USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Antrim > History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its earliest settlement to June 27, 1877, with a brief genealogical record of all the Antrim families > Part 11
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The year 1785, beyond the fact that it was meeting-house year, and on that account memorable to the settlers, has but little to narrate, of interest to the present generation. Dr. Whiton says the spring opened with forty-three families in town, - his authority no doubt being the memory of some old person who recollected, or thought he recollected, that this was the number of families in town when they began to build the church. But this certainly could not include several who had made beginnings, nor any that came in 1785. This year and the preceding year, or in some cases a little earlier, came Isaac Cochran, William McDole, Nathan Austin, David McClure, Thomas Day, Thomas Jameson, Adam Dunlap, Reuben Bout- well, and others, so that there were constant accessions to the population.
There was but one two-story house in town, that of Isaac Cochran, raised July 12, 1785, a part of which is now in exist- ence, a few feet from the spot where it was raised, though eclipsed and hidden by that which took its place in 1864. The other houses in town were almost entirely log houses, and small at that. The people were brave, hardy, hopeful, self-denying, ready for any good work, but poor. The house of worship which they set about making was, therefore, grand and rich,
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CONDITION OF SOCIETY.
compared with the dwellings of the people. Though in respect to having neighbors and roads there had been great improve- ment in ten years, yet it was still a time of great inconveniences and many privations to our fathers. They had to get everything from their land and their flocks. Foreign goods and groceries were nearly unknown in most families. There was no store within many miles. Dr. Whiton thinks there was no store nearer than Amherst. But search into the records shows there was a store at that time (1785) in New Boston, doing a large business, and which had then been running more than twenty years. And it is scarcely credible that Peterborough, having then eight hundred people, had no store. But at best it was exceedingly difficult to get at a place of trade, and the people had no money to buy.
Yet there was something delightful and beautiful in the society of this town's people at that day. If they had privations, they had them all alike. Dr. Whiton quotes the remark of a survivor that " Then was a time of brotherly love ; each family sat under its own vine, having none to molest ; no haughty looks or mincing steps; no jealousy, tale-bearing, or envy, known in town : but as population and wealth increased, these evils crept in." This no doubt is spoken strongly, as old men are wont to speak of early scenes. Unquestionably, however, these pioneer families were very happy together, living in great sim- plicity, peace, and love. Their brotherliness and helpfulness to each other were deepened by their common and equal struggle for a living and a home.
A curious and summary case of ousting a town officer occurs at this time. At the March meeting Samuel Moore was chosen town clerk and third selectman. But a dispute arose as to some money in his hands according to the "Counter's Reports," which money the new selectmen demanded, and he refused to pay over. Moore had been chairman of selectmen and town clerk the preceding year, and had managed affairs chiefly, it seems, himself, though it is not certain that he intended any fraud. But the people were so stirred up by the matter, that, at an adjourned meeting (May 5, 1785), they " Voted the Town reconsider the Choice of Samuel Moore for Town Clerk," and chose Daniel Miltimore to said office. Then " reconsidered " his choice as selectman and put Daniel Nichols in his place. They then " Voted that Lieut. Moor be Called upon to Settle and Pay
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CLAMOR FOR PAPER MONEY.
up the Ballance or give Security," failing of which the select- men were instructed to " Prossecute for the Same." Just how this affair was settled I have found no data to determine. But Moore's name appears no more among the town officers, and in a few years he left town.
At this time there was renewed uneasiness in the public mind, occasioned by the dearth of coin. To say nothing of incon- venience, it continued extremely difficult to get enough to pay state and county taxes, or make indispensable settlement of debts. Old excitements and discontents burned higher than ever. There was a popular craze for paper money correspond- ing to the greenback clamor of the present day. They wanted the State to issue paper, lend it to New Hampshire land-owners on security, and make it legal tender for all debts within our own State. This would be the " Continental Paper" with certain conditions, and probably no improvement, - paper whose temporary relief would again be followed by depreciation and consequent trouble. But still large numbers clamored for relief by law, as if some arbitrary legal tenders could accomplish what economy and persevering labor only have been able to do. This excitement culminated the following year in the " Shay's Rebel- lion " in Massachusetts, in which several thousand men, some of them old soldiers of the Revolution, took up arms, demanding a reduction of salaries and an issue of paper money. But there were enough level heads in New Hampshire to keep the malcon- tents quiet from violence for the most part, and to defeat the inflation scheme. It is pleasant to know that in public town meeting the people of Antrim, with their usual good sense, " Voted to instruct our Representative not to have Paper Money."
