USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Amherst > History of the town of Amherst, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire (first known as Narraganset township number three, and subsequently as Souhegan West) > Part 6
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Joseph Lovejoy,
Thomas Wakfield,
Ephraim Lund,
Daniel Weston,
Jonathan Lyon,
Ebenezer Weston,
Timothy MeIntire,
Ebenezer Whittemore.
William Melendy,
Proposals for a division of the town of Monson between the towns of Amherst and Hollis were laid before the voters of Amherst, at a meeting held 21 February, 1763, but no action was taken upon them.
At a meeting held 10 March, 1766, the people of the town were called upon
"To determine concerning a petition, expected from Hollis, relative to having a portion of Monson annexed to Amherst, and to do all things necessary about the premises."
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On which they
"Voted, that they will not answer the petition of a number of persons in Monson, relative to haring a part of said Monson annexed to Amherst."
At the same time they expressed their wishes in regard to the attendance of the Monson people upon their Sunday services by voting
" That those of Monson that will instantly contract for haring their polls and estates assessed to the minister, in equal proportion with the people in Amherst, shall be permitted to enjoy gospel privileges in common with them, and such of them as will not pay a proper proportion, as aforesaid. are desired not to encumber the meeting-house any longer."
But in a short time a different spirit prevailed. On the tenth day of April following, we find them voting, in town meeting,
" To repeal the second article voted at the last meeting relative to Monson, and that the same is hereby repealed and made void."
They not only repealed the vote, but expressed a willing- ness to receive the Monson brethren as follows :
" Voted, that the following part of Monson, with the people thereon, may be annexed, or joined to this town, and enjoy all privileges and Immunities in common with this town : viz.,
Beginning at the North-East corner of said Monson, from thence south by the town of Merrimack two miles, thence due west to the west side of said Monson, thence north to Souhegan river, so called, thence down said river to the bounds first mentioned, upon the fol- lowing condition, and not otherwise,-that is to say, they, the people of Monson, to be at the expense of getting the thing done."
And the people of Monson, having obtained the consent of the town, did, at last, " get the thing done."
.
On the fourth day of July, 1770, a charter dividing the town of Monson between the towns of Amherst and Hollis received the sanction of Gov. John Wentworth : and thus Monson died from among the towns of New Hampshire, after an existence of about twenty-four years.
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It died, seized and possessed of a pound, said to have been the only public building ever erected within its borders.
A town meeting was held 13 September, 1770, at which the charter of annexation was read, and the new-made citi- zens of Amherst welcomed.
But many of the Monson people were soon dissatisfied with this arrangement. On the 26 Jannary, 1771, a peti- tion, signed by thirty persons, was presented to the Gov- ernor, asking that all of that part of Amherst lying south of a line commencing at a point on its western boundary, one mile north of Souhegan river, and running due east to its eastern boundary, might be incorporated as a separate town.
Immediately after this a remonstrance against this change, signed by one hundred and twenty-seven residents of Amherst, was presented to the Governor, and the prayer of the petitioners was not granted.
MOVEMENTS FOR A DIVISION OF THE TOWN.
In March, 1779, a petition was presented to the legis- lature by sundry inhabitants of Amherst, Lyndeborough, and the Mile Slip, asking to be incorporated into a town, with the following boundaries : namely, commencing at the north- east corner of the town of Wilton, thence easterly across the town of Lyndeborough to Amherst west line, thence southerly to the south-east corner of Lyndeborough, thence in an easterly course far enough to make 396 rods from the west line of Amherst, thence south to the east end of the house of John Burns, thence south to Hollis line, thence west on the south line of Amherst and the Mile Slip to Mason line, thence north by Mason and Wilton to the bound first mentioned.
Against the incorporation of this town sixteen inhabi- tants of Amherst, six of the Mile Slip, and one of Lynde- borough, residing within its limits, protested.
