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 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
c
xviii
INTRODUCTORY.
or swear to the king, who was murdering Protestants. James II., even when viceroy, is said to have " amused himself with hearing Covenanters shriek and seeing them writhe while their knees were beaten flat in the boots." Under him, subsequently, when he became king and had things his own way, James Graham, or Lord Graham of Claverhouse, was prominent as a leader, - a most ingenious and remorseless wretch. No pen can paint the cruelties which he enforced. His name is now spoken with abhorrence all over the earth. When his bloody and hardened soldiers shrunk from shedding innocent blood, he would plunge his own sword into the body of the poor victim whose only crime was non-confor- mity to the Episcopacy, or unwillingness to pray for King James as against God's will. These indignities, robberies, and murders were so numerous and constant as utterly to surpass all calculation. Two instances out of thousands are here given. One of the hunted Covenanters had found shelter in the house of a widow of good family and name, and had died there. The corpse being discovered in her house, the soldiers pulled the house down, carried off all her property, and turned her out with several little children to perish with cold and want. The oldest child, a lad of about fifteen years, was brought out before the soldiers, the guns were loaded, and the fair, sweet boy, without trial or delay, was told to pull his bonnet down over his face. But he refused, saying, "I can look you in the face," and in a moment they fired and the boy fell dead with his Bible in his hand. About the same time two women were put to death by drowning. An attempt has been made to disprove this ; but there is not, in view of the evidence, the least room to doubt the fact. One was an aged lady, and the other a sweet girl of eighteen, named Margaret Wilson. Their only crime was that they would not abjure their Presbyterian faith. They were taken to a place on the banks of the Solway where it rises and overflows with the tide. The feeble old lady was tied to a stake nearer the water, so that the terror of her death might frighten the young girl into submission. But she " prayed and sung praises " till the advancing waters choked her voice. But when the struggle of death was over, they unbound the unconscious victim from the stake and restored her to consciousness. Then kindred and friends begged her to comply with the vile murderer's command, crying, "Dear Margaret, only say, 'God save the King!'" The weak but heroic girl gasped out, " God save the King if it be God's will!" "She has said it! She has said it !" shouted her friends to the cruel officer. "Will she take the abjuration?" he savagely asked. "Never," she answered; "I am Christ's, let me go!" And then the waters closed over her head slowly, and she was gone! On her gravestone at Wigton, are these rude words :
"Within the sea, tied to a stake, She suffered for Christ Jesus' sake."
While, therefore, such persecutions were in progress in Scotland, quite a large number of the Covenanters, to escape misery at home, emigrated to Ireland and joined their coun- trymen there. From 1684 to 1688 these emigrations in small numbers took place. The McKeens, MacGregors, Cargils, and many others were among these exiles, and their blood . flowed in the veins of some of the settlers of Antrim. But in Ireland things soon began to grow worse; under Papal rule and surrounded by Papists, they were soon disarmed, and in their defenseless condition began to suspect a repetition of the murders of 1641. And a desperate struggle was indeed awaiting them. Affairs had arrived at such a pitch of discontent in England, that the better part of the people looked for deliverance to Wil- liam, Prince of Orange, who had married Mary, eldest daughter of James II. Accordingly, being invited over from Holland, he came with five hundred vessels and fourteen thousand men, and landed in England late in the autumn of 1688. At once, the nobility, clergy, and military went over to William; even Anne, daughter of James, joined the party of the new king against her father : so that James was dethroned without a blow. Fleeing to France, whither Catholic renegades have been wont to flee, he was encouraged to attempt the recovery of liis crown. As the Papists adhered to him, he had a small party of friends in England. In Scotland he had some strong Catholic clans. In Ireland he liad great resources in the Irish Catholics, who constituted the great body of the people of that island. The military plan of James, therefore, was a good one : to pass over to Ire- land with what men and money the French king could give him; to raise there an im- mense army of Irish; then to pass over to Scotland, and with the addition of the Catholic
xix
INTRODUCTORY.
