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 24
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60. Isaac Patterson.
61. Zadoc Reed (chiefly for New Boston).
62. Major Riley.
63. John Ross.
201
MINUTE-MEN.
64. Joel Reed (served five years).
65. John Smith (northern army, 1777).
66. William Smith.
67. Benjamin Simonds.
68. Thomas Stuart.
69. John Taylor (served for Antrim ; killed at Ticonderoga, July 3, 1777).
70. John Thompson.
71. James Wallace.
72. Sutheric Weston.
73. Jeremiah Wier (lost his life in returning from the war).
Besides these, Jonathan Nesmith, Daniel McFarland, James Duncan, Joseph Boyd, and Alexander Jameson marched to Tyngsborough under Capt. Butterfield, and are thought to have rendered other services in the field. And a few names are omitted, probably, who served for other towns and in subsequent years lived in Antrim.
As having some curious interest, the following document is added : -
This certifies, that John McCoy on the 4th of September, 1777, being then a mariner on board the Continental Frigate, Raleigh in the service of the United States, in an action of said ship with the British Ship of War Druid, did receive a wound in the right Os Ilicum with a Grape Shot, which being lodged within a bony substance, prevented its extrac- tion, and will forever render him unable to obtain a livelihood.
Portsmouth Aug. 24, 1785.
Attest - JOHN JACKSON, Then Surgeon of the above Frigate.
1
Also CAPT. THOMAS THOMPSON,
Commander of the Ship Raleigh.
Also JOHN JERRY OSBORNE, Captain of the Marines.
This testimony was used by McCoy in order to obtain half-pay from the State. He did obtain half-pay, equal to one hundred and twenty-three pounds and ten shillings.
Thus ends the record of the Revolution as regards this town, so far as it can be written.
They had come out of it with an intense hatred of tyranny, and an intense love of liberty and popular government. Hence, . when, in 1795, as elsewhere narrated, there was danger of war with France, Antrim promptly and generously provided for its quota of " minute-men," ready to march at a moment's warning. And again, when a new war with Great Britain seemed probable,
202
MILITARY COMPANIES AND OFFICERS.
,
the town "}Voted [March 14, 1809] to make the minutemen up twelve dollars a month when called into actual service," - indi- cating a great and determined patriotism still. If they were really called into service, then their pay was to be made twelve dollars per month from enlistment.
Through all the years until the formation of the modern uni- formed companies, it is quite certain that the old company formed in 1775 was kept up. By act of the legislature, March 18, 1780, all the younger and abler inen formed a " training band," while all others in any town under seventy years of age formed the " Alarm List," called out for drill twice a year. Probably these were united in this and other towns then small, so that here old men and young drilled together many years. June 24, 1786, a change was made in the law, and those over sixty years of age were released from military duty ; but it made little difference in this town. This old Antrim company had no uniform, and they cared little for such things then.
When the constitution of 1792 went into force, an entire change was made in the militia system. The whole force was divided into twenty-seven regiments, with two battalions in each regiment. Antrim fell into the Twenty-sixth, which afterwards became the " crack regiment" in the State. The companies of Antrim, Deering, Henniker, Hillsborough, and Campbell's Gore formed the first battalion ; those in Hancock, Francestown, Greenfield, Lyndeborough, and Society Land formed the second. Each regiment also had a cavalry force, then called the " troop." The first officers of the Twenty-sixth were : Benjamin Pierce, colonel, or " Lieut. Col. Commandant," which meant the same thing (claimed by some to be grandson of " Stephen Perce," one of the Scotch-Irish proprietors of Londonderry) ; David Camp- bell, major of first battalion ; Daniel Gould, major of second battalion. In 1808 the officers were : David McClure, of An- trim, colonel ; William Gould, first major ; Peter Peavey, second major.
This military arrangement continued without much change till the act of July 5, 1851, which reduced our organized force to a mere nothing, and was practically the end of our long-noted and well-drilled companies.
