USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of old Chester [N. H.] from 1719 to 1869 > Part 8
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87
PROPRIETARY HISTORY.
and Laying out of the Lots, what they did on those sub- jects ; I shall now follow them to the close of their corpo- rate existence, before taking up the town of Chester. Mr. John Calfe was chosen moderator, and Samuel Emerson proprietors' clerk. Esq. Emerson held the office until his death. The last record that he made was the first Monday of September, 1793. On the second day of June, 1794, his son, Jolin Emerson, was chosen clerk, and held the office until his death. When he was superseded as town clerk in 1817 by Lemuel W. Blake, he claimed to be proprietors' clerk and held the books during his life, when they went into the town clerk's office.
The Proprietors' Records are contained in two volumes, and have often been called into court in the settlement of controversies about land. These volumes were nearly out of their binding, and otherwise injured by continual exam- ination, and in 1853 were in court in Hillsborough county, and the Hon. S. D. Bell took them into his possession, car- ried them to a binder, and at his own expense had them put into substantial binding, and otherwise repaired. He also, with great labor, prepared a copious and valuable index, which greatly facilitates the examination of the rec- ords, and prevents their wear. The town of Chester, and everybody who shall ever have occasion to examine these records, should hold Judge Bell in grateful remembrance, - and nobody more so than the writer.
At the aforesaid meeting it was
" Voted, that the Proprietors' Clerk be impowered to warn meetings for the Present at the Request of twenty or more of the Proprietors of the undivided land in Chester, they Setting forth the occasion of the same, and the time when and where ; and for the warning of such meeting it shall be accounted sufficient warning to have Notifications posted up, one at Chester, one at Portsmouth, one at Hampton, one at Newbury, and one at Haverhill, at sum Publick Place, fourteen days before said meeting; and the present Petitioners for every meeting shall be at the Charge of setting up the Notifications for the said meeting."
Some of the home lots fell short of measure, and Capt.
88
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
Samuel Ingalls, Samuel Emerson and Ephraim Haseltine were chosen a committee to examine them and report.
John Calfe owned two home lots and a half, and the lot-layers had laid out 'eighty acres between the ponds at Massabesic, which the proprietors refused to accept ; but at an adjournment they reconsidered and accepted, and also
" Voted, that Mr. John Calfe have Liberty to build a fulling mill at massabesick brook between the two Ponds, agreeable to his own Proposals."
What these proposals were does not appear, but he built a fulling mill there, opposite Nathan Griffin's barn. (See History of the Calfe and Blanchard Mills.)
It was also
" Voted, That for settlement of the Rev. Mr. Timothy White, or the Next Lawfully Settled minister, their shall be given two Hundred acres of Land in the Next division, or two Hundred and fifty pounds of Land fairly apprised."
Mr. White not being settled, it was given to Mr. Flagg ; lots No. 20 and 21, second part of the second division.
At a meeting held May 16, 1739,
"Voted, That Mr. John Macmurphy, his heirs and Suc- cessors, have Liberty to set up and Ercet a grist mill at massabesick River below the Greate Pond in two years, not hendring Iron Works or saw mill if the town shall see it needful to have them or either of them built," &c. (See History of the McMurphy or Webster Mill, on a subsequent page.)
The proprietors held many meetings for the transaction of their business, which consisted in laying out the differ- ent divisions and making amendments, and about their lawsuits, and selling land to pay expenses.
A vote was passed the first Tuesday of November, 1785, choosing Dea. Jonathan Hall, Capt. John Underhill, and Robert Wilson, Esq., a committee " to sell all the common land in this town that Lays seatring about in sundry places, to any Person or Persons as the Committee shall Judge Best."
89
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
November 14, 1794, Stephen Chase, who had been chosen in the place of Robert Wilson, deceased, and Samuel Underhill in the place of John Underhill, advertised all the undivided land belonging to the proprietors at auction, which was sold to Stephen Chase, Esq., for one pound seventeen shillings.
