USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 5
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Saturday, June 15. This day left Rumford and marched to Contoo- cook, which is about eight miles, and here tarried all night.
Sunday, June 16. This day tarried at Contoocook, and went to meeting, and tarried all this night.
Monday, June 17. This morning weather fair, and we fixed our packs and went and put them on board our canoes, about nine of the clock, and some of the men went in the canoes and the rest on the shore. And so we marched up the river Merrimack to the crotch, or parting thereof : and then up the Pemigewasset about one mile, and camped above the carrying-place, which carrying-place is about one hundred rods long ; and the whole of this day's march is thirteen miles.
Tuesday, June 18. This day marched up the Pemigewasset river, about eight miles to Smith's river, and then east one hundred rods, and then north two hundred and twenty rods, to the long carrying-place on Pemigewasset river and then camped.
Wednesday, June 19. We marched on our journey and carried across the "long carrying-place " on Pemigewasset river two miles north east, which land hath a good soil, beech and maple, with a good quantity of large masts. From the place where we put in the canoes we steered
26
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
east, north-east, up the river about one mile, and then we steered north- east one mile, and north six miles up the Sawhegenet falls, where we carried by about four rods; and from the falls we steered about north- east to Pemigewasset interval two miles, and from the beginning of the interval we made good our course north four miles, and there camped on a narrow point of land. The last four miles the river was extremely crooked.
Thursday, June 20. We steered our course one turn with another, which were great turns, west, north-west, about two miles and a half to the crotch or parting of the Pemigewasset river, at Baker's river mouth ; thence from the mouth of Baker's river up said river north-west by west, six miles. This river is extraordinary crooked, and good interval. Thence up the river about two miles north-west, and there we shot a moose, and the sun about a half an hour high, and there camped.
This party went as far as Dalton. The captain and two men penetrated the woods as far as Northumberland. They returned the latter part of July, but after reaching Haverhill, July 6, Capt. Powers records nothing in his journal concerning the return march.
Previous to 1750, the Indians withdrew from the valley of the Pemigewasset to the head waters of the Connecticut or the still more distant woods of Canada, and returned only when on the warpath or to revisit the homes and graves of their fathers. Probably the last war parties passed through this section in 1754, when an attack was made on Stevenstown, now the lower part of Franklin, in May, when a family of seven persons was cap- tured, and again in August when several were slain. Two years later, two men, Ezekiel Flanders and Edward Emery, of Boscawen, while hunting and trapping in Hebron, were both killed by Indians. One was shot while skinning a beaver, and the other, as was told by the Indians afterwards, was killed while carrying a beaver into camp.
Among the early hunters within the limits of Bristol was a man by the name of Fowler. His camp was situated near the mouth of Fowler's river, which stream took its name from him.I He spent several winters in his camp and met with great success. Suddenly he disappeared, and whether he was killed by Indians, as many supposed, was never positively known. No furs were found in his camp, but a rusty gun-barrel was found on Sugar Loaf mountain many years afterwards which was presumed to belong to this early hunter.
In 1762, three inen, Col. Howard, Jesse Harriman, and Simeon Stevens, of Salisbury, thought they could go to Haver- hill by a more direct route than by the way of Plymouth. They, accordingly, with an old hunter to guide them, left "the long carrying place " to their right and went "west of Newfound
I Maj. John Tolford and Ensign William Tolford, who surveyed the township later, sought to perpetuate their names by naming this stream Tolford's river, and this name appears on the map of the town made by them. The effort was not successful and its earlier name still survives.
27
THE ABORIGINES AND EARLY EXPEDITIONS
pond," followed up the northwestern branch of Baker's river into Coventry, now Benton, and thence down the Oliverian to the Connecticut, making the trip in four days.
At a meeting of the proprietors of New Chester, held at Chester, Jan. 21, 1760, a committee was elected whose duty it was to prosecute "to final judgment and execution" all per- sons found guilty of "cutting, hauling, and destroying timber" in the new township. From this it would appear that timber thieves had preceded actual settlers.
CHAPTER IV THE PROPRIETARY HISTORY
Where beasts with man divided empire claim
-Goldsmith.
The territory of New Chester was a part of that immense tract of land in New Hampshire and Massachusetts granted to John Mason, Nov. 7, 1629. John Mason was a merchant in London and later governor of Newfoundland. The Council of Plymouth, created by James III, in 1620, which had control of all the lands in New England, made a grant to Mason, in the year named, of all the lands "From the Piscataqua river and up the same to the furthest head thereof, and from thence north- westwardly till sixty miles from the mouth of the harbor are finished ; also through Merrimack river to the furthest head thereof and so forward up into the land westward until sixty miles are finished and from thence to cross overland to the end of sixty miles accounted from the mouth of the Piscataqua river."