About 1800, the militia of Antrim, then a continuance of the old company of 1775, was divided for two companies, one north of the meeting-house and one south of the same. These were
203
THE GRENADIERS.
un-uniformed, but well-drilled and efficient. The north com- pany was commanded by Capt. Parker Morse, Capt. William Gregg, and others ; the south company was commanded by Capt. James Taylor and others. In addition to drill days, these com- panies met occasionally at the captain's house " to burn powder and drink rum." These two companies, being reduced in num- bers, came together again before the war of 1812, and chose David McCauley, captain, and John McNiel, first lieutenant.
The act of Dec. 28, 1792, provided that each regiment should have a company of grenadiers ; meaning, then, a uniformed com- pany composed of large, tall, and selected men. There seems to have been no company of this kind in the Twenty-sixth Regi- ment until about 1807, when John McNiel, of Hillsborough, afterwards Gen. John McNiel, distinguished in the war of 1812, succeeded in organizing the noted grenadiers, so proudly remem- bered by the old people. McNiel was six feet and six inches tall, and received no one to his company who was less than six feet in height. The uniform consisted of black coats gorgeously faced with red, tall caps, and high, brilliant plumes, which made the tall men look taller still, and gave an exceedingly stately and commanding appearance to this body of men. Gen. McNiel commanded this company quite a number of years. The men, at first, were picked out of Antrim, Deering, Henniker, Hills- borough, Hancock, Francestown, Greenfield, and Windsor. But, because we raised taller and bigger men in Antrim than could be found in other towns, the majority of the grenadiers belonged here from the start. It passed more and more into the posses- sion of Antrim, and, being reduced in numbers, was entirely filled up from this town as early as the year 1823. This com- pany continued in its glory, the wonder of small boys, the admi- ration of all, until the enactment of the disbanding law in 1851, after which it gradually wasted, and, ere long, was dropped.
The "old Twenty-sixth " had also a fine cavalry company, picked out of the several towns. It was called, in common talk, "The Troop." In this Antrim furnished a large quota, and was second to no town. At the organization of the troop, a man from Henniker was chosen captain (cannot learn his name), and James Hopkins, of Antrim, first lieutenant. But before the commissions could be issued, the former died, and the latter was chosen in his place, so that Capt. James Hopkins was the first commander. He held the commission several years, and was
204
THE ALARM LIST.
succeeded by Capt. Thomas K. Breed. The subsequent com- manders of the troop I am not able to give, as they were some- times from other towns ; but the captains of the grenadiers, suc- ceeding Gen. McNiel, were as follows : -
Zebadiah Peavey, of Greenfield.
Daniel Wyman, of Hillsborough.
Thomas D. Nesmith, of Antrim, as were all his successors.
James Wallace. Thomas Dunlap (son of Adam).
Silas Dinsmore (1828).
Dimon Twiss.
Cyrus Saltmarsh. James Wilson. Reed P. Whittemore.
Jeremiah Breed.
Jonathan Nesmith. Amos Dodge.
Samuel Dinsmore. Allen Parker.
War was declared by the United States against England, June 18, 1812. On the seventeenth of December following, our State passed an act organizing a " Voluntary Corps of Infantry," only to resist invasion of New Hampshire, and formed of those by law exempt from military duty.
A company of this kind was formed in Antrim, and the fathers called it " The Alarm List." There were forty in the company, and most of them actually bore the scars of the Revolution. Their uniform was a large white frock thrown over their ordinary clothing. They paraded two or three times a month on Meeting-House Hill, under command of Capt. Peter Barker, with fife and drum, and they could be seen in their drill move- ments for miles away. Their heads were white as their frocks, and they made a most stirring and imposing appearance. And these patriots did not wait to be called for. They actually offered their services to the governor ! God bless their memory to the town! But they were not needed. Several times an attack on Portsmouth was expected, and no doubt was only pre- vented by the rallying of the militia in that part of the State in great numbers for defense. Also, invasion from the north was considered probable, but never occurred within our State bounds.
