out in Schooling this year."
In the warning for the annual meeting, March 27, 1760,
" 2. To see what method the Town Shall think proper The year Ensuing With Respect to the schools."
" Voted, To leave it to the selectmen."
In the warning for the annual meeting, March 26, 1761, was an article,
" 5. To Sce if the Town will Vote To build a school house Near Thomas Worthen's, in this town, and another about Francis Towl's, and their Shall be a school Kept Eight months in a year, four months in Each of them school houses yearly ; or to act and Do what shall then be Thought needful. Raise money for the out-parts of the town accord- ingly as shall be needful."
" 5ly. Upon the fifth article, Put to vote Whether to Build School Houses or not ; Past in the Negative."
Thomas Worthen lived at the old "Friend" Stevens place a few rods east of where J. M. Elliott now lives ; Francis Towle lived on the Haverhill road nearly opposite the road across to Hiram Basford's.
In the warning for a meeting called expressly for the purpose, Nov. 4, 1760,
" 2. To See if the Town will Vote to secure the Selectmen from the fine for not Providing for the Town a Gramer School master the Present year, in as much as they are in Danger of being Presented; or to act and Do what then and their shall be Thought Needful."
At the meeting,
" Relating To the Second artikell, Put to Vote Whether to Secure the selectmen from the fine for not Providing a Gramer School for the Town the Present year, past in the Negative."
281
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
In the warning for the annual meeting, March 25, 1762, was an article,
" TV. To see what method the Town will take in Respect to their School houses, whether they will think fitt to Raise a sum of money of the whole Town to build and Repare School houses ; or what method they will take in that Respect.
At the adjourned meeting, May 4, 1762,
" Relating to the sixth and seventh artikells in the warn- ing of this meeting, They Were Put to Vote and past in the Negative."
The sixth article was respecting building a pound at Freetown.
At the annual meeting, March 31, 1763,
" Voted, That it be Left With the selectmen to Inquier into and see how much is Justly Due to the North Parish, so Called, for their proportion of the School money Raised in this Town for three years past, and if they have not had their share then to deliver the Same to them ; Provided they Lay out the Same for Schooling among themselves ; and also all the other parts of the Town that have not had their proportion of the Schooling, nor money as above men- tioned, shall be Considered, and have their proportion on the same Conditions."
At the September term of the Superior Court, 1771, Andrew Jack, Nathan Webster and John Robie, the select- men of Chester, were indicted because Chester, having more than one hundred families, had no grammar school. At the March term, 1772, Jack and Webster were tried and fined £10, and cost, taxed £7 12s. 4d.
In the warning for the annual meeting March 25, 1773, there was an article,
" 5ly. To see if the Town will Chuse a Committee to appoint places Where the school houses shall be Built for the Town's Servis, and to be Built by the Town."
" Relating to the fifth artikell in the warning about build- ing school Houses, put to Vote ; Passed in the Negative."
In the warning for a town meeting, June 8, 1775, was an article,
" 2ly. To see if the Town will Vote that the Selectmen
282
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
shall not maintain a Grammer School at present, and make the Selectmen Secure, so that they shall Come to no Dam- age or Cost for not Proceeding according to the former Lawes."
At the meeting it was
" Voted, that the Selectmen Drop the Gra'er school for the present.
" Voted, that the Town will secure the Selectmen from any Cost, Charge, or Damage, They may be Put Too for not Providing a gramer School for the present as the Law Di- rects. Jacob Chase Decents against the foregoing vote."
The indictment, and fining the selectmen, had caused them to have a grammar school, but now the pressure of the burden of the incipient Revolution caused them to dis- continue it.
At the annual meeting, March 28, 1776,
" Voted, that what money Shall Be Raised in this Town the present year for the Support of Schooling Shall be Laid out so as to accommodate all parts of the Town as Well as may be.
" Voted, To Raise fifty pound Lawful money for School- ing the present year."
At the ammal meeting, 1777, one hundred pounds were voted for schooling ; in 1778, two hundred pounds were voted ; 1779, four hundred pounds ; 1780, twelve hundred pounds : 1781, voted not to raise any money ; 1782, the article not acted on ; 1783, left with the selectmen ; 1784, two hundred dollars.
