History of the city of Nashua, N.H., Part 6

Author: Parker, Edward Everett, 1842- ed; Reinheimer, H., & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Nashua, N.H., Telegraph Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 652

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashua > History of the city of Nashua, N.H. > Part 6

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"We bind ourselves to study the advancement of the Gospel in all truth and peace, both in regard to those that are within and without ; no ways slighting our sister churches, but using their counsels as need shall be; not laying a stumbling block before any, no, not the Indians, whose good we desire to promote; and so to converse that we may avoid the very appearance of evil.

"We do hereby promise to carry ourselves in all lawful obedience to those that are over us in

*Mass. Assembly Records, 1680, page 281. Allen's Chelmsford, 108.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

Church or Commonwealth, knowing how well pleasing it will be to the Lord, that they should have encouragement in their places, by our not grieving their spirits through our irregularities.

" We resolve to approve ourselves to the Lord in our particular callings, shunning idleness as the bane of any state, nor will we deal hardly or oppressively with any, wherein we are the Lord's stewards.

"Promising also unto our best ability to teach our children the knowledge of God, and of His holy will, that they may serve him also ; and all this not by any strength of our own, but by the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood we desire may sprinkle this our Covenant made in His name."

At this date there were but four churches and four ministers within the present limits of New Hampshire .* It was during this year that Cranfield, the royal Governor of the state, issued his arbitrary decree against the Congregational Clergy, ordering their " dues to be witheld," and threat- ening them "with six months' imprisonment for not administering the sacraments according to the Church of England."-But this decree did not affect Dunstable, which was still supposed to lie within the bounds of Massachusetts.

In 1686 the Indians at Wamesit and Naticook sold all the lands within the limits of Dunstable to Jonathan Tyng and others, together with all their possessions in this neighborhood, and nearly all of them removed from the vicinity.t How much was paid for this purchase of Dunstable, or rather release of their claims, is unknown, but probably about {20, as we find that this sum was assessed upon the proprietors soon after, for the purpose of "paying for lands bought of the Indians."#

In 1687 the town raised {1 125. 3d. towards our proportion of the expense of "building the great bridge" over the Concord river at Billerica. This was done by order of the General Assembly, and for many years afterwards, it was rebuilt and kept in repair from time to time, as occasion required, by the joint contributions of Dunstable, Dracut, Groton, Chelmsford and Billerica the towns most immediately benefited.

May 21, 1688, "Samuel Goold is chosen DOG WHIPPER FOR THE MEETING HOUSE." What were the duties of this functionary we are not informed, except so far as is implied in the name.§ It stands alone without precedent or imitation. The choice is recorded with all gravity among other dignitaries of the town, and the office was doubtless in those days a serious and real one, and no sinecure, unless we suspect our grave forefathers of a practical joke.

In 1688, owing to the revolution in England, by which James II. was deprived of his throne, and which was followed immediately by a revolution in New England, Sir Edmond Andros, the royal Governor, was deposed, and a popular government, founded upon the ancient charters, instituted.

The different towns in the colony were invited to choose delegates to meet in convention at Bos- ton and assume the government. This convention met accordingly in May, 1689, almost every town being represented. Dunstable was among the number. In May, 1689, John Waldo was a delegate from this town; in June, 1689, Cornelius Waldo; and in December, 1689, Robert Paris. | This was a popular assertion of "inalienable rights," and a foreboding and precedent of the revolution in 1776.

In 1690 Christopher Reed was chosen Tythingman, the earliest records of the choice of such an officer in the town.

During this year it is not known that any attack was made by the Indians upon this town, although they ravaged the settlements from Salmon Falls to Amesbury, burning a great number of houses, and killing and capturing nearly two hundred persons .** Two companies of scouts, consisting of seventy men each, under the command of Capt. Thomas Chandler and Lieut. Simon Davis, were ranging the wilderness constantly for the prevention of damage to the frontiers. In June, 1692, Mr. Jonathan Tyng and Major Thomas Henchman were representatives of Dunstable.it With the

*Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, and Hampton, all organized in 1638.

Allen's Chelmsford, 151. I Belknap.

#Proprietary Records of Dunstable.

§That such an officer was a necessary one we may infer from the fact, that in Beverly a fine of sixpence was imposed on every person whose dog came into the meeting-house during divine service .- Stone's History of Beverly.

|| Mass. Records, 1689, page 81, 89.

** I Belknap 132, 144.

11Mass. Legislative Records. 1692, page 219.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

exception of the years 1689 and 1692, no other mention is made of representatives from this town for many years. At this time no one was allowed the right of suffrage who did not possess a freehold estate of the value of forty shillings per annum, or personal property of the value of $20.