205
WAR OF 1812.
And after the war this glorious old company was soon broken up by death and infirmity. Some of them were seventy-five years old when they offered their service in their country's defense.
But little can be given here of the details of our history in the war of 1812. About the first thing that started the people here was a sudden call for men. So great was the haste that a mes- senger came at flying speed, on the Sabbath, with a requisition on the Twenty-sixth Regiment. He found Col. McClure at church on the hill, who immediately rose in meeting, announced the call, and, on the spot, notified the company to meet at Chris- tie's tavern the next day. Then the worship went on, probably, however, in a somewhat nervous state. The next day the militia company met, and Col. McClure told them how many men were wanted, and that if enough did not volunteer they would be drafted. He then proposed to the company in line, to start the music, and then at the word " March !" he would step forward, and all volunteers were to follow. To his great sur- prise, the whole company followed, to a man ! So they had to make a draft to settle it, after all. Ira Wallace and Thomas Dunlap, not being taken, went to Windsor and volunteered as substitutes for two drafted men there. Several men from Antrim enlisted at once into the regular army, and served through the war, on the Canadian frontier. Others, after a vol- unteer service of one year, entered the regular army ; among the last being Daniel Gregg, who attained to the office of cap- tain, and held it many years. No son of Antrim was killed in the war of 1812, though several lost their lives by sickness and otherwise. Robert Holmes was badly wounded at the fall of Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario. The British sent a force across the lake to capture this little fort. The garrison was small, and thought best, though after vigorous resistance, to evacuate the works. Holmes was the last man out, and turned and fired upon the enemy as he left, at which moment he fell, badly wounded in the groin. "The British," says Dr. Whiton, " rushed by and over him in pursuit of the garrison, who, how- ever, escaped. On their return from the pursuit, four soldiers carried Holmes, on a blanket, roughly and unfeelingly toward the fort ; a British officer, possessed of humanity, noticed their rough handling of the wounded man, and ordered then, under threat of striking them with his cutlass, to carry him gently. The British speedily evacuated, and the Americans repossessed
206
LIST OF SOLDIERS.
the fort, when Holmes found himself again in the hands of his own countrymen." He received a pension on account of his wound, but lived only about three years.
Near the close of the war a company was raised in this and the adjoining towns, under command of Capt. William Gregg of Antrim, which marched to the defense of the seaboard in the vicin- ity of Portsmouth. All returned except Ira Wallace, who died of disease at Portsmouth.
During the war, and especially in the last of it, the people were under great excitement. The danger of attack anywhere on the shore was constant. Some were sharply opposed to the war from the start. Party spirit was bitter and unconcealed. But on news of peace, February, 1815, they all joined together as one, to celebrate the event. In this town, as in others, there was at once a " social meeting " called ; and, dropping all party differences, they spent the day in hand-shaking and mutual con- gratulation and joy. I append a list of the soldiers of Antrim in the war of 1812 : -
James Aiken, Jr.
Jonathan Hayward (supposed to be murdered on his way home after being discharged).
Theodore G. Wallace.
James M. Day.
Robert Holmes (died from effect of wound).
Moses P. Wier.
Swallow Willson.
John Witherspon (never heard from ; supposed deserted and killed by Indians).
Peter C. Atwood.
Thomas Gregg.
Thomas Dunlap.
Charles Gates.
John Robinson.
James Ross.
Levi Thompson. Samuel Vose.
Ira Wallace (died in service, Nov. 3, 1814).
Capt. Daniel Gregg. Dexter Fairbanks.
James Brown. Ziba Curtice.
207
MEXICAN WAR.
John Stuart. Joseph White. Charles Fairbanks.
John Boyd (died in service).
Silas Rhodes. Capt. William Gregg.
Samuel McClure (took place of a drafted man and went from Francestown).
Moody M. Barker. Thomas P. Haywood. Elijah Severance. Asa Stearns.