Stepping now into the next year, we find the town appropriat- ing its first money for school purposes, March 14, 1786, as fol- lows : " Voted to Raise fifteen pounds for the use of a Town Scool." The sparseness and poverty of the people had hitherto prevented any public effort in this direction. A few children who came here at about the age of eight years, grew up with . little or no schooling. But most had some privileges by way of private schools. Others, by earnest study, in spare hours at home, acquired a fair knowledge of the common branches. There was a certain strength of thinking power among the people. They wasted no time in trashy and frivolous reading. Having
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CENSUS OF THE STATE.
few books, they made the best use of them. By vigor of mind and strong application, they found compensation for lack of priv- ilege; and were surely people of intelligence, as well as virtue . and religion. In the chapter on schools more may be found upon this subject, showing the continued interest of the town in the education of its children.
March 3, 1786, the legislature of the State ordered a "return of all the inhabitants " to be made by the selectmen of each town, under penalty, if neglected, of the " sum of five pounds." Until recently, this census was unknown for half a century. The original returns were discovered in an old box of papers in the attic of the state-house, and first saw the light in a publication by Dr. Bouton, in 1877. The population of the State then was 95,801. There were five counties ; in order of population, Rock- ingham, Hillsborough, Cheshire, Strafford, and Grafton. Con- cord, then returned as " Gunthwaite, " was in Grafton county, and had 152 inhabitants. The number of towns returned was 138, averaging 691 persons each for the whole State ; while by the census of 1870, there were 239 towns, and an average popu- lation of 1,337 each. The document for this town is as follows :
A Return of the Number of Souls in the town of Antrim County of Hilsborough taken in April last and found to be two hundred and Eighty nine prns.
ISAAC COCHRAN JONATHAN NESMITH Selectmen 289 Souls.
DANIEL NICHOLS
ANTRIM June 5, 1786.
It will be interesting to know that at that time the popu- lation of Hancock was 291; Society Land, returned by Alexan- der Parker and Isaac Butterfield, 157 ; Bedford, 785 ; Amherst, 1,912; Temple, 701; Peterborough, 824; and Stoddard, 563; while Nashua (Dunstable) had but 554. It will be noticed that several of these towns had a greater population in 1786 than in 1870. And it may be added, though anticipating, that the pop- ulation of Antrim by the census of 1790, four years later, was 528, with, nearly 90 families ; showing for those four years a more rapid increase than in any other period of our town's exist- ence. There was also a corresponding increase of conveniences and of wealth.
This year the town lost one of its most valuable citizens, by an accident in shingling the meeting-house. The staging gave way,
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REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
and with it James and Samuel Dinsmore fell to the ground. The latter was but little injured; but James Dinsmore's back was broken, and he lived but three or four hours. He never spoke after the fall. He was a carpenter, chairman of the select- men in 1783, at the age of twenty-nine, and only thirty-two at his death. This accident filled the whole settlement with uni- versal and unaffected gloom. No such occasion for mourning had been known in Antrim before. Very properly they engraved upon his burial-stone these lines : -
"The rising morning can't assure That we shall end the Day; For Death stands ready at the Door To sieze our Lives away ! "
Dr. Whiton advances some doubts as to the time when Antrim was first represented in the legislature, fixing, however, on the fact that John Duncan represented this town and others adjacent in 1787, and perhaps earlier. But, upon search of the Journal of the House and other documents, I find that John Duncan was chosen for this district in 1783, as will be seen on a preceding page, and also in the list of town officers ; while Society Land, including Antrim, was represented as early as there were people here to represent. Capt. Joseph Symonds of Hillsborough repre- sented Henniker, Hillsborough, and Society Land, in 1776, the year before our incorporation. From 1783 to 1797, inclusive, John Duncan represented the district, it is believed. This was a new district, consisting of Deering, Antrim, and Hancock, which so remained till 1795, when Antrim and Windsor were classed to- gether. At a meeting of the voters of Antrim and Windsor (then called Campbell's Gore), at the house of James Wallace (now - William Stacy's), March 21, 1797, John Duncan was again chosen representative, as also in 1795, and probably in 1796. But being elected to the senate, he resigned ; and a second meeting was called at James Wallace's, which, Aug. 28, 1797, elected Dea. Jonathan Nesmith to represent the district. This union with Windsor lasted but one year, as Antrim had voters enough of her own in 1798, and always since that day has been entitled to one representative.