In March, 1694, a law was enacted by the General Court, "that every settler who deserted a town for fear of the Indians, should forfeit all his rights therein." So general had the alarm become that this severe and unusual statute was necessary. Yet neither the statute, nor the natural courage of the settlers, which had never failed, was sufficient to withstand the protracted and incessant peril which menaced Dunstable, and in 1696 the selectmen affirmed, that "near two-thirds of the inhabitants have removed themselves with their rateable estates out of the town." The town, harassed and poor, prayed an abatement of $50, part of their state tax, due by those who had left town, and this request was granted accordingly .* Troops were kept here for the protection of the settlers who remained, and all the garrisons were placed under the supervision of Jonathan Tyng, who had previously been named in the Royal Charter as one of the Royal Council of the province.

In consequence of this desertion of so large a portion of the inhabitants, the support of the min- istry became very burdensome. In June, 1696, the General Court granted "£30 for the support of the ministry at the Garrison in Dunstable for the year ensuing."t In June, 1697, {20 were allowed, and in 1698, {12 per annum for two years ensuing, and for the same purpose.

In 1697, the celebrated Mrs. Duston was captured at Haverhill, Mass., and escaped by killing her captors, ten in number, at the mouth of the Contoocook river in Concord, N. H. This was considered as one of the most remarkable and heroic exploits on record.

Robert B. Caverley, Esq., of Lowell, became deeply interested in the history of these times about twenty-five years ago, and collected much matter of interest relative to this and other events that transpired in the valley of the Merrimack, which he embodied in form of an epic poem. "Heroism," he says, "is a divine attribute. Patriotism approves and honors it. Humanity fervently and ambitiously inclines to cherish it. To make a record of its achievements becomes the pleasure as well as the duty of a generous people."

Hannah Duston was born in Haverhill, Mass., December 23, 1657. She was the daughter of Michael and Hannah Webster Emerson; married Thomas Duston, December 3, 1677, and, up to the date of her captivity, had become the mother of twelve children, the youngest being but a week old at the time she was taken captive at Haverhill, March 15, 1697.

Mary Neff, a widow, lived in the family. The Indians were especially active at this time all through this region. They had taken captive, at Worcester, a lad of fourteen summers, named Sam- uel Leonardson. In making their attack on the village of Haverhill, they divided their tribes so that on that day they took and carried away thirteen captives, burned nine dwelling houses and killed twenty-seven of its inhabitants. .

When Thomas Duston, the husband and father, first saw the Indians he seized his gun and gathered all the children except the baby and made their escape. In the meantime the Indians at the homestead had seized Mrs. Duston, Mary, and the infant, forced the child from Mary's arms and killed it against an apple tree, pillaged and set fire to the house, and drove the captives away into the wilderness. Slowly they made their way up the Merrimack until, at the end of fifteen days, they reached the Indian camp on the island at the mouth of the Contoocook river. This island con- tained about two acres and afforded' excellent security for their camp. Nearly exhausted by the journey and the exposure, for the snows of winter had not entirely disappeared, and Mrs. Duston had but one shoe when the camp was reached, the reader will be prepared to judge whether the act that was so soon to be committed was justifiable.

Before reaching the camp the Indians had divided, one part, who held Hannah Bradley captive, proceeded further on the journey north, while Mrs. Duston, Mary Neff and the boy were taken by the other party to the island. The three captives took counsel together and resolved to free themselves from their cruel captors. On that night, March 30, 1697, the camp fires blazed pleasantly, and the fatigues of the journey had made good preparations for sound sleep.

The captives patiently awaited the midnight hour, and then cautiously and noiselessly, obtaining

*Mass. Assembly Records, 1696.

1 Mass. Legislative Records, 463, 562, 609.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

the tomahawks, they moved in concerted action and struck the deadly blow. Only one old squaw, who was covered with wounds, and an Indian boy were spared. Ten were slain. Upon the consum- mation of such a deed they left in haste, but had not proceeded far when the thought of bearing away with them the evidences of their courage and skill induced them to return and take the scalps of their silent enemies, together with a selected gun and tomahawk. Scuttling all but one of the canoes, they floated down the Merrimack and spent the first night of their regained liberty at the house of our own John Lovewell, father of the "worthy Capt. Lovewell," which stood on the north side of Salmon Brook, not far from where the factory of the Nashua Boot and Shoe Company now stands.