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31 May, 1780, Stephen Blanchard, Stephen Blanchard, jr., Simon Blanchard, Richard Boynton, David Chandler, Samuel Gutterson, Caleb Jones, Benjamin Lewis, Benjamin Lewis, jr., Timothy MacIntire, Joshua Mooar, Thomas Parson, William Parson, Samuel Parson, Aaron Peabody, Joseph Wallace, Stephen Williams, and Benjamin Wright, inhabitants of Mile Slip and Duxbury school farm, petitioned the General Court to be incorporated, with a part of Amherst, into a town with the following bounds: com- mencing at a white oak tree standing in the east line of the town of Wilton, it being the north-west corner of the Mile Slip, thence easterly on the south line of Lyndeborough, 600 poles to the south-east corner of Lyndeborough, thence northerly on the east line of Lyndeborough about half a mile to the south-east corner bound of a lot of land owned by Joseph Duneklee, thence easterly 488 poles to a stake and stones at the south-east corner of a lot owned by Amos Green, thence southerly 592 poles to an oak tree standing on land of Col. Jolin Shepard, by the north bank of Sou- hegan river, thence south-easterly by Souhegan river to a stake and stones on the south side of the river, on land of Moses Towne, about two miles in a straight line from the oak tree mentioned as standing on Shepard's land, thence southerly 620 poles to a stake and stones standing on the north line of Hollis, thence westwardly on the north line of Hollis four miles and a quarter to the north-west corner bounds of Hollis, thence westerly one mile to Mason line, thence northerly 248 poles to the south-east corner of the town of Wilton, thence northerly on the same course to the bound first mentioned.
At the same time Ebenezer Averill, Elijah Averill Andrew Bradford, John Bradford, Joshua Burnam, Stephen Burnam, Joseph Crosby, Josiah Crosby, Josiah Crosby, jr., William Crosby, Benjamin Hopkins, jr., Abner Hutchin- son, Bartholomew Hutchinson, Benjamin Hutchinson, Elisha Hutchinson, Nathan Hutchinson, Nathan Hutchin- 5
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son, jr., Caleb Jones, William Peabody, William Peabody, jr., Benjamin Temple, John Wallace, and William Wallace, residents in Amherst on the territory proposed to be incor- porated into the new town, presented a petition for the same purpose, but their petitions were not granted.
THE SECOND PARISH.
Efforts for a division of the town into parishes were made as early as 1778. In the autumn of that year several persons, residing in the vicinity of Shepard's mills, peti- tioned to be set off as a parish by themselves; but the town refused to grant their request.
In the spring of 1779 the town chose a committee "to treat with sundry persons belonging to the north-westerly part of the town, who had petitioned to be set off as a parish." The committee was also authorized to treat with a number of inhabitants of the town, residing in the west- erly part of the same, who desired to be set off to Duxbury school farm, and the Mile Slip.
After hearing the report of this committee, the town, at a meeting held 31 March, 1779, voted " not to set off a parish in the north-westerly part of the town." They also voted " not to set off the westerly part of the town to Dux- bury school farm and the Mile Slip." The Mile Slip was a strip of land about five miles long, and some three hundred and fifty rods wide, which laid between Amherst and Hollis on the east, and Wilton and Mason on the west, and extended from Lyndeborough on the north to Raby, now Brookline, on the south. It became a part of Milford in 1794.
Duxbury school farm laid between Lyndeborough and Souhegan river, west of Amherst, and between Amherst and the Mile Slip. It became a part of Milford in 1794.
Petitions having been presented to the General Court for the establishment of new parishes in Amherst, the town, 5
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August, 1779, appointed a committee to show cause or reasons why they should not be granted, and appointed an agent " to prefer and enforce said reasons at the General Court."
6 December, 1779. Sundry inhabitants of the north-west part of the town asked to be voted off as a parish, on condi- tion that the inhabitants of that part of the town should pay their full proportion toward the support of Rev. Mr. Wilkins, and every charge of the town, except the settle- ment of a minister, until they could supply themselves with preaching in the parish; but the town refused to grant their request.
At the same time several of the inhabitants of the west- erly part of the town, who desired to be set off to Duxbury school farm, the Mile Slip, and a part of Lyndeborough, asked to be excused from paying toward the ordination of a minister ; or if they did pay, to have the money refunded to them, if they were set off within four years. This request was also denied.
At a meeting held 31 May, 1780, the town was again asked that the south-west part of the town might be set off and incorporated as a body politie with Duxbury school farm, and One Mile Slip ; but leave was not granted.
Another committee was appointed by the town, 11 Sep- tember, 1780, to show cause before the General Court why the prayer of a number of the inhabitants of the town residing in the north-westerly part of the same, asking to be set off as a separate parish, should not be granted. The committee was also instructed to show cause why the prayer of those persons residing in the south-west part of the town, who asked to be set off as a town with Duxbury and the Mile Slip, should not be granted.
Sundry persons residing in town having petitioned to the General Court to be exempted from the payment of a min- isterial tax, and for the appointment of a committee to view their local situation, a committee was chosen 24 May, 1781,
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to draw up reasons why their petition should not be granted ; and the committee was anthorized to appoint one or more of its number to repair to the Court, oppose the petitions, and meet a committee or committees of the peti- tioners, to consider and make report for an accommodation.