After the death of Mason, in 1635, this patent was neglected. The land was claimed by Massachusetts, which granted several towns within the limits of Mason's patent. Six months previous to this grant, Rev. Peter Wheelright purchased of the Indians a large section of the same territory and the ownership of this land was in controversy for more than one hundred years.
Finally, John Tufton Mason, a Boston merchant and an heir sixth in descent from John Mason, succeeded in having his title confirmed. After he came into possession, he sold to Massa- chusetts that portion of his claim lying within the limits of that state. The state of New Hampshire negotiated for the purchase of the large portion within its limits, but Mason, discouraged at delays, in 1746, sold his entire interest within the state to a syn- dicate that became known as the Masonian proprietors. This syndicate was at first composed of twelve men and the stock was divided into fifteen shares; viz., Theophilus Atkinson, three shares; Mark Hunkings Wentworth, two shares; Richard Hibird, John Wentworth, John Moffat, Samuel Moore, Jotham Odiorne, George Jaffrey, Joshua Pierce, Nathaniel Meserve of Portsmouth, Thomas Wallingford of Somersworth and Thomas Packard, each one share. Subsequently, John Rindge, Col. Joseph Blanchard, Daniel Pierce, John Tufton Mason, John Tomlinson, Matthew Livermore, William Park, Samuel Solley, and Clement March became interested by purchase.
Col. Blanchard became the business agent of the company, and under his wise and able management many town rights were
29
THE PROPRIETARY HISTORY
sold. Col. Blanchard was a shrewd business man and a man of great force of character. He commanded the New Hampshire regiment in the campaign against Crown Point, in 1755, and gained enduring fame in conflicts with the Indians at Fort Edwards and Lake George.
The storm of indignation that swept over the state at Mason's success and subsequent sale was allayed by the wise course pursued by the purchasers in promptly quitclaiming all their interests in the towns that had been granted by Massachusetts and settled.
The boundary of the Masonian grant in New Hampshire as finally agreed upon was a curved line commencing at the Massachusetts border at the westerly bound of Fitzwilliam, thence to the westerly bound of New London and Alexandria and the northerly bound of New Chester to the Pemigewasset river, thence east to the Maine line, and thence south on the line between Maine and New Hampshire to the sea.
In 1753, a syndicate of fifty men of Chester and vicinity purchased of the Masonian proprietors a tract of land estimated to contain thirty thousand acres, exclusive of ponds, lying west of the Pemigewasset river and south of the curved line at this point. This tract was named New Chester, because many of the men interested were residents of Chester, and the purchasers became known as the New Chester proprietors. The deed for this township was given Sept. 14, 1753, and read as follows :
Province of Pursuant to the Powers and authority Granted and New Hampshire ยง Vested in me the Subscriber by the Proprietors of lands Purchased of John Tuffton Mason Esqr in the Province of New Hampshire by their vote passed at their meeting held at Portsmouth in Said Province the 27th Day of August A D 1753-
I do by these presents on the terms and Limitations with the Reser- vations hereafter expressed give and grant all the Right Title Property possession Claim & Demand of the Proprietors aforesaid in the following proportions unto John Tolford four Shares John McMurphy Esqr James McFerson Matthew Thornton Esqr Ten Shares Robert Fletcher James Moor John Aikin John Mann John Tolford junr James Quenton Hugh Tolford Mark Karr William Graham Jacob Sargent James Wadwell John Durham, Samuel Gault, Robert White, Josiah Willard three Shares, John Mills James White Timothy Ingalls, Henry Herring, Samuel Moores, John Underhill, William Tolford Samuel Emerson Thomas Craige, John Gordon, Robert Craige Orlando Colby, Joseph Clark Archabald Dunlap three Shares Henry Hall, Thomas Wills, John Hazeltine, Ebenezer Dear- born James Shirla Thomas Shirla James Shirla Junr John Kelsey Richard Pearl Alexander Mcclure Joshua Tolford Stephen Ferrington one Share to each person not particularly mentioned above their proportion also to Jeremiah Colburn three Rights Samuel Searle three Rights Timothy Favour one Right Robert McMurphy one Right, Nathanael Ingalls one Right which Tract or Township shall be called New Chester of in and to all that Tract of Land Lying in the Province afforesaid bounded North Westerly by the line lately Ran & Marked for the western Bounds of Masons Patent Easterly by Pemigewassett River Southerly by a Tract of Land Called Emerys Town and Southwesterly by a Tract of Land Called Alexandria Bounded Beginning at the Northerly corner of Alexandria
30
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
aforesaid in the patent line aforesaid and running from thence by Said Alexandria South easterly five miles and a quarter more or less to the most Easterly corner of Said Alexandria to a Hemlock Tree Marked. From thence the line Turns by Said Alexandria South Fifty three Degrees West eight Miles and a Quarter more or less to a Beech Tree marked from thence South Easterly by the line of Heiddelburg So called one mile to an Elm Tree to the Corner of said Heiddelburg and from thence South till it intersects the western line of Emerys Town about half a Mile from thence North Seventy three Degrees East by said Emerys line to Pemi- gewasset River and from thence Northerly Bounding by Pemigewassett River including all the islands against Said Tract till it Comes to where the patent Line aforesaid Crosses said River & From thence Running South westerly by the patent Line aforesaid to the Bound first mentioned which Tract Contains by estimation exclusive of Ponds Thirty Thousand acres. To them their Heirs and Assigns To have and to hold on the following Terms and Conditions with the Reservations here in after Expressed (viz).