Highlanders to bear down upon England from the north and sweep everything before him. With reason, this scheme looked encouraging to him. He started with great hopes, and landed in the south of Ireland, March 12, 1689. Thence he made his way as best he could to Cork, and thence to Dublin, expecting to go northward at once, and anticipating no serious resistance till lie should reach England. But the Protestant population in the north of Ireland stood in the way; which, though small, was judged to be of such energy and valor that it must be overcome at the start. A large army had therefore been raised before the arrival of James, and had begun the attempt to subjugate these Protest- ant colonies that stood in the face of the royal plans. The strongest of these Protestant positions was Londonderry, -a city that had held out successfully against the Irish in the murderous rebellion of 1641. As the army of Catholics swept northward to capture this city, which was supposed to be easily done, they pillaged and murdered without stint, till thousands of men, women, and children fled before them for life ; and many found refuge within the walls of Londonderry. The Protestants suffered more and lost more pos- sessions than in the massacre of 1641, though probably not so many lives were sacrificed as then. But the city of Londonderry refused to surrender; and the whole army of James, French and Irish, outnumbering the defenders of the city five to one, attempted the work of capture. They halted before the city April 15, 1689, and entered into nego- tiations with the treacherous Lundy to give up the city on some terms in spite of the known will of the people. This dallying went on a day or two. King James arrived from Dublin with fifteen thousand additional soldiers, on the 17th, and was exceedingly anxious for the surrender on any terms (as the success of his whole undertaking seemed to depend on the immediate possession of this place), so that he might move on to Scot- land while his great army was in good spirits, and before too formidable preparations could be made against him there. Expecting the surrender would be made more willingly to him, James advanced at once within three hundred feet of the southern gate to receive it, when he was answered with a shout of "No surrender!" and by a fire from that part of the wall, which struck dead an officer by his side. The king fled like a frightened boy to get out of danger. Then the real struggle began, April 17, 1689. We cannot here detail all the circumstances of this remarkable siege. For courage and endurance there is noth- ing superior to this defense in human history. With weak defenses, scanty provisions, having but few soldiers against an immense army, and only a handful of that few inured to war; with a disadvantageous position, and twenty thousand women, children, and aged men to be fed; while, having themselves small hope of outside help, their enemies would be likely to increase, - it must be confessed that their situation was desperate enough ! But immense interests were at stake, and they determined to stand for their religion, come death, if it must. Lundy, the traitorous governor of the city, was in danger of being torn to pieces by the maddened people, and skulked off in disguise, by night, to the foe. Maj. Henry Baker and Capt. Adam Murray called the people to arms and took the lead the first day. On the following day the people met, as Macaulay puts it, " with a gravity and prudence worthy of the most renowned senates, to provide for the order and defense of the city." They chose Rev. George Walker and Maj. Henry Baker, governors, the latter taking the military command. These men managed affairs with great wisdom and courage. The siege was pressed with cruel vigor; shells burst constantly over the defend- ers' heads; chimneys were knocked down; often the city was on fire; night and day they were called to the most vigilant and desperate defense; many sorties were made; the walls were often assaulted by superior force; parties mining under the walls were con- stantly watched against, and by the fiercest struggle put to death; threat and artifice were abundantly employed; they began to suffer for want of provisions, and for want of water; the long-hoped-for re-enforcement from England had come in sight, been frightened by the batteries on the river-side, and sailed away, leaving the brave defenders of the city to their fate; their enemies had been re-enforced; one-third of their number had fallen; the force against them seemed overwhelming; and yet on the sixty-second day of the siege they determined that "no one should speak of surrender on pain of death." Thus matters went on day after day in heroic and painful detail which we have no space for here. But before many days of July were gone, famine began to press harder than Papist foes. Not a few died of starvation. Cats and dogs and rats and mice and horse-flesh
·
XX
INTRODUCTORY.