For one hundred and seventy-five years this heroic act was entrusted to tradition and perishable records, until, in 1872, an interest in it was developed and a deed of the island was obtained of the owners, John C. Gage and Calvin Gage, by a committee consisting of the late Dr. Bouton, E. S. Nutter and Robert B. Caverly. The deed was a gift from the Messrs. Gage.

Thereupon the committee issued a circular call under date of January 23, 1873, appealing "To the benevolent sons of New Hampshire, and to whom it may concern," for the sum of six thousand dollars with which to erect a monument to the memory of Hannah Duston upon the island already secured. The appeal met with the desired response and the sum was secured. Among the con- tributors in Nashua appear the names of Edward Spalding, M. D., Josiah G. Graves, M. D., T. H. Wood, H. W. Gilman, Dr. C. G. A. Eayres, B. B. & F. P. Whittemore, Moore & Langley, and Myron Taylor. William Andrews of Lowell, Mass., was sculptor; Andrew Orsolini of Carrara, Italy, John Murray of Aberdeen, Scotland, and Charles H. Andrews of Lowell, Mass., artists; Porter E. Blanchard of Concord, N. H., builder. The monument is of Concord granite, surmounted with a female figure, which speaks, though from mute lips, the most thrilling and heroic story of those most trying and perilous years. Thousands look upon it as they pass upon the trains and realize anew the cost of what we now have and enjoy. The exercises of dedication were held upon the island where it stands, June 17, 1874.

Robert B. Caverly of Lowell delivered the principal address. Many distinguished persons were present and made brief addresses ; among them were Rev. Elias Nason, Rev. Smith Baker, Rev. Geo. T. Flanders, Rev. T. W. Savage, Gen. B. F. Butler, Dr. J. C. Ayer, Hon. Geo. W. Nesmith, ex-Govs. Onslow Stearns and E. A. Straw, John H. George, Esq., Hon. Natt Head, Gen. S. G. Griffin, Samuel B. Page, E. C. Bailey, Esq., Dana B. Gove, David O. Allen and Nathan W. Frye.

The inscriptions on the monument are as follows :-

WEST SIDE.

Heroum Gesta Fides Justitia.

Hannah Duston Mary Neff Samuel Leonardson March 30, 1697. Midnight.

EAST SIDE.

March 15 1697 30 The Warwhoop-Tomahawk-Fagot and Infanticides were at Haverhill. The Ashes of the Camp-fires at Night And ten of the tribe are here.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

SOUTH SIDE.

Status. 1874

Know ye that we with many plant it ;

In trust to the State we give and grant it.

That the tide of Time may never cant it Nor mar, nor sever. That Pilgrims here may heed the mothers.

That Truth and Faith and all the Others

With banners high in glorious colors May stand forever.

Witnesses B. F. Prescott Isaac K. Gage

Nath. Bouton

(S)

Eliph. S. Nutter (S)

Robert B. Caverly (S)

NORTH SIDE.

Donors.

John S. Brown

(F)

Morris Knowles (La)

John Proctor

(A)

Walter Aiken

(Fr)

Jonas B. Aiken

(Fr)

Edward Spalding

(N)

Almon Harris

(F)

Henry F. and D. A. Brown (F)

Edward K. Knowlton

(C)

Joseph Stickney

(C)

Artemus L. Brooks

(L)

John C. Gage

(F)

George W. Nesmith

(Fr)

George A. Pillsbury (C)

Josiah G. Graves

(N)

James C. Ayer (L)

Onslow Stearns

(C)

Calvin Gage

(F)

Benj. F. Butler

(L)

Mrs. Jefferson Bancroft (L)

Emily and Eliz. Rogers (L)

and many many others.

Although Dunstable suffered little during the war from actual injuries, yet the continual exposure to the tomahawk and scalping knife, and the frequent alarms, prevented its growth. Such was its effect, indeed, that though as early as 1680 there were thirty families or more in the town; in 1701 the number did not exceed twenty-five families .* The settlement had more than once been nearly deserted and very few improvements were made. A saw mill had been erected at the earliest settlement, and others followed at " Mine falls" and on Salmon brook, but no grist mill had been built, the inhabi- tants resorting to Chelmsford. In 1695 Daniel Waldo set up a grist mill at the mouth of Stony brook, several miles down the Merrimack, and was "to grind the corn and malt of the inhabitants of Chelms- ford, except on the fourth day of each week which is appropriated to the use of Dunstable." He agreed to grind " according to turn as much as may be."t

Oct. 4, 1697, every inhabitant was ordered " to bring half a cord of wood to Mr. Weld by the first of November, or forfeit five shillings for each neglect." This was in addition to his salary.