March 16, 1795, they adjusted their accounts, and had a balance of £2 17 8, which was divided between William White, Stephen Chase, John S. Dearborn, Samuel Wilson and Thomas Shirley, representing one right each, and John Emerson, representing eight and a half rights.
Thus ended the affairs of the Proprietors of Chester.
CHAPTER VI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER FROM 1737 TO 1773.
1737. At an adjournment of the annual meeting April 7,1737,
" Voted, That their shall be a sufficient Pound built with Loggs thirty foot square, Six foot High, with two posts, a good gate, and a Lock and Key, and set on the Left hand of the way a Little to the southward of Jolin Boid's, and Completely finished by the first Day of July next.
" Voted, That their Shall be five Pounds Raised to pay for building a Pound agreeable to the foregoing Vote.
" Voted, That Capt. Ingalls Shall build a pound for five Pounds and finish the same as hath been before men- tioned."
There had been a vote passed in 1735 to build a pound, and Jonathan Blunt in 1733 was chosen pound-keeper, but probably without any pound.
John Boid lived 'between where John Haselton and Edwin Haselton now live. The first road laid out in town was through John Boid's lot toward the meeting-house. In 1748 the road was laid out from there, " Beginning at the
90
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
bridge by the Pound where the Highway is laid out across James Boid's home Lott originally," and extending south- erly to Ephraim Haselton's. This fixes the location of the pound.
" Voted, That their shall be fiveteen Pound Raised to Purches a town Stock of ammunition for the town's use."
1738. The Presbyterian parish records commence this year.
" Jun. ye 19, 1738, at a meeting held at Liftenant Thomas Smith's of mr. wilson's Congregation, Capt. Samuel Ingalls chosen moderator ; James Quenton Chosen Clerk.
"1. Voted, Ther meeting hous is to be seet on mr. Wil- son's lot over against mr. wilam Powel's hous.
"2. Voted, That sd meeting hous shall Builded 38 foot long & 33 foot wide with a 20 foot post.
"3. Voted, Capt. Samuel Ingalls & Jolm Tolford & wil- liam wilson, Lift. thomas smith & John Kar shall be ye Comitee to oversee the building of sd meeting hous."
William Powel lived on lot No. 14, at the southwest end, and the meeting-house stood southwest across the way on No. 119, which Mr. Wilson purchased in 1735.
Sept. 18, 1744,
" Voted, John Moor, John Tolford & Andrew Craig a Comity to take a deed from ye Rev. mr. John wilson of the land wher ye meeting hous stands, or half an acre in all, for a burying place of ye sd Congregation."
The town this year voted to raise five pounds to add to the town's stock of ammunition.
1739. At an adjourned town meeting held April 4,
" Voted, to Rais Sixty Pounds to pay for the Supplies in the ministry we have had in time past, and for mending the glass of the meeting house, and for other necessary uses.
" Voted, that two hundred and forty Pounds be Raised on the Presbyterian inhabitants towards building a meeting house for the Revd mr. John Wilson."
At the Presbyterian parish meeting Jan. 3, 1739,
"1. voted, that Capt. samuel Ingalls, mr. James Camp- bell & John Aiken, Chosen a [committee] to sess mr. wil-
91
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
son's Celery for this present year; likewise to sess ye money for building the meeting hous, for the first hundred pound. " 2. voted, yt John Moor & John Shirlee & John Smith & Robert mils & Andrew Crage, Chosen for a Comite to Chus a workman with the undertakers of the work of sd meeting hous ; & likewise to give security to ye undertakers for ye money for Building sd hous, providing ye Congregation Give security to them for sd money ; & likewise to take secu- rity of the undertakers for their performance."
1740. In the warning for the annual town meeting March 27, 1740, is an article (6) " To take Effectual means and methods to prevent the killing of fish as they Come into massabesick Pond, any more than what is for family support," &c. There is no action on it recorded.