Isaac Saltmarsh.
William Roach. John Barker. Alexander Parker.
Samuel Carr.
Nathan B. Barker.
Samuel Caldwell, Jr.
James Robb (died a prisoner at Halifax).
Jesse McAllister.
Gideon Barker (murdered on way home).
Hugh Ross.
David McCauley (first lieutenant, and afterwards captain).
In the Mexican war, declared by Congress to " exist" between this country and Mexico May 11, 1846, there were four soldiers from Antrim, and all were killed. Their names were : -
John Atwood. John Caldwell. James Derush. Josiah W. Tuttle.
In the regular narrative of events of the town (page 112), I have already given the principal facts of our town's connection with the war of the Rebellion. The record is very favorable. I append a list of our soldiers, and have made great effort to have it correct. It will be seen that thirty of our men lost their lives by death on the battle-field, or by disease, in the late war. Four were killed in the Mexican war. Seven were lost by us in one way or another in the war of 1812. And five perished in the
208
SOLDIERS IN WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Revolution. Thus, in some form, forty-six of this town's soldiers lost life from their country's service !
Others lost health, never to regain it. Some were terribly wounded ; among the latter was Charles F. Holt, who was shot through the face and left for dead upon the field. He lay in that condition several days. He was two days on the battle-field among the dead ; afterwards in the hospital, where it was judged impossible to do anything for him. But after all he rallied ; and he survives to this day, being now deputy-sheriff of this county. No better soldier entered the field.
This list of names has been picked up from various sources, and I have made free use of the various reports of the adjutant- general of New Hampshire : -
William Allen.
George Allen.
Albert G. Abbott. William F. Archer.
Hiram G. Atwood (died in service).
Samuel H. Atwood.
Jeremiah Atwood.
Theophilus Ames.
Benjamin P. Baldwin.
Charles A. Brackett.
William Brown. Simeon C. Buck.
James Bateman.
Reuben Boutelle.
Jackson Boutelle.
David W. Boutelle.
William Boutelle.
Joseph S. Brooks (furlough, on account of sickness; died on passage home).
Bill C. Butterfield.
Charles A. Barrett.
Isaac Boxall.
Charles Boswell.
Isaac Buswell (musician ; died in service).
Horace P. Buel.
Abner B. Crombie.
Andrew Cochran. Levi H. Curtis.
209
SOLDIERS IN WAR OF THE REBELLION.
William G. Cochran. Daniel Clancy. John Collins. Albert S. Conant (twice promoted; wounded May 14, 1864). David J. Carkin.
Charles Champney.
Grosvenor Colby.
Charles H. Dodge (died in service).
George A. Dustin (killed June 14, 1863; had been pro- moted).
Thomas P. Dempsey.
William Donohoe.
James B. Decatur.
George D. Dresser.
Gilman Dunlap (re-enlisted).
Patrick Duffie.
Charles Donnell.
Andrew J. Derush.
Charles F. Dresser.
Edgar W. Estey (wounded May 12, 1864; still carries the bullet in his body).
James W. Eaton.
James W. Fragg.
John Flood.
Thomas Freeman.
George R. Follansbee (died in service May 1, 1862).
Henry H. Foster (died in service).
Frank A. Fletcher (severely wounded July 2, 1862).
Charles Fletcher.
Henry C. Griffin (promoted and re-enlisted).
George E. Hutchinson (promoted).
John Hutchinson.
William S. Hopkins.
Abbott D. Holt (died in service Oct. 4, 1862).
George L. Herrick.
John E. Herrick.
Henry Hunt. Edward Z. Hastings. Luther T. Hastings. Charles Hart. Frank Harrison.
14
210
SOLDIERS IN WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Charles F. Holt (terribly wounded Aug. 29, 1862).
Harrison H. Hardy.
Alden S. Johnson.
Ira S. Johnson (killed, Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862).
Orville J. Johnson (sharp-shooter).