As indicated by the census of this year (1786), slavery in New Hampshire was nearly extinct. Subsequent law made it entirely so ; but it was in the nature of the constitution of 1784 to abolish slavery, as shown by its opening sentence : " All men
76
SLAVERY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
are born equally free and independent." Slavery never had any legal establishment in this State. After the establishment of the above-named constitution, it was looked upon as dead. A few slaves were held subsequently, yet apparently not by force, but by the choice and for the good of these persons. It has been said that slavery was abolished in New Hampshire in 1810, at which time the census found no slaves in the State ; but it was certainly abol- ished so far as PROPERTY in slaves was concerned, by the tax-law passed Feb. 8, 1789, which, in furtherance of the principles of the state constitution, " expunged male and female servants " from the lists of taxable property. The number of slaves in this State in 1775 was 657 ; in 1790, 158 ; in 1800, 8 ; in 1810, 0. Slavery was never recognized in any way by legislation in New Hampshire, subsequently to Feb. 8, 1789. Strictly speaking, therefore, there never was a slave in this town. Manly Ransom, named else- where, and often spoken of as a slave, coming to New Hampshire was really no longer property, - though the servant of Mr. Moore, and of Dr. Adams. These men were not taxed for him as for a horse or a yoke of oxen. The census of 1786 makes return of servants, for the most part, not as slaves, but as " those bound to service for a term of years."
A severe tempest passed over the east part of Antrim in 1786, similar to one which swept through the valley of East Sullivan in 1875. The writer saw the path of the latter a few days after its occurrence. A swath some ten rods wide was cut through the woods, and every tree, small and great, uprooted. In An- trim, 1786, the ruin was not so great, but many trees were blown down. It passed with terrible force through the valley at the foot of the McCoy hill, north of the Robert Duncan place. Hugh Jameson buried a babe that day, and the procession, following the then only road to the Center, by Hiram Comb's and George Turner's, had just got down the hill into the woods when the fierce wind struck them, and trees began to writhe and snap and * fall. The mourners on horseback fled in terror back to McCoy's with all possible speed. The bearers, being on foot, ran with the corpse through storm and wind, and dared not stop till they reached Mr. Cochran's. There they waited till the tempest was over, when the frightened mourners followed, clearing the way ; and when they came up, the procession again moved on, and they buried the unnamed little one without further trouble ! Hun- dreds of trees were blown down in Antrim that day. In the
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ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
valley a few rods east of Mr. Gove's, and some distance south- ward of the present Center, half the timber was leveled with the ground ! Its force was greater in the valleys than on the hills.
It seems pretty certain that the first store in Antrim was opened in the spring of 1788, or earlier, by Ebenezer Kimball, on the spot now occupied by the Carter house. Dr. Whiton's , History says it was in 1789; but in his Half-century Sermon, published in 1838, he says the store was opened in 1787. Kimball came here in 1787, prepared his place, and opened his trade as soon as he could. The people of Antrim, in their first years here, went to Londonderry sometimes to trade, sometimes to Amherst, but generally to New Boston. It was no unusual thing for the women of this town to take the linen cloth they had manufactured, go to New Boston on horseback, exchange the same for goods or money, and return the same day, - and not much of a day's work it seemed to them ! Francestown had a store about two years before Antrim. The following year (1789), James Wallace opened a store on the William Stacy farm on the hill west of Branch village, and this was the place where subsequently several town meetings were held in connec- tion with the Windsor people. These two stores accommodated the people several years, and until the population was greater, probably, than at the present day. Merchants had but little competition in that day, and made large profits on their limited sales.