and old hides came to be luxuries. Tallow was mixed with pepper and meal to make a sort of pancake. Starch mixed with tallow became an article of food. A dog's head was sold for food for two shillings and sixpence; a quart of horse's blood, one shilling ; a cat, four shillings and sixpence ; and so on. They expected to eat dead liuman bodies, - yet would not entertain the thought of surrender. So desperate was the case, that some fleshy people hid themselves for fear of being first chosen for food for the emaciate sol- diers ! On the thirtieth of July, the garrison had become so far reduced that they reck- oned on only two days' more life - there being but one pint of meal left for each already starving man. But on this day deliverance came. It was the one hundred and fourth day of the siege. The commander of the English fleet received orders to relieve the city at whatever peril. Three ships, the "Mountjoy," of Londonderry, and the "Phenix," of Coleraine, both laden with provision, and the war-ship "Dartmouth," undertook this perilous adventure. Within the city the evening sermon in the cathedral had just closed, the sad audience liad scattered, and it began to grow dusk, when the sentrymen on the tower saw the sails of these three ships coming up the Foyle. The river was narrow and low, - the banks were lined with batteries, - and the great Irish army hurried to the spot to prevent the relief of the city. Rocks had been sunk by them in the channel, an'd an immense boom had been thrown across the river to prevent the approach of a ship, while formidable guns swept the spot. It was an hour of tremendous suspense - the besiegers straining every nerve to oppose, while the starving defenders looked on with an agony of interest seldom, if ever, equaled in this world. At length the little squadron came bravely to the critical point. The "Mountjoy " led the way and sailed with all force against the boom, - and the huge obstruction snapped and fell apart; but its strength was so great as to send the ship back by the shock, and she rebounded against the shallow bank and stuck partly over in the mud, exposed to a terrible fire. The Irish in great numbers rushed for their boats to board the defenseless ship. Just then the "Dartmouth " opened upon them so effectually as to destroy many of them and hold the rest in check, while the " Phenix," left free by the struggle with the others, dashed under fearful fire into the break made by the " Mountjoy," and, receiving no great injury, slowly passed all the barriers. When the "Mountjoy " was stopped in the mud the Irish gave a scream of fiendish joy, while the dying heroes within the walls looked at each other in hushed and awful agony ! All features grew black, and a feeble wail, like the prayer of death, . ascended from the battered defenses! Women and children wept, and men gazed with stern, dark faces whence hope had fled; but no yielding or fear was there. But the tide was rising rapidly ; and just at the critical moment a broadside from the "Mountjoy " not only battered back the approaching enemy, but started her from the mud, and she sailed on up the stream. The "Dartmouth " followed, bravely answering the desperate firing from the shore; and under the curses of the whole Popish army and the rage of its officers, with considerable loss of life and injury to the brave little ships, they all made their way to the city. As the darkness closed in, and the firing went on, it was a time of unutterable suspense within the gates. But when they arrived, about ten o'clock, the whole popula- tion turned out to welcome them. Such ecstasies of joy, few lifetimes can ever know! Men wept and thanked God! The bells of the city rang all night! There was no sleep within the walls that night for joy ! On the morrow the Irish fired tumultuously all day, But on the succeeding night, - that of July 31, - silently that great army, mortified and enraged, with a loss of a hundred officers and about nine thousand men, retreated up the Foyle. Micaiah Browning, captain of the "Mountjoy, " was killed in the struggle at the boom; and afterwards a pension was conferred on his widow by King William, and that great monarch, in the presence of the court, put a chain of gold about her neck.
The defense of Londonderry was the great check to King James and the Papists. Hu- manly speaking, it saved Protestantism in Ireland and England. Forty thousand men were thus kept back one hundred and five days. By that time William was prepared to meet them there, and thus the forces intended for Scotland and England never went across the channel. On the banks of the Boyne, James was soon defeated (June 30, 1690); and after some less important struggles, he retreated into France.
From these unconquerable soldiers who defended Londonderry, descended many of the settlers of Antrim, - among them the Dinsmores, the Cochirans, and McKeens, and
xxi
INTRODUCTORY.
others. It is a fadeless honor both to the dead and the living. The old city still holds a thousand memorials of the struggle. The battered old wall is carefully preserved. The old guns, the captured flags, are kept as treasures. The defenders' graves are annually decorated. The survivors were exempted from taxes throughout the British dominions. The farms of some of these in our Londonderry are called "exempt farms" to the pres- ent time, - over some of which I wandered in younger days. The king and parliament considered this defense so important and of such endurance and valor, that they made special grants to each hero, and bestowed the highest possible praise upon all who partici- pated in it. And to time's remotest bound, we will not cease to take pride in this glorious achievement of our own ancestors !