That the Tract of Land or Township aforesaid be Divided into Ninety three Equal Shares Two Lots at the Least to Each Share and to be Finished and Drawn for in Some public and Equitable manner at or before the last Day of November 1754 That Three of the aforesaid Shares be granted Free of Charge one for the first Settled Minister one for the Ministrey and one for the schools there for ever one Lot in each of the Said Shares to be first Laid out and Lots coupelled to them so as not to be Drawn for and Two Lots Containing one hundred acres Each for the incouragement of Building Mills to be Disposed of by the Grantees for that use That Twenty more of the Said Shares be reserved to and for the Grantors their Heirs and Assigns Forever and acquitted from all Duty and Charge untill improved by the owners or Some holding under Respectively.
That the owners of Forty of the other shares (viz ) John Tolford three Shares James McFarson one Matthew Thornton Esq one James Moore one John Mann one Hugh Tolford one Mark Karr one William Graham one Jacob Sargent one John Durham one Samuel Gault one Robert White one Josiah Willard one John Mills one James White one Nathaniel Ingalls one Henry Herring one Samuel Moores one Samuel Emerson one Thomas Wells one Thomas Craige one John Gordon one Robert Craige one Orlando Colby one Joseph Clark one Archabald Dunlap three Henry Hall one John Hazelton one Ebenezer Dearborn one James Shirla one James Shirla Junr one John Kelsey one Richard Pearl one Alexander McClure one Stephen Farrington one John Aikin one-Make Sittlement in the following manner (viz) each at the expiration of three years and Eight months from the Date hereof on each of the aforesaid forty shares have three acres parcel of his Right Respectively Cleared Inclosed and fitted for mowing and Tillage and a house built of a Room Sixteen feet Square at the least fitted for Comfortable Dwelling in and some person inhabitting in each house Respectively and Continue Resident and inhab- itant there for seven years next coming by themselves or Some other person and annually for each of the Said Seven years Clear Inclose and fit as aforesaid one acre more-
That Twenty more of the Grantees (viz) John Tolford one John McMurphy Esq one Matthew Thornton Esq five Robert Fletcher one John Tolford Jr one James Quenton one James Waddell one Josiah Willard Two Timothy Ingalls one John Underhill one William Tolford one Thomas Wells one James Shirla one Joshua Tolford one Robert McMurphy one- Make Settlement in Manner as aforesaid in every Respect Saving only that they be allowed one year longer time for Doing and performing the Several and Respective parts of Duty of Sittlement and no longer
That a Convenient Meeting house for the Publick worship of God be built on Sd Tract where the Grantees shall think most Convenient within
3I
THE PROPRIETARY HISTORY
Ten years from this Date and Ten Acres of Land Reserved there for Publick use.