At an adjournment of the meeting April 8th, it is re- corded,
" Whereas at the Settling of the Revd mr. Ebenezer Flagg in the work of the ministry at Chester a number of Inhabitants Entered their desents, alledging that they were of a different Persuasion, - Presbyterians according to the Kirk of Scotland, -and supposed the Law freed them from Paying ; they applyed themselves to the general Court where the Law was explained in their favour, the Revd mr. John Wilson being their minister, and they have Paid mr. Wilson distinct from the Rest of the towne, separate from mr. Flagg's herers. But now it happens that the fifth article inserted in the warning for the Present meeting is to Settle a Sallary upon the Revd mr. John Wilson ; the moderator not thinking this meeting Proper for that affair, they insist- ing to Have Sumthing done upon it, the Rest of the town being first withdrawn from mr. wilson's Herers the moder- ator addrest himself to them in the following manner: If it be your minds that the Revd mr. John Wilson, minister of the Presbyterians, shall have one Hundred Pounds money for his sallery for the year Ensuing, to be Paid by the presbyterians his herers, manifest it by holding up your hands ; they that are of a Contrary mind, manifest it by the same Signe.
" Passed in the affirmative by mr. Wilson's Hearers."
92
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
The following act was passed by the General Assembly Aug. 7, 1740, constituting two parishes, which quieted the controversy :
PROVINCE SEAL.
Province of
New Hampsh
Anno Regni Regis Georgii Secundi, mag- næ Britainæ, Francia et Hibernia, Decimo Quarto.
An act of inable the Two Congregations in the Town of Chester in the Province of New Hampshire to raise money to pay their Respective Ministers' Salary, &c.
Whereas the Inhabitants of the Town of Chester in the Province of New Hanpehr have represented to this Court that they labour under great dificulties with Respect to raising their Ministers' Salary and collecting the same, and have petitioned the Court for Relief :
Be it therefore enacted by His Excellency the Govern", Council and Representatives convened in General Assem- bly, and by the authority of the Same, That Each Congrega- tion in Said Town be and hereby is authorized and impow- ered to Act Separate and Distinct from each other as to Parrish affairs, and that Each Respective Congregation be and hereby is authorized and Impowered to Raise Money to pay their Respective Ministers' Salary, for the de- fraying the charges of Building and Repairing their Respec- tive Meeting houses and other Parrish charges, and to chuse Wardens in each Congregation to assess the Persons and estates of Each Congregation as shall be raisd by them Respectively for the ends & purposes aforesd; And to Chuse Collectors to Collect the Same, which collectors Shall have the Same power and Authority as Constables in this Prov- ince by Law have to gather or Collect Rates ; and that Such Wardens Chosen as aforesaid be and hereby are authorized and Impowrd to give a warrant to Such Collectors as fully and Amply to all intents and purposes as Selectmen are authorised and impowerd to do.
And that John Calfe, Ephraim Hazeltine and Enoch Colby be and hereby are authorised and impowerd to call the first meeting for ye Congregationall Parish, And Capt. Sam" Ingalls, John Tolford and John Carr to call the first meeting for the Presbeterian Parrish, and the said Congre- gations shall have power to Chuse all officers necessary to manage & Transact Parrish affairs, as other Parishes have or ought by Law to have within this Province.
93
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
Aug. 7th, Read three times in the House of Repre- 1740. sentatives and Passed to be enacted.
Andrew Wiggins, Speaker.
Eadem Die. Voted a concurrence.
Read three times at the Council Board, and
Richard Waldron, Sec.
Same day I assent to ye foregoing Bill.
J. Belcher. Coppy Ex. Theodore Atkinson, Secr.
The Congregational records commence with a copy of the act. A warning to call the first meeting, dated August 27th, 1740, the meeting to be held on the second Wednesday in September, is signed by John Calfe, Enoch Colby and Ephraim Hazeltine. John Calfe was chosen moderator, and adjourned to the 17th. At the adjourned meeting, John Calfe was chosen clerk; Benj. Hills, James Var- num and Eliphaz Sanborn, wardens, and Paul Smith, col- lector.