The following petition, presented to the General Court, at its session in March, 1781, sets forth the reasons which actuated the petitioners in asking for a separation :
To the Hon'ble the Council & Gents of the Hon'ble House of Rep- resentatives in General Assembly Convened, at Exeter, in the State of New Hampshire. 14 March, 1781.
The Humble petition of the several persons whose names are hereto set and subscribed, Inhabitants of Amherst, in the County of IIills- borough, living Chiefly in the North-west part of s'd Town,
Sheweth, That the Rev'd Mr. Daniel Wilkins, the former minister of Amherst, Being By Age and infirmities Rendered incapable of Duty, the Town Chose a Committee to hire preaching until another minister should be ordained. By which means, the Reverend Mr. Jeremiah Barnard was introduced into the Church there, only By way of Supply, the Town not being in a proper situation for settling a Minister. However, the s'd Mr. Barnard officiated there for some time. That your petitioners, for Reasons hereafter mentioned, Could, By no Means, Rest Satisfied under his Ministry, aud openly Disap- proved of him. Notwithstanding which, a party was form'd In favor of s'd Barnard, which party, taking advantage of Calling Church and Town meetings when the severity of the season was such, and at times when such abundance of snow had fallen, that it was extremely Difficult, if not morally impossible, to have a general attendance of the town inhabitants, it was carried by a very small Majority, to give the s'd Mr. Barnard a call. An Ecclesiastical Council was Convened at Amherst, on the first day of March, 1780, for the purpose of ordain- ing him. That although your petitioners were convinced to their great Grief and Sorrow (by being out voted) that they were not the greatest part of the inhabitants of said Town, yet being conscious of their weight and Importance (as paying a greater part of Taxes than those that voted in favor of Mr. Barnard's settling), they did think themselves aggrieved in having the s'd Mr. Barnard imposed upon them in that unfair manner; and they did-previous to the s'd ordination-sign and address a Memorial and Remonstrance, Couched in the strongest but most modest Terms, to the s'd Council, setting forth,
.
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amongst other things, 'that with Regard to Mr. Barnard, they must say, that he was not a man of their choice ; that he was not the man that they should choose for their Spiritual Guide, for their instructor in the Great and Deep mysteries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that his, the s'd Mr. Barnard's, discourses-however Doctrinally sound they might be-did not appear to be delivered in the demonstration of the Spirit and with that life, power, and energy which they could wish for, nor yet with that Clearness and perspicuity which they thought they had a right to expect from a Man thoroughly furnished to every good work, and from one who might come to them in the fulness of the blessings of the Gospel of peace.
And in conclusion, hoping that the bare sight of such a number of names as would be annexed to s'd Memorial might be sufficient to Convince Mr. Barnard that he ought not to think of settling where there was so little prospect of his being Beneficial to the people and comfortable to himself.'
And praying the Venerable Council that the said Mr. Barnard might not be ordained,-To which Memorial your Petitioners pray leave to refer themselves, And that it may be taken as part of this Petition.
That, Notwithstanding there are some few of your petitioners who did not sign said Memorial, yet did they oppose Mr. Barnard's being settled as their minister, and did in the strongest (though) modest terms Manifest to the said Council their disapprobation of the said Mr. Barnard's being ordained as a minister of the church and People of this Town.
That, notwithstanding the said Memorial and Remonstrance, the Council thought fit to ordain, and did accordingly ordain the said Mr. Barnard.
In consequence whereof, for the reasons aforesaid, and also because the said Mr. Barnard and his Party carry the Advantage they have gained in manner as before set forth, with a high hand, your Peti- tioners cannot in conscience resort to the now place of Public Wor- ship in Amherst, nor can they join in prayer, nor in communion, with the said Mr. Barnard, nor reap any benefit from his discourses, so that they wholly absent themselves and may be said to be without any settled minister.
Moreover, under all these difficulties and hardships which they labor under, your Petitioners are liable to be rated with their equal proportion of rates toward the support of the said Mr. Barnard, and as under the foregoing circumstances your Petitioners think hard of paying them, it seems to open a door of Contention and Law-suit, which they would avoid.