After the subjugation of the Papists, the whole Protestant population of Ireland abode in peace and safety for many years. Further accessions from Scotland joined them, - among them the Nesmiths and others known to our local history. Still, though the heroes of Londonderry had many privileges, and though Protestants, as sucli, were in the ascend- ant, yet the Dissenters, and especially the Presbyterians, were far from being satisfied with their condition. They had but little religious liberty, as we understand it .. They had their own forms of worship, to be sure; but at the same time they were com- pelled to pay one-tenth of their increase to support the established religion of the state. They could not hold their land as proprietors, having inalienable homes, but only by lease from the crown. Then the Irish - bitter, ignorant, numerous, and bigoted Papists -were everywhere among them, of whom, though powerless now, they had had a most unhappy and calamitous experience. Taxes were high. Titles, monarchy, aristoc- racy, were the order of the day. The Scotchmen, who had suffered so much for liberty, and cherished irrepressible longings to be free, could not be satisfied with such surround- ings and trammels. They looked into the future. They began to think of the New World. Some of them formed bright ideas of the community which they might found by themselves, free from Papists, ritualism, and all ecclesiastical oppression. At length, encouraged by reports of civil and religious liberty in America, four ministers, and a large part of their congregations with them, determined on removal hither. These ministers were Rev. - Holmes, Rev. James MacGregor, Rev. William Cornwell, and Rev. William Boyd. This seems to have been in 1717. In order to make sure of a place to settle, and also, it seems, to guard against any unfriendliness or opposition of the pre- vious settlers in New England, they sent Rev. William Boyd, early in the year 1718, to bring over a petition to Gov. Shute of Massachusetts, and make the needful arrangements for their coming. This petition, usually called the "Memorial to Gov. Shute," is so brief, peculiar, and to the point, as to be worthy of a place here in its exact form, thus : -
" We whose names are underwritten, Inhabitants of ye North of Ireland, Doe in our own names, and in the names of many others our Neighbors, Gentlemen, Ministers, Farmers and Tradesmen Commissionate and appoint our trusty and well beloved Friend, the Reverend Mr. William Boyd of Macasky to His Excellency the Right Honourable Collonel Samuel Suite Governour of New England, and to assure His Excellency of our sincere and hearty Inclination to Transport our selves to that very excellent and renowned Plantation upon our obtaining from his Excellency suitable incouragement. And further to act and Doe in our Names as his Prudence shall direct. Given under our hands this 26th day of March, Annoq. Dom. 1718."
To this document were appended the names of three hundred and nineteen men, indi- cating that they represented a population of twelve hundred or more. Among the number were nine ministers (V. D. M.), and three others were college graduates. Most of the settlers of Antrim could find their ancestors' names among these signers.
On receiving flattering encouragement from Gov. Shute, and being well pleased with the prospect here, Mr. Boyd at once conveyed the intelligence back to those who had sent him, and they sold their property and made arrangements to depart with such dispatch that they arrived in five ships in Boston harbor, Aug. 4, 1718.
Soon after arrival they separated into three parts. One part, quite large, chose to make . their home in Boston, finding friends of their own faith and race already there. Tliese together formed, July 14, 1730, what was at first called the "Presbyterian Church of Long Lane," - and was afterwards the celebrated "Federal-street Church." Rev. John Morehead became their pastor. This church became Congregational in 1786. Dr. Jeremy
·
1
xxii
INTRODUCTORY.
Belknap was pastor from 1787 to 1798, when he died. Over it the celebrated Dr. Channing was settled, June 1, 1803, and under him it went over to the Unitarians about 1819. Their land and church-building, "a rude and lowly edifice," was given to them by John Little, in 1735, but has been wickedly perverted from its intended use for nearly a hundred years. A just decision will yet restore this inheritance to its Presbyterian owners. Dr. Gannett, who was killed at Revere, was pastor of this church. Present pastor, Jolin F. W. Ware. .