At a parish meeting, November 7, 1840, a committee was chosen to repair the meeting-house (but not to glaze it), and to sweep the meeting-house and buy a burying- cloth.
1741. At the annual town meeting, the last Thursday in March, " John Tolford and James Varnum were chosen In- voice men, to take the Invoice of the heads & estates of the Whole town." They took and returned to the Secretary's office an inventory of the town. Chester had not hitherto paid any province tax, but a new proportion was now made, and Chester was required to pay. This inventory is given under the head of " Rates or Taxes."
At the annual meeting of the Congregational parish, March 25, 1741, it was
" Voted, that the " Reved Mr. Flag's Salary shall be raised one third part on the poll if there be no law to the con- trary."
Cattle above one year old, and horses above two years old, were to be rated, "if there be no law to the contrary."
94
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
A committee was chosen to " underpin the meeting- house, mend ye glass, Doors, and Seats, &c., as need Shall · require."
The Presbyterian parish meeting, March 10, 1741, is said to have been the first according to law, though called by the wardens, and not by the persons named in the law. One hundred pounds is voted to Mr. Wilson, and that one-half be raised on the poll, and the other half on the estate.
" Voted yt John Tolford's money which he laid out at ye Law be laid on this parish by Rat, which is £18 4s. 8d.
" Voted yt 5 pounds shall be laid on this parish by way of rate, to defray ye Charge of a debate yt hapned between John mill, Sener, & this parish."
1742. At the annual meeting, March 25, the selectmen were empowered to exchange a piece of land with Jona- than Blunt, so as to accommodate a decent burying-place, and let him have a part of the ten-rod way by his house. They did not make the exchange. They began to bury on the ten-rod way behind the meeting-house. It is the uni- form tradition that Sampson Underhill was the first per- son buried there, his estate being apprised in May, 1732. Many years since I was shown a grave, as his, just inside the wall, opposite the meeting-house. The town sold Jabez French five rods of the ten-rod way, and there were graves further north-west, which fell in the road as now fenced.
March 10, 1742, the Presbyterians "Voted 1000 of Joyces & 1000 of boards for the gallery," and two years later appropriated £20 for the gallery, "and that John Tol- ford shall do the work."
1743. March 31, The town voted " to Purchis a Book to Record births, marriages and deaths in."
" Voted, That Whosoever shall Kill a grown Wolfe in this town this year shall have twenty shillings Paid him by the town, old tennour, and ten shillings for a Woulfe's whelp."
The Congregational parish, in consideration of the dep-
95
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
reciation of money, voted to give Mr. Flagg thirty pounds old tenor in addition to his salary.
" Voted, That Samuel Emerson, Deacon Dearborn, John Calfe. Jacob Sargent and John Robie shall be a Committe to sell to the highest bidder belonging to this Parish all the places for Pews in this meeting house," &c.
" Voted, that three windows In the Galleries Over Each Door and the two long windows on the back side shall be wholly taken out and Don up with Bords and Claboards.
" Voted, That messrs. Jacob Sargent, Benja. Hills and Enoch Colby Shall be a Committe to take Care of, and Dispose of all the old Ledd and Glass that is In the meet- ing house, as well as they Can for the advantage of the Parrish, and take care and Glase the meeting house with new Sashes and Glass; and Do any thing Elce to said meeting house that they shall Judge to be for the benefit and advantage of the Parish, and make, Do and Complete Said work by the Last day of September next, and make return to the Parish for their recompence."