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That your humble petitioners, in Expectation of Being sett off as a separate parish, did, sometime ago, at their own proper charge, build a Commodious Meeting-house at the said N. W. part of said Amherst, and have hired preaching for sometime past, hoping at the same time to have enjoyed the privilege of a minister of their own choosing, our local situation being such as required the same. But that not being granted by the then Hon'ble Assembly, Your Petitioners now have recourse to your Honors, praying that you would take their most unhappy cases into your Serious Consideration, and that they may be at liberty to bring in a bill whereby they may be severed from the said New Meeting-house and Minister, and from any future minister there, and from paying any rates for the repairs of the said meeting- house, or support of the new minister, or any future minister of the same, and that your Petitioners may be invested with the Power of assessing, levying, and raising money for keeping their said Meeting- house in Repair, when the same shall be in want thereof, and for settling and constantly maintaining a Gospel minister in said N. W. Meeting-house, and that it may and shall be lawful for any now minor Children or servants of your Pet'rs, as soon as they shall come of age, to poll off, if they see fit, and join such future minister or Ministers of the Gospel at the said North-West Meeting-house, and may in like manner be declared Independent of said Mr. Barnard's Meeting-House, and separate therefrom, & from all rates whatsoever, incident to the support of that meeting-honse or minister, provided that such child or children, servant or servants, so coming of age, do signify to the Town-Cl'k of Amherst, in writing, his, her, or their, desire of joining and becoming members of the said N. W. Society or parish, or that your Hon'rs will grant your Pet'rs Relief in such other manner as you in your great wisdom shall deem most meet.
And your Petitioners, as in Duty bound, will ever Pray.
Signed by John Averill and fifty-one others.
With the foregoing petition, we have the following record :
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
In the House of Representatives, June 20th, 1781. Upon reading and considering the foregoing Petition, Voted, that the prayer thereof be granted, and that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a bill accordingly.
Sent up for Concurrence :
JOHN LANGDON, SPEAKER.
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In Council, June 21st, 1781, Read and Concurred :
E. THOMPSON, SEC'Y.
Accordingly, on the thirtieth day of June, 1781, the following persons were set off and constituted the Second, or North-West, parish of Amherst :
John Averill,
Robert Parker,
William Bradford, jr.,
Hannah Peabody,
John Burnam,
Joseph Perkins,
Oliver Carlton,
Daniel Simonds,
Thomas Carlton,
Daniel Smith,
John · Cole,
Isaac Smith,
Nathan Cole,
Jacob Smith,
Josiah Dodge,
James Smith,
John Duneklee,
Timothy Smith,
Joseph Duneklee,
Timothy Smith, jr.,
Joseph Farnum,
Joseph Steel,
Nathan Flint,
Samuel Sterns,
Nathan Flint, jr.,
Amos Stickney,
Allen Goodridge,
Thomas Towne, jr.,
Daniel Gould,
Joseph Tuck,
Richard Gould,
Enos Upton,
John Harwood,
Ezekiel Upton,
Nathaniel Haywood,
Richard Ward,
James Hopkins,
Abijah Wilkins,
Nathan Jones, jr.,
Daniel Wilkins,
William Lamson,
Eli Wilkins,
Joseph Langdell,
Joshua Wilkins,
Andrew Leavitt,
William Wilkins,
Joseph Lovejoy,
Samuel Winchester,
John Mills,
James Woodbury,
Knight Nichols,
Peter Woodbury.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NORTH-WEST PARISH.
The first parish meeting was held 24 June, 1781. Na- thaniel Haywood was chosen moderator ; Eli Wilkins,
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clerk ; Peter Woodbury, Nehemiah Haywood, and Abijalı Wilkins, assessors ; James Woodbury, treasurer ; Nathan Flint, collector ; and Timothy Smith, Oliver Carlton, and Richard Gould, a committee to hire preaching.
12 March, 1782, James Woodbury, Amos Stickney, and Abijah Wilkins, were appointed a committee to lay the lower floor, and sell the pew ground, in the meeting-house, at public auction, and lay out the money received therefor in finishing the house. It was voted, that if any notes were taken for the pew ground, " they shall be upon interest."
1 July, 1782, voted, " to hire preaching upon probation.
29 August, 1782, voted to hire Mr. Powers to preach in said parish. At the same meeting, a proposition to unite with the South-West parish in hiring preaching at Mr. Abner Hutchinson's was rejected.
18 January, 1783, voted to hire Mr. Allen to preach four Sundays, if his services can be procured.
4 March, 1783, voted to raise fifty pounds to defray parish charges.
9 September, 1783, voted not to hire Mr. Allen any longer. Voted not to send to Dartmouth College for a preacher.
9 December, 1783, voted to concur with the church in giving Mr. Samuel Sargent a call to settle in the gospel ministry in said parish.