As silver was then worth ten shillings an ounce, five shillings would be equal to half an ounce of silver, or fifty cents of our currency. This would make the value of wood about a dollar a cord.

In 1698 the town joined with other towns in rebuilding Billerica bridge, and raised for that purpose and other town expenses, £6 7s. Of course it could not have been a very splendid or expensive structure.

June 29, 1699, it was voted that John Sollendine "build a sufficient cross bridge over Salmon brook, near Mr. Thos. Clark's ffarm house, provided that the cost thereof do not exceed the sum of FORTY SHILLINGS." The town was to pay one-half and Mr. Clark the other. The bridge was to be warranted "to stand a twelvemonth, and if the water carry it away he is to rebuild it at his own cost."

In 1699 the "woodrate " was increased and assessed according to the ability of the inhabitants, who were required to furnish him nineteen cords. The "minister rate " assessed upon the proprietors

*Petition 1701 supra.

tAllen's Chelmsford, 30.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

of Dunstable, including inhabitants, was 617 25. 2d. (perhaps $50.00, ) and was probably the amount of his salary.

It is a singular and instructive fact, and one that might lead to useful reflections, that Mr. Weld was assessed, like any other inhabitant both to the wood-rate and minister's rate,-to the former one cord and to the latter eleven shillings. I had supposed that the respect paid the pastor in those days was so great as to exempt him from all such burdens, but it seems that the principle of equality was carried into rigorous practice. Nor did the "minister" receive any title except that of Mr., not even that of Rev., for this was an "innovation of vanity " upon puritan simplicity of a much later date. D. D. and S. T. D., and such like, are quite of modern introduction. It should be remembered, however, that even the title Mr. was not in 1699 applied to " common people."

The following is a list of all the inhabitants who were heads of families and contributed to the wood-rate in 1699. The number of inhabitants did not probably exceed one hundred and twenty-five :

" Maj. Jonathan Tyng,

John Sollendine,

Mr. Thomas Weld,

Robert Usher,

Robert Parris,

Nath'1 Cummings,

Nathaniel Blanchard,

Abraham Cummings,

Joseph Blanchard,

John Cummings,

Thomas Cummings,

John Lovewell,

Thomas Blanchard,

Joseph Hassell,

Mr. Samuel Searle,

Mr. Samuel Whiting,

Samuel Ffrench,

William Harwood,

Tho's Lunn, [Lund, ]

Daniel Galeusha."

In 1700 the town voted that they would "glaze the meeting-house," which was done accordingly, at a cost of {1 Is. 6d. Probably it had never been glazed before and from this we may learn the narrow means of the settlers, and how different were the rude houses in which they worshipped from the costly edifices which now occupy their places. The windows could have been neither very large -

nor very numerous.

In 1701 the selectmen of the town prayed the general court for further assistance in the support of the ministry and set forth, as was customary, their condition and sufferings at considerable length. As showing the situation of the town at this period and the customs of the times, the petition is inserted entire .*

"To his Majesty's most Honorable Council and Representatives in the Great and General Court now assembled in Boston by adjournment.

"The petition of the Selectmen of Dunstable in behalf of the inhabitants there settled, Humbly Sheweth :- that whereas the wise God, (who settleth the bounds of all our Habitations, ) hath disposed ours, but an handful of his people, not exceeding the number of twenty-five families, in an outside plantation of this wilderness, which was much depopulated in the late war, and two third parts of them, though living upon husbandry, yet being but new beginners, and their crops of grain much failing of wonted increase, are in such low circumstances, as to be necessitated to buy their bread corn out of town for the support of their own families, whence it comes to pass that they are capable of doing very little or nothing towards the maintenance of a minister here settled : and our Non-resident Proprietors being far dispersed asunder, some in England, and some in several remote places of this country, and making no improvement of their interest here, most of them for divers years past have afforded nothing of assistance to us in so pious a work; there having also in some years past been some considerable allowance for our help herein out of the Public Treasury, (for which we return our thankful acknowledgments, ) the continuance whereof was never more needful than at this time :

"These things being duly considered we think it needful hereby to apply ourselves to your Honors. Humbly to request the grant of such an annual Pension out of the Country Treasury, for the support of the ministry in this place, as to yourselves may seem most needful, until our better circumstances may render the same needless.

*Mass. Ecclesiastical Records, 1701.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. H.