That the Lands in Said Township or Tract belonging to grantors and grantees be subject to have all necessary highways Laid through them without any allowance or pay for damage That there be a further reser- vation to and for the grantors out of Said Tract of Five hundred acres to be Laid out at the Charge of the Grantees before the general Division of Said Tract under the Direction of me the subscriber or such other person as the Grantors as aforesaid Shall appoint so as not to Lye in the place where the Meeting House Shall nor prejudice the Town plat near the Same free from Duty and all Charges That the aforesaid Grantees their Heirs or Assigns by a Major vote in Publick Meeting Calld for thet pur- pose grant and assess in Equel proportion such sum or sums of Money as they shall think necessary from time to time for Carrying forward and Compleating the sittlement aforesaid and every of the grantees exclusive of the three Publick Lots who shall neglect for the Space of Sixty Days next after such Assessment shall be granted and made to pay the Same So Much of Such Delinquent Right or Rights Respectively shall and may be sold as will pay such Tax & Taxes and all Charges arising thereon by a Committee to be appointed by the grantees for that purpose-and in case any of the Grantees Shall neglect or refuse to perform any of the articles aforesaid by him respectively to be Done he Shall Forfeit his share and Right in said Township and every part thereof to those of the grantees or their assigns who Shall have Complied with the condi- tions on their part herein expressed and it shall and may be lawful for them or any person by their authority to enter into and upon the rights Shares or part of Such Delinquent owner in the name and behalf of the whole of the grantees or their assigns shall have complied as aforesaid on their respective parts to a move oust & expell for the use of them their heirs & assigns provided they settle or cause to be Setled each Such De- linquents Right within the Term of one year at the Furthest from the period that is by this Instrument stipulated to be done as the Condition of this Grant and fully Discharge & Comply with the whole Duty Such Delinquent ought to have done within one year from Time to time after the Respective period thereof.
And in case the grantees or their assigns fulfill their part as aforesaid Shall neglect fulfilling as aforesaid the Duty of any Delinquent owner that then such share or shares Right or Rights So Delinquent shall Re- vert and Belong to the Grantors their heirs and assigns Free from Duty & Charges & be wholly at their Disposal
Further that the Grantees or their assigns within Thirty Days after the Said Tract shall be Lotted out & Drawn for shall Return a Plan of the Lots Numbered and Schedule of Such alotment & Draught Certified by their Clerk on oath into the Grantors Clerks office
Further that all white pine Trees fit for Masting his Majestys Navy growing on Said Tract be & hereby are Granted to his Majesty his heirs and Successors forever, always provided there Shall be no indian war within any of the times limited as aforesaid for Doing the Duty Condi- tioned in this Grant and in case that should happen the Same time to be allowed after Such impediment shall be removed for doing the respective Duty aforesaid-To all which Premises I Joseph Blanchard agent for and in behalf of the grantors have hereunto set my hand and Seal this four- teenth Day of September in the Twenty Seventh year of his Majesties Reign A D 1753
Signed Sealed & Delid in presence of )
Joseph Blanchard (L. S.)
James Minot Junr Sarah Blanchard
A true Copy Recorded June 2d 1806
Attest, Errors Excepted Carr Huse Proprietors Clerk
32
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
The following is a copy of the record of what appears to have been the first meeting of the proprietors after the deed of the township was passed :
At a meeting of the Proprietors of a Township adjoining to Pemige- wasett Granted by the Proprietors of the Right of Capt. John Mason to Capt. John Tolford and others held at Chester ye IIth day of October 1753.
Joseph Blanchard, Esq. was Chosen Moderator.
James Quenton was chosen proprietors' clerk and was Sworn.
Capt John Tolford was chosen Treasurer for this Proprietry.
Whereas in and by the Charter of this Township there is Granted Liberty for Twenty Shares to be Delayed Settlement for one year after the Term Sett for Forty to be Settled there-Therefore Voted that that Priviledge Shall be Sold at this Meeting to the Highest Bidder and the Money Raised by Sd Sale to be Granted and Distributed to & amongst the first Forty Settlers in the following Manner (that is to say ) that the first Ten Shares that Shall fulfil the Duty of the first Term and actually Settle there shall have one hundred and Twenty pounds old tenor I part of the produce of the sales of the Priviledges aforesaid which sale is made and amounts to the sum of two hundred and Eighty Six pounds old tenor to be paid to the Treasurer within three years from the Date of the Charter Security to be given for the payment thereof to the Treasurer to his Acceptance and that Eighty pounds old Tenor part of Sd Money to be paid to the next Ten that Shall in like Manner be Complied with & that Fifty Six pounds like tenor be paid to the next Ten So fulfilling and that the remainder of the Sd Two hundred and Eighty Six pounds be paid to the Remainder of the Sd forty Settlers always provided they Settle and Do the Duty of the first Term within the Time Limitted by the Charter and notwithstanding anything in this vote it is furthered Considered and Granted that if Twenty Shall fulfill and Settle as aforesaid within one month from the Time the first Ten Shall Settle as aforesaid then two sums set in this vote Shall be Equally Divided amongst them and in like manner for the third and forth Tens provided they are Settled within one month from the time the first Ten shall be Settled but on failure thereof to be Distributed according to the first Stating in this vote.