The second part of the settlers fixed upon Worcester, Mass., and vicinity, as their place of abode; and in that place they formed a church under pastoral charge of Rev. Edward Fitzgerald, in the early part of the year 1719. They worshiped in the "Old Garrison House," so called. They were exceedingly hardy, vigorous, wide-awake, earnest, and devoted people. The historians of that section speak of them in the highest terms. And they prospered, and became attached to their homes. But in proportion as they flourished, their English Congregational neighbors became jealous of them - called them "Foreign- ers," "Irislı," and so on. In this way things went on for years, till, with increase of population and means, the Presbyterians made plans to build a church-edifice. They put up the frame in 1740, and were greatly rejoiced in the prospect of a place of worship they could call their own. But at this juncture the Congregationalists in great numbers assaulted and tore the building down and carried it off. The whole structure was swept away. And it was all done between two days! Nor was this the only persecution these peaceable, industrious, and godly Scotchmen endured. It seemed to them that the relig- ious liberty they sought was yet far away. The most of them left the place, some to Londonderry, some to Pelham, Palmer, and Coleraine, Mass. ; and a considerable number to Cherry Valley, N. Y. A few remained, however, - among them the names Clark, Dun- can, McFarland, etc.
A portion of this colony in central Massachusetts had settled in Pelham, that State, under Rev. Mr. Ambercrombie, and these were greatly aided by the fugitives from Worcester.
The other part of the emigrants at Boston, having been under the pastoral charge of Rev. James MacGregor in Ireland, were anxious to keep together and have him as their pastor. Others joined with them in this design. And this body were more slow and careful in selecting a home. The most of them scattered for a time in the vicinity of Boston, while sixteen families embarked for Casco Bay to select a section of land if thought best, as this land had been offered to them by Gov. Shute, and recommended as very desirable, having also the better chance to carry out unmolested their religious views and aims. Arriving late in the season, and the winter coming on very early, they could accomplish nothing till spring. Most of them passed the winter on shipboard, and the ship itself was frozen in. In the course of the winter they suffered many privations, and great lack of food. On petition of the inhabitants of Falmouth (now Portland), the gen- eral court of Massachusetts sent them one hundred bushels of meal. It may be doubted whether these Scotchmen ever would have petitioned for food themselves ! The statement in Willis's History of Portland, that there were " about three hundred " of these explorers in that port, must be greatly exaggerated, as there is no reason to suppose that more than half that number were there. In the spring they explored the coast eastward, but, not being pleased, they decided to return; and, sailing back, they ascended the Merri- mack river, arriving at Haverhill April 13, 1719. Immediately on their arrival they heard of a large tract of unappropriated land lying fifteen or twenty miles northwest of Ha- verhill, called the " Chestnut Country," because its forests were largely chestnut-trees. Afterwards this tract, now embracing several towns, was called "Nutfield." Walnut- trees and butternut-trees were also abundant here, and it was truly an inviting place for settlement. Leaving their families at Haverhill, the men made all haste to examine this ground ; were pleased at sight; determined to locate here the grant of twelve miles square which previously the authorities of Massachusetts had given them in any lands of the government not before occupied; selected a spot; put up some rude cabins, and then divided, part carrying on the work, and part returning to bring on their wives and chil- dren, with what scanty tools and furniture they could collect. And so vigorous and alert were they that this distance of nearly twenty miles, almost without roads, and on foot, was traveled over three times by the men, and their families met on the spot of settle- ment April 22, 1719. From this date, New Style, the actual settlement is generally
-
xxiii
INTRODUCTORY.
reckoned. On the next day, April 23, Rev. James MacGregor preached the first sermon ever delivered in Londonderry. The settlers assembled under a large oak-tree on the east side of Beaver Pond; and the text was Isaiah xxxii. 2. Soon after a Presbyterian church was formed, and Mr. MacGregor, without installation, formally assumed the pastorate. This was in May, 1719.
The original sixteen settlers of Londonderry were James McKeen, John Barnett, Archi- bald Clendenin, John Mitchell, James Sterrett, James Anderson, Randall Alexander, James Gregg, James Clark, James Nesmith, Allen Anderson, Robert Weir, John Morri- son, Samuel Allison, Thomas Steel, and John Stuart. From these the McKeens, Cochrans, Greggs, Nesmiths, Steels, Stuarts, and Wallaces, and others of the Antrim families, descended.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.