Voted to give Mr. Sargent £120 lawful money as a settlement, and £60 lawful money and 20 cords wood yearly, as long as he supplies the pulpit, and £30 and 20 cords of wood yearly, during life, after he has ceased to supply the pulpit.
The effort to settle Mr. Sargent failed, for, 29 December, 1784, they voted to concur with the church in giving Mr. John Bruce a call to settle in the gospel ministry in this. parish. Also voted to offer Mr. Bruce £120 as a settle- ment, and £60 and 20 cords of wood yearly, so long as he carries on the work of the gospel ministry here, and £30
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and 20 eords of wood annually, if he should become dis- abled from carrying on the work of the ministry, for so long a time as he remains the minister of the place.
Nathaniel Haywood, Oliver Carlton, and Lieut. William Bradford, were appointed a committee to communicate the votes of the parish to Mr. Bruce, and receive his answer.
Mr. Bruce accepted the eall, and, after some delay, was ordained 3 November, 1785. He continued pastor of the parish and town until his death, which took place 12 March, 1809.
An act defining the boundaries of the Second parish in Amherst, was passed by the legislature, 24 January, 1789.
7 January, 1790. The First parish having petitioned for the repeal of the act establishing the boundaries of the Second parish, William Lamson, Henry Campbell, and Capt. William Bradford, were appointed a committee to appear before the General Court, and show cause why the prayer of the petition should not be granted.
4 June, 1790, Capt. William Bradford and Henry Camp- bell were appointed a committee to go to Concord to hear the report of a committee appointed by the General Court respecting the alteration of the boundary line between Mr. Barnard's and Mr. Bruce's parishes.
26 April, 1790. The meeting-house still remaining unfinished, the parish chose a committee to finish the meeting-house, as was voted, the committee to return any overplus, that might arise from the sale of the pews, to the treasurer.
15 October, 1790, voted that the committee for the time being finish the ministerial pew, on the spot reserved for that purpose.
25 January, 1791. Another aet establishing the bound- aries of the Second parish was passed by the legislature, changing them somewhat from those fixed by the former act.
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21 March, 1791, voted to accept a strip of land lying in the casterly part of Lyndeborough, with the inhabitants living thereon, as a part of this parish, provided the consent of Lyndeborough is obtained.
9 July, 1791, voted to find stuff and build the seats in the meeting-house, except the breast-work in front of the seats, and appointed Moses Kimball, Lieut. Joseph Farnum, and Oliver Carlton, a committee to see the work completed.
19 March, 1792, Capt. John Mills was allowed seven shillings for sweeping the meeting-house six times, and taking care of the same for one year.
24 March, 1792, Mr. Jonathan Conant, formerly of Bev- erly, was designated, by a vote of the parish, as the most suitable man to serve as a justice of the peace in said parish.
25 May, 1792. Voted to build a wall by the highway against the burying-ground.
Voted, " that the bass viol be not carried into the meet- ing-house to be used in time of exercise."
25 October, 1792, voted to allow the bill of the committee for building the gate in front of the burying-ground, amounting to £4, 19s., 5d.
Voted not to have the small-pox any longer in said parish after the house that is now infected can be cleansed.
Voted to build another piece of wall by the side of the burying-ground.
18 March, 1793, voted the pew in the gallery of the meeting-house to the use of the singers.
17 March, 1794, voted Capt. Mills twelve shillings for sweeping the mecting-house four times and taking care of the same one year.
21 March, 1796, an article having been inserted in the warrant calling the meeting holden this day, asking the consent of the parish that the bass viol be used in the meet- ing-house on Sundays, to assist the singers in time of public worship, failed of approval.
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2 May, 1796, voted to raise $178 to pay a note held by Rev. True Kimball, for preaching in the parish, the note being signed by the committee chosen to hire preaching at the time it was given.
1801. Voted to raise $253.33 to pay Mr. Bruce's salary.
3 May, 1802, voted to take measures to effect a separa- tion from the town of Amherst, and a committee, consisting of Maj. William Bradford, John Carlton, Capt. Jolin Batchelder, Capt. Joseph Perkins, Capt. Thomas Cloutman, Dea. Jacob Kendall, Lieut. Benjamin Parker, Lieut. Joseph Farnum, Eli Wilkins, Parker Richardson, Nathan Jones, and Lieut. Timothy Hill, was appointed to petition the town relative thereto.
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