The glass was the diamond glass, similar in form to that of the Episcopal and Catholic churches in Manchester. There was a wooden saslı outside and lead between the panes in- side. It was now glazed with square glass. Whether the space in the meeting-house which was now to be sold for pews was ever seated, does not appear, and we have no certain knowledge of how it was seated. But in the new meeting-house the depth of two pews on each side of the broad aisle, from in front of the deacons' seat (which was in front of the pulpit) baek half way to the front door, was seated with long seats made of plank and high backs. These were " common seats." In 1784 two of these seats on each side of the aisle were taken out and the space made into pews, which were sold for the purchase of a bell. The last of those seats were removed in 1820. Probably the old house was seated in this manner, and the gallery too; the west end for men and the east end for women. April 21, 1743, the committee proceeded to sell the ground for seventeen pews, which are so recorded and dimensions given that, with the aid of the diagram in Dr. Bell's history, I give a ground plan of the old house.
96
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
March 28, 1753,
"Voted, That the hind seats upon Each side of the Grate alley that goes from the south Dore to the Pulpit be taken away, and that there shall be previledges for Building four pews, two on each side of the alley," &c.
It was sold March 28, 1754. November 7, 1753,
" Voted, that if any Number of young persons in this parish, Sufishant to fill any seat on the Back Side of the seats in the Galleries, Shall agree to Build them into pews, they shall have Liberty to do it."
PULPIT
2
1
A
17
16
15
B
3
14
4
13
MENS SEATS
WOMENS SEATS
EAST DOOR
5
/2
1
2
3
4
WOMENS
MENS STAIRS
STAIRS
6
7
8
9
10 11
A GROUND PLAN OF THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE AS SEATED IN 1754, WHEN THE GROUND OR THE "SECOND TIER" OF PEWS WAS SOLD.
A. Minister's pew.
9. Sylvanus Smith.
B. Deacons' seat.
10. John Robie.
1. James Varnum.
11. Sam. Robie.
2. Francis Towle.
12. Peter Dearborn.
3. Jacob Sargent.
13. Anthony Towle.
4. Winthrop Sargent.
5. Henry Hall.
6. Abraham Bachelder.
16. Samuel Emerson.
17. Dea. Eben Dearborn.
THE SECOND TIER, SOLD 1754.
1. Nathan Webster.
3. Jona. Moulton.
2. Sylvanus Smith.
4. Sylvanus Smith.
7. John Calfe.
8. Ben. Hills.
14. Jonathan Blunt.
15. Lt. Eben Dearborn.
GRATE ALLEY
WEST DOOR
97
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
1744. In 1741 an inventory of the heads and ratable estates had been taken and sent to the Secretary's office,. and a new proportion of taxes made, in which Chester is called upon to pay rates to the province, and with our ideas of taxation and representation we might infer that Chester should be represented as a matter of right, but such were not the ideas then. There was a continual con- test between the prerogative of the crown and the rights of the people. The crown called assemblies as a mere favor or grace. The Governor, as the representative of the crown, claimed the right to send writs of election for rep- resentatives to such towns as he chose, which, almost as a matter of course, would be to such as he supposed would favor the prerogatives of the crown. A writ was sent to Chester and a meeting called to be held January 21, 1744, " To make Choyce of a man to Represent the said town in General assembly." Mr. Benjamin Hills was chosen. Mr. Hills appeared at Portsmouth the 24th, and I copy from the printed journal the proceedings in the case at full length :
A JOURNAL
Of the House of Representatives, at a General Assembly of His Majesty's Province of New-Hampshire in New Eng- land ; Begun and held at Portsmouth, in said Province, on Thursday the 24th Day of January, Anno Domini . 1744.
At Twelve of the Clock in the Forenoon were present in the Court House the Representatives of Portsmouth, Hampton, New Castle, Rye, Exeter, New Market, Green- land, Stretham and Newington, in all 14 Members ; Be- sides Five Gentlemen who said they came to represent some Places that never sent any Representatives to this Court before. After One o'clck, all the above members withdrew, hearing nothing from His Excellency the Gov- ernour or Council. At three of the Clock met again, and were present at the same Place all the above Representa- tives, and also the Representatives of the Towns of Dover, Durham and Kingston, 19 in number.