"Moreover having been lately informed by a representative from a neighboring town, that Dunsta- ble's proportion in the Country rate newly emitted was {6, coming from the multiplication of 205. six times, but finding by the printed paper lately come to us that we, the smallest town in the Province, are assessed £9, being £3 beyond Stow which we deem in respect of the number of inhabitants may exceed us at least one third part : We humbly hereupon desire that the original assessment may be revised, and if there be any mistake found in the proportion assigned to us, (as we judge there may be,) that it may be rectified ; and we shall remain your Honors' Humble Servants,

ever to pray for you. Joseph Farwell, Robert Parris, William Tyng."

Dunstable, July 28, 1701.

In answer to this petition the sum of {12 was allowed from the treasury in September, 1701.

June 9, 1702, died Rev. Thomas Weld, first minister of the town, aged 50 years. A tradition has long been current that he was killed by the Indians in an attack upon his garrison." But this must be a mistake, for "In the year 1702," says Penhallow, who lived at this time and wrote the history of the war, "the whole body of the Indians was in a tolerable good frame and temper," and there is no mention of any attack until August, 1703.1

Mr. Weld was a native of Roxbury, Mass., and grandson of Rev. Thomas Weld, the first minister of Roxbury, who came from England in 1632, and was one of the most distinguished among the eminent men of that day. He was one of the three who made the famous first "translation of the Psalms into metre for the use of the churches of New England," which has been the occasion of no little merriment; the translators being selected, not because they possessed any poetic genius whatever, but because they were the most pious and godly men."

Mr. Weld graduated at Harvard College in 1671, and probably studied divinity with his uncle, Rev. Samuel Danforth, a celebrated minister, and came to Dunstable in 1678 or 1679. Nov. 9, 1681, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. John Wilson of Medfield, son of the first minister of Boston and both of them very eminent men. She died July 29, 1687, aged 31, and is buried in the old burying ground near the southerly line of Nashua, where a large horizontal slab of granite records her death. Some years afterwards he married widow Hannah Savage, daughter of Hon. Edward Tyng, who was admitted an inhabitant in 1677. She survived him many years and died at the house of their son, Rev. Habijah Weld, in Attleborough, Mass., in 1731.

But little is known respecting the character of Mr. Weld. He was much beloved by his people, and is said by Farmer to have been a distinguished man. § Alden says that Mr. Weld "was esteemed in his day a man of great piety, an exemplary Christian and a very respectable clergyman."" He is supposed to be the author of the verses in Mather's Magnalia, upon the death of his uncle, Rev. Samuel Danforth, who died in 1674.2 He is buried beside his wife and over his grave is a granite slab similar to that of his wife but without any inscription.

In 1876 the people of the First church, joined by a few citizens, raised a sum of money sufficient to erect a suitable monument to the memory of their first pastor, Rev. Mr. Weld, to take the place of the granite slab. Indeed it was looked upon as a long-neglected duty, so long as to suggest a rebuke and that gave great force and prompt response to the appeal. The needed amount was soon in hand and the work begun. It was completed and put in place with appropriate ceremony. It is of granite, massive and substantial.tt

*N. H. Gazeteer, Dunstable.

+Penhallow's Indian War. I N. H. Hist. Coll. 20, 23.

#N. H. Historical Collections, 57-64. Farmer's Genealogical Register. Alden's Epitaph: Dr. Alden was a descendant of Mr. Weld.

$Historical Catechism. Alden's Collections, III.

** Mather's Magnalia.

1tSee chapter on cemeteries on succeeding pages.

HISTORY OF NASHUA, N. II.

In March, 1704, the town was again compelled to seek aid from the Colonial Treasury for the support of the ministry and for defence against its enemy, and presented the following moving petition. Upon the consideration of the petition the sum of 620 was granted to the town for these purposes. +

" To the General Court in session, 8 March 1703.1

The most humble Petition of the inhabitants of the town of Dunstable in the County of Middlesex, Sheweth :

"That whereas your distressed Petitioners, through the calamities of the several Indian rebellions and depredations, are much reduced in our estates, and lessened in our numbers, (notwithstanding the addition of many desirable families when there was a prospect of a settled peace, ) so that we are not capable wholly to support the ministry of the Gospel, after which Ark of God's presence our souls lament, and the want of which, more than all other great hardships, and hazards, doth dis- courage us, and threaten the ruin of this desirable plantation, but the enjoyment of such a rich mercy will animate us still to stand, (as we have long done, ) in the front of danger :

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History of the city of Nashua, N.H., Part 6

Author: Parker, Edward Everett, 1842- ed; Reinheimer, H., & Co Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Nashua, N.H., Telegraph Publishing Company Number of Pages: 652

Author: Parker, Edward Everett, 1842- ed; Reinheimer, H., & Co
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Nashua, N.H., Telegraph Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 652