John Kinsella (taken prisoner ; last heard of him).
James King. 1
John Kelley. Joseph N. Kelsea.
Samuel Lavare (promoted).
Charles E. Lawrence (died in service June 9, 1865).
Stephen Lanegan.
Charles E. Lane.
John Laine.
Hiram W. Muzzey.
Charles E. Morris.
Enoch P. Marsh.
Charles E. Morrows (killed Sept. 30, 1864). - Adino N. Moore (died in service).
William R. Philbrick (promoted ; severely wounded July 2, 1863).
David Pettengill (promoted).
Miles T. Peabody (re-enlisted ; died in service Nov. 8, 1864).
Enoch C. Paige.
Joseph Petro (killed July 9, 1864).
Alfred Pinch (killed July 30, 1864).
Alonzo F. Pierce (died in service Jan. 5. 1863).
Albert M. Putnam.
Charles F. Parmenter (died in service Feb. 12, 1863). Tristram M. Paige (re-enlisted).
James Pryor.
Martin L. Parmenter (promoted ; died in service Jan. 1, 1863).
Reuben C. Philbrick.
Irving Parmenter.
John W. Rose (died in service Oct. 9, 1864).
Joseph Reinhart. James C. Richardson.
Charles Reynolds.
Edward P. Ross (promoted ; killed, Port Hudson, June 14, 1863).
211
SOLDIERS IN WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Samuel R. Robinson.
Peter Smith.
Dennis Shaw (killed May 10, 1864).
George Spitzer.
Charles H. Story (promoted ; died in service July 24, 1863). James M. Smith (promoted ; died in service July 15, 1865). Cyrus H. Simonds.
George W. Smith (died in service Oct. 15, 1863).
David Steele (promoted to captain).
George Smith (enlisted for three years, Nov. 29, 1864). Henry E. Swain.
Elbridge T. Smith (died in service Dec. 25, 1862).
John Skinner.
Samuel Savage.
Lewis Simonds.
Talford R. Twitchell.
Edward D. Twitchell.
Orrin C. Temple (promoted).
Alexander Vernot.
Joseph Williams.
Jason K. Webster.
Charles H. Wilson.
William H. Wilson.
Brooks K. Webber.
John L. Worthley.
Charles B. Warner.
Owen A. Willey.
Joseph Welsh.
Harvey H. Winn (killed Aug. 29, 1862).
Francis White (promoted).
George H. White (killed at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863).
Orlando T. Webster (died in service).
Loammi H. Webster (died of starvation in Southern prison). Granville Whitney.
Joseph Young (killed June 5, 1864).
The whole number of men from New Hampshire, in the war of the Rebellion, was 31,426. The whole number from Antrim, 139. Under all the calls, Antrim furnished 12 men more than our aggregate quota. We had 73 men in the Revolution ; 44 in the war of 1812 ; 4 in the Mexican war; and 139 in the last war, - making 260 men in all. The list returned by the state commis-
212
GRANITE STATE CADETS.
sion is deficient. It is possible that the names Morris and Mor- rows may be for the same person.
The artillery company of the old Twenty-sixth Regiment was largely supported from Antrim for many years. Dea. Robert Duncan was its captain for quite a length of time, and was called one of the best officers the company ever had. After him John G. Flint, Esq., was captain, a man of most soldierly figure and bearing.
The present military company in this town, the Granite State Cadets, was organized in the spring of 1877, and ranks second to no other in the State in drill and character. Its principal officers, from the start, have been those who had seen service in the late war. At organization, they were chosen as follows : Samuel R. Robinson, captain ; John A. Bryer, first lieutenant ; Arthur A. Miller, second lieutenant. In the spring of 1879, Robinson and Bryer resigned. The officers now are Capt. Charles Champney, First Lieut. A. A. Miller, Second Lieut. H. W. Muzzey.