The year 1788 was long cherished as the time of the organiza- tion of the church. Referring the reader to the chapter on churches, I will only say here that the town acted in legal meet- ing, March 11, and appointed a committee to apply to the pres- bytery for the establishment of a church here; and that many church affairs were managed by the town in public and legal meeting. Rev. Walter Little was settled, as also was Dr. Whiton, on the call of the town ; and the town chose committees to present the call in each case. The minister was paid out of the town treasury as regularly as any. town officer, and he was called " the town's minister !" This course made the burden come equally upon all. And it was satisfactory to all, inasmuch as they were all substantially of one opinion.
The first town meeting held in the meeting-house was Sept. 15, 1785, though it was only a frame partly covered. They had met several years previous at Samuel Gregg's (Dea.
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DISPOSING OF PAUPERS.
Newman place at the Center), and there again, being. cold weather, they held their March meeting in 1786. But, subse- quent to this, town meetings were held in the meeting-house on the hill for about fifty years. It is suggestive of the brogue of our fathers that they chose each year a "Town CLARK." Most of the hard spelling in the old records results from an obvious effort to put the brogue into English, rather than from igno- rance. The curious may find pleasure in tracing this.
In February of this year (1788), a convention was called to act upon the new constitution proposed for the United States. The small States being jealous of the large ones, and all of them unwilling to delegate much power to the general government, it was a long time before the body which framed that great instru- ment could reach an agreement. But at length it was attained, and the constitution was sent to the several States to be ratified or rejected. Strong opposition was made to it in every State ; but ten States soon accepted it, and it went into force in 1788. New Hampshire was one of the States that were prompt to accept the constitution. In our convention, Hancock, Antrim, and Deering were represented by Evan Dow, believed to be of Deering, who voted in the negative, as did also Cochrane of New Boston, Bixby of Francestown, and most other representa- tives from this section of the State. The final vote to ratify was June 21, 1788, and stood fifty-seven yeas to forty-seven nays.
At a town meeting Dec. 15, 1788, the first vote of this town was cast for member of Congress and presidential electors. Thirty-six was the highest number of votes cast, it being a small meeting and very quiet, - apparently all one way.
This year we find on the record the first instance of " selling the poor," as it was called. It was customary to sell the support of paupers to the lowest bidder. Philip Riley, the first settler, was poor, and had been supported chiefly by his son-in-law, Michael Cochlan, the town freeing said Cochlan from taxes. At times Philip " boarded round," the people taking turns to keep him along. March 25, 1788, the town "Voted the Selectmen provide Sutable apperil for Phillip Reley." But in May follow- ing, pending the decision of referees as to the obligation of the town to support him, the town " Voted that mr. Raley be Struck of to the Lowest bider," and he was immediately " struck off" to Lt. Thomas Stuart " as Long as he Concludes to Stay." We have no means of knowing what the decision of the referees
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CONSTITUTION AMENDED.
was. The town subsequently " Voted Mr. Rely to be kept over the town when & as Proportioned," yet he soon went off among his relatives and died with them.
There is a curious item in the record of 1788, thus : " Voted to give m' Anssworth 24 yds of Linning Such as the Selectmen ' will approve." The writer is not able to reach any satisfactory explanation of this vote.
There is another curious item at the meeting March 9, 1790. They met at the meeting-house, but it was a cold, rough day, there was no glass in the windows, and they "adjournd on account of accommidetion to the house of Ensign- Benj" Gregg immediatly." Arriving there, they continued Daniel Miltimore in his office of town clerk, but, as he was absent, they chose Arthur Nesmith " Clerk Protemperary."
At all these meetings a great deal of business was transacted vital to them, but unimportant for history. The records indicate the dispatch of much such business. March 8, 1791, after a long session of several hours, they " adjourned to Mr. Caldwells for fifteen minutes." This being one-fourth of a mile off, fifteen minutes would not do for dinner, but would answer tolerably well for a drink! That this last was probably the object in view is further indicated by the effect on the town clerk, who makes this record when he gets back to the place of meeting : "Met according to adjournment and REAZSSUMED the meeting !"