All these Members waited till Five, and then the Secre- tary came and told them that his Excellency the Govern-
7
98
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
our sent him to tell them that he had adjourned the Gen- eral Court till To-morrow, Eleven o'clock ; That the Sheriff had but just returned the Precept, and the Council were adjourned. Upon which it was thot proper to send Na- thaniel Rogers, Esq., and Major Ebenezer Stevens, to inform his Excellency how many Members had been waiting, and how long; Who returned, and informed that his Excellency told them that the Sheriff had but just returned the Pre- cept, and that he did send the Secretary to adjourn the General Court till To-morrow, Eleven o'Clock.
Friday, January 25th1.
Met at Eleven o'clock, all but the Representative of Durham. Mr. Secretary Atkinson came to the House and said, That his Excellency sent him to see if the House were together ; And immediately after the Hon. Theodore Atkinson, Richard Wibird and Samuel Smith, Esgs., came down from the Council Board, and acquainted the House that they were appointed by his Excellency the Governour to administer to the Members present the Oaths appointed instead of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, and see them subscribe the Declaration: Which being done, they withdrew. And besides the above-mentioned Members, the Oaths were administered to Col. Benjamin Rolfe, of Rum- ford ; Mr. Henry Saunders, of Methuen and Dracut Dis- trict : Mr. Joseph Jewell, of South-Hampton ; Mr. Benja- min Hills, of Chester ; Capt. Nicholas White, of Haverhill District ;- Places that never were entitled by the House or General Court to send a Representative to sit in the Gen- eral Assembly of this Province. Soon after the adminis- tration of the Oaths, &c., the Secretary came down and told the House that his Excellency required the House to choose a Speaker, and present him. Upon which one of the Members observed that there were several Persons present more than used to be in former Assemblies, viz .: Col. Benjamin Rolfe, Mr. Henry Saunders, Mr. Joseph Jewell, Mr. Benjamin Hills, and Capt. Nicholas White, from the above-mentioned Places; Who being asked how they came there, answered, That the Places from whence they came were required by the high Sheriff's Writ to choose and send Representatives to attend and serve in this Court; and that agreeable thereto, they were chosen and sent. Whereupon a Motion was made, and unani- monsly agreed, to send Col. Peter Gilman and Nathaniel Rogers, Esq., to his Excellency the Governour, with the following written Message. Viz. :
99
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CHESTER.
May it please your Excellency :--
The House having received a verbal Message from your Ex- celleney, by Mr. Secretary Atkinson, requiring them to choose a Speaker; And observing that five Gentlemen, viz., Col. Benja- min Rolfe, Capt. Nicholas White, Mr. Joseph Jewell. Mr. Benja- min Ifills and Mr. Henry Saunders, appear among them as Members of the House, who, upon Enquiry, are found to come from Rumford, Haverhil District, South Hampton, Chester, and Methuen and Dracut District,-Places which have no Power, by any Law or Usage of this Province, that we know of, to send any Person to represent them at this Court,-therefore pray. that (be- fore they proceed to the Choice of a Speaker) your Excellency would be pleased to inform them by what Means those Places are authorized to send Members to this Court. .
Mr. Secretary Atkinson came down and said that he was directed by his Excellency to acquaint the Members (in answer to their Message) That the Members Enquired after were called here by the King's Writ, which was issued by the Advice of the Council. And soon after Mr. Secre- tary Atkinson came and told the House that his Excellency had adjourned the General Court till four of the Clock in the Afternoon.
The House met according to Adjournment, and present as before. While they were preparing another written Message to send to his Excellency, Mr. Secretary and Mr. Solley came and told the House that his Excellency re- quired them immediately to choose a Speaker. But be- fore they had Time to choose a Speaker, or send the Message which was preparing, Mr. Secretary came and adjournª the House till To-morrow, ten of the Clock.
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