About the time of our centennial celebration, the Antrim Cornet Band was organized, under the leadership of Squires Forsaith, Esq. It has been truly successful and creditable during its brief existence to this writing.
213
GREAT REGARD FOR EDUCATION.
CHAPTER VII.
SCHOOLS.
THE old Scotch settlers of Londonderry prized education next to religion. Their intense hatred of popery was not a little inspired by the ignorance, brutality, and slavery in which it kept the people. There was a very marked contrast in Ireland, as regards intelligence, between the Catholic Irish and their Scotch neighbors. The Scotch in the north of Ireland had better school privileges than the common people of England had at the same time. March 26, 1718, the " Memorial to Gov. Shute " was signed by three hundred and thirteen of these Scotchmen, most of whom subsequently emigrated to America, of whom three hundred and six signed their own names in a bold, legible, and generally handsome hand. This document, now in good preservation, is proof, that, considering their disturbed circum- stances in Ireland, they must have given particular attention to the training of their children. Twelve of the signers were graduates of the university. All this shows that our fathers were an intelligent race, well-informed, capable, and setting a high value upon education. They had schools, and also they made a great deal of teaching truth, both religious and secular, in the family. And in this country the regard of the Scotch for education may be seen in the educated men they have given in great numbers to the highest ranks of attainment ; and in the institutions of learning which they have established in the land. Hence, as soon as they were fairly settled and had erected their little church, they proceeded to build a school-house. The first school-house of our fathers in this country was provided for March 5, 1724, as by following entry in the records : " Voted that there shall be a schol hous built in this town [Londonderry ], the demension of sd house to be sixteen foot long and twelve foot in width - sd house is to be a logg house seven foot side wall." And they were to build " two fire-places in one end ass large ass the houss will allow." In the course of a few years the district schools of Londonderry were in good condition ; and in them were bred the first settlers of Antrim. Every settler of this town coming from Londonderry had a fair common-school
ยท
214
. EARLY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.
education, was well informed, was well acquainted with the Bible, and had a vigorous stock of common sense. They had schools here before they had a church, though chiefly private schools. The exact date and order of the first schools here are not very clear. Mr. Whiton makes the mistake, most unusual with him, of contradicting himself as to the location of the first school-house. Putting all the items of evidence together, I think it may be set down without much doubt in the following order. The first who ever taught in Antrim was George Bemaine. This credit should be given him, as he lost his life in the Revolution- ary service before Dinsmoor ever taught here. He also taught the first school in the neighboring town of Hillsborough. Be- maine taught chiefly in the family of Dea. Aiken, and began as early as the winter of 1770-71. At times a few neighboring chil- dren attended with Aiken's, and this school continued parts of four or five winters, without question. This Bemaine was a school-mate of Thomas Dilworth, author of the spelling-book then and long used in England and America, who died in 1780.
The next teacher in Antrim was John Dinsmoor, the same, I think, who was afterwards a preacher for a time in Peterborough. He had a school of twelve scholars, and kept it in Dea. Aiken's house in the winter of 1778-79. This school, like most preced- ing, and those following for several years, lasted only one month out of the twelve. Of course the children of those days had but scanty privileges. The mother of Clark Hopkins, a most excellent and intelligent woman, had but four days' schooling in all her life, except what was under her father's roof. In his half-century sermon, Dr. Whiton says Dinsmoor's was the first school kept in Antrim, - a mistake which he corrects in his sub- sequent history. Dinsmoor taught also the succeeding winter, and probably more. Several female teachers had short summer schools. These, like the winter schools, were all kept in private houses, as there was not a school-house in town. Dea. David Dickey, who was the third child born in Antrim, and who may be taken for authority, says he first attended school one month in 1782, and that the first " district school " in town was in 1788, which he " attended "; that is, the first school kept in a school- house and at public expense, all previous being in the nature of private schools, in dwelling-houses here and there. The only reading-books were the Bible and Dilworth's spelling-book. No text-books in grammar, geography, or arithmetic, could be had.
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