The following list of teachers, their compensation, &c., is extracted from the selectmen's accounts in an old book which I had not found when the other was written :
1757. Master Boys, .
£56 00 00
Master How,
255 00 00
1758. Mr. Thos. Boies,
56 00 00
Ensign Quanton, 57 14 00
Mrs. Sarah Ingalls,
29 00 00
Mr. William Smith,
42 00 00 Dr. Ordway, 40 00 00
Mr. Boies' widow,
76 00 00 Mrs. Curriour, . 33 00 00
Likewise neighbors about Bradbury Carr's,
13 11 6
283
HISTORY OF SCHOOLS.
Likewise neighbors about Benj. Hills',
22 00 00
Ensign Quanton,
63 16 00
Mrs. Dudley,
22 10 00
1759. Dr. Ordway,
156 17 6
Master Scott,
111 00 00
Thomas Shirlee,
40 00 00
Master Levol,
48 00 00
Mrs. Dudley, about Mr. Hills',
22 00 00
Widow Currier,
20 00 00
Dr. Ordway,
51 16 00
Paid to Charming Fair,
26 00 00
Freetown,
49 00 00
Northwest part, joining Suncook,
10 00 00
1760. Master Hazzard,
384 00 00
Master Scott,
141 15 00
1761. Mr. Hazzard, 8 months,
400 00 00
Mr. John Crombie, 2 months, 100 00 00
Ensign James Quenton,
68 00 00
Stephen Webster,
30 00 00
Hiring schoolmasters and notifying each quarter To repair school-house,
8 00 00
1762. John Flagg, 10 months, [Mrs. French has the original bill,] 444 8 11
Board 10 months,
217 10 00
James Quanton, at the Long Meadows,
100 00 00
David Webster, 50 00 00
John McNeel, 58 00 00
1763. Mr. Balch, 3 months,
155 10 00
Mr. Flagg, for boarding, 90 12 00
Master Quanton, 73 months,
375 00 00
Mr. Scott, 4 months, 3 weeks, 237 10 00
Master Herring, one month, 50 00 00
Josiah Flagg, one month,
50 00 00
Dr. Rand, one week, 10 00 00
North part, or Freetown, for three years past, 255 11 6
Upper part, next to Suncook, three years,
39 00 00
1764. Master Ordway,
437 00 00
Master Quanton,
268 00 00
1765. Master Ordway, 9 months, Lawful,
36 00 00
At the Long Meadows,
7 5 00
At Cornet Lane's, .
1 10 00
Upper part, 2 years,
1 6 00
Henry Herring, the former master, has become a pauper, and warned out of town.
284
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
1766. Master Rand, 5 months 5 days (Lawful), 14 9 9
Master Evans, 4 months, . 10 00 00
Master Quenton, 2 months, 5 00 00
Master Smith, 2 months, . 5 00 00
Master Evans, 11 months 6 days (Lawful), 28 2 6
Master Quanton, 2 months, 5 00 00
Master Haselton, one month, 2 00 00
Cornet Lane, their proportion,
1 12 00
Joseph Brown, do.
12 00
Same for 1766,
9 00
Dr. Rand is boarded at the expense of the town five weeks, when sick.
1768. Master Evans (Lawful), 32 10 00
Master Morse, .
1 8 00
Joseph Brown, their proportion, 9 00
Mr. Brown received for all the town that is now in Hook- sett.
1770. Master Evans,
32 10 00
Joseph Brown, 10 10 00
1772. Master Shaw, 9 months, 21 8 4
Master Donoven, 3 months one week,
9 15 00
Master True, 3 months,
5 00 00
Josiah Flagg, in 1770,
1 17 6
Paid Rev. Mr. Flagg and John Tucker, for board,
8 7 10
Joseph Brown,
1 9 00
1773. Master Ordway,
7 4 00
Master Cheever,-kept at Walnut Hill,
4 16 00
Going to Hampton Falls, two men and horses, after schoolmaster, 12 00
Long Meadow proportion,
9 15 00
Joseph Brown, .
1 10 00
Cornet Lane,
2 14 00
John San. Dearborn (No. 2),
3 15 00
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