Aug. 8, 1791, the voters of Hancock, Deering, and Antrim met at Ebenezer Kimball's (now Carter house), and chose Daniel Nichols delegate to the " Convention of 1792," as it has been called. This convention had several sessions, as its first efforts were not all accepted by the people. The voters of Antrim, however, by two-thirds vote, accepted all the articles save one, which concerned a court of equity. Other amend- ments were then sent out, which were adopted in the whole State by a small vote. On these. the vote in Antrim was eight for, and none against. Then the convention met Sept. 5, accord- ing to adjournment, and the new constitution, being adopted in all its parts, was declared to be " The Civil Constitution of the State," at Concord, Sept. 6, 1792.
In March, 1791, James Nesmith was chosen town clerk, which office he held for twenty-seven consecutive years, - until too old to discharge its duties. He was a good penman, and competent every way, but was specially kept in that position because of his
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DOG-PELTERS.
efficiency in the publication of marriages. He had a voice of tremendous power, and yelled out just as they heard the close of Mr. Whiton's gentle " amen," and his tones rolled high over the succeeding clatter of heavy feet .and slamming of falling seats. It was said, that, notwithstanding his age, they never would have consented to his leaving the office, but for a legal disqualification by loss of his real estate.
A meeting was called for Nov. 5, 1793, to choose " one Person Duly Qualified to serve as a petit Juror at the next inferior court of common pleas to be holden at Hopkinton." We are not told exactly why this was an " inferior " court, but certainly, in the person of James Steel, Jr., Antrim sent no "inferior " man to attend upon it.
March 28, 1793, meeting of Hancock and Antrim was held at Ebenezer Kimball's, and John Duncan was again chosen repre- sentative.
In 1793 the distinguished office of " Dog-Pelter" was insti- tuted in this town, Hon. John Duncan, Samuel Dinsmore, James McAllister, and Dea. Joseph Boyd being elected to that respon- sible position. The duty of this officer was to sit near the door with a cudgel, and lay it on to every dog which attempted to enter the church. Sometimes these officers were armed with a long staff having an iron point, or hook, at the end, to be used in severe cases. It is related that one dog-pelter struck the hook into the back of a rebellious cur, and swung him, howling, over his shoulder. This would be very interesting to the audi- dence and helpful to religion, of course. An occasional wake-up in the process of a two-hour sermon would certainly have its uses. As a great many babies were then carried to church, it may be supposed that small noises were not noticed. Perhaps our modern looking round at the step of a slipper, or the rustle of silk, or the snore of some restful saint, may be taken as a mark of our too great fastidiousness as to silence in church.
It will be observed that some of the most responsible men in town were promoted to this office. The salary is not mentioned. But these men were willing to remain in the office year after year, as the annual record is, " Voted to continue the old Dog pelters." The fact that these men's pews were near the doors, may account, in part, for their annual election to this office of trust and honor. Dogs were plenty, every farmer having one or more. They made considerable disturbance in church, with a
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PROTEST AGAINST LAWSUITS.
dog-fight in the aisles at any time possible, and various uncleanly demonstrations at the corners of the pews. To prevent these insupportable trials, dog-pelters were first chosen. But the object of silence was scarcely attained, since often all business had to stop through a tremendous howling, till the officers ยท cleared the aisles. One person remembers seeing Samuel Dins- more, who sat with a heavy cane leaning over his pew by the west porch, when a big dog came in and proposed to stop a minute at his pew-door, strike him a blow that sent him, with inconceivable yells and howls, clear up to the pulpit. The audi- ence were all waked up!
It was a custom, for many years, to sell at auction the collec- tion of taxes to the lowest bidder. This commenced in March, 1792, when they " Voted to vendue Constableship & Collector's together," these offices being then united. These were " struck " off to David McClure at eleven Dollars." Of course the pur- chaser had to give "a bondsman whom the Selectmen will accept."
As far back as 1786 there arose a dispute about a certain lot of land " Laid out for a School lot," and action is put on record in regard to it, as follows : Aug. 16, 1787, " Voted not to give up our former grant of the lot of Land Laid out East of the Meetinghouse for a town Privilege."
Monday, June 22, 1789, " Voted Esqr. Duncan & Deacon Cochran be a Comete to treat with Daniel Miltimor, James McGregor, John Hunter, John Miltimor in Respect to the Cen- tor Lot," these men being " Owners of the Jeffrey Right of Land by virtue of Jeffreys Deed."
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