Also Voted the Said Township be Divided and lotted out according to the conditions in the Charter for the Same and within the time there limited and in Case the Committee Chosen for that Purpose Shall on Examination find out and Judge it Convenient to lay out more lots than Two to each Share that they may be directed to do it.
Also Voted that Capt. John Tolford Capt. Thomas Wells & Mr. William Tolford be a Committee for the purpose aforesaid fully em- powered to hire all the necessary assistance for doing the Same and that they Shall be paid for their Reasonable Charges by this Proprietry and that in case either of the aforesaid Committee Shall at any time be prevented of their attendance on Said Servis that then Mr. Ebenezer Dearborn be Chosen and appointed to Serve in his Room and in case of any Impediment that two of the above mentioned persons cannot attend then Mr. Archibald Dunlap be Impowered to Join them as one of the Committee.
No more records of the proceedings of the proprietors of New Chester are found until those dated Jan. 24, 1760, when a meeting was held at the house of Maj. John Tolford, innholder, in Chester. The record of the first meeting was marked "No.
1All currency issued prior to 1742 was termed old tenor ; while that of 1742 or later was called new tenor.
33
THE PROPRIETARY HISTORY
I"; of this meeting, "No. 9," so it would seem that there were seven meetings between these two dates of which no records have been preserved, and nothing can now be gathered as to what business was transacted. At this meeting, Maj. John Tolford was elected moderator, and Maj. Tolford, Capt. Thomas Wells, and Ensign William Tolford were made a committee to prosecute all persons found trespassing on the lands of the proprietors, and they were instructed "to bring them to final judgment and execution." It was also voted to raise ten shillings new tenor on each right for current expenses.
The next meeting of which we have any knowledge was held May 12, 1762, at Maj. Tolford's, in Chester. Whether any work had been done previous to this date in surveying the lands of New Chester is uncertain, but at this meeting the committee elected in October, 1753, Major Tolford, Capt. Thomas Wells, and Ensign William Tolford, were reelected to lay out the lands of New Chester into lots. They were to have power to establish lines and bounds and to hire a surveyor, ax men and chain men to do the work, and to have five pounds old tenor per day for their services. For this purpose a tax of ten pounds, old tenor, was laid on each right. This committee reported at a meeting held at the house of John Webster, innholder, in Chester, June 18, 1765. The report was accepted and the committee was authorized to complete the work. Eighteen pounds, old tenor, was voted on each right to pay the charges already incurred.
The following is the record of the drawing, no date being given :
3
34
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
Proprietor's Name.
Ist Division.
2nd Division
3rd Division.
4th Division.
Matthew Thornton, Esqr 1
.
22
71
90
51
Archabald Dunlap
55
34
6
93
John Tolford, Esqr
.
38
22
66
24
Matthew Thornton, Esqr
40
7
42
8
Joseph Clark
35
8
IO
II
Ensign William Tolford
9
20
5
3
John Tolford, Esqr
.
57
57
7
69
John McMurphy, Esqr
74
61
52
37
John Gordon .
24
32
2
18
Matthew Thornton, Esqr
10
13
88
6
John Tolford, Esqr
.
48
53
45
39
Robert McMurphy
94
55
70
65
Matthew Thornton, Esqr
59
92
39
70
Ensn Henry Hall
20
67
16
31
Thomas Shirley
I
37
23
14
John Tolford, Jr
45
40
80
91
John Durham .
91
84
92
57
Lieut Robert Fletcher
3I
41
27
19
Hugh Tolford
7
18
3
12
Ensn James Quinton
78
59
53
42
Coll Josiah Willard
.
46
30
84
90
Matthew Thornton, Esqr
6
I
87
4
Stephen Ferrington
23
74
76
28
Robert Craige .
.
76
56
73
22
John Tolford, Esqr
3
16
28
29
James Shirley, Junr
89
79
32
64
Matthew Livermore, Esqr
60
93
38
75
Matthew Thornton, Esqr
86
87
55
66
Mark Hg Wintworth
52
27
46
84
John Mills
56
39
50
80
Samuel Moores, Esqr
8
19
67
I3
Timothy Ingalls
75
64
54
89
James White
62
90
40
85
Capt John Underhill
41
69
83
34
Capt Thomas Wells
90
83
33
60
Joshua Tolford
66
52
68
74
Nathanael Ingalls
15
12
25
55
Samuel Searls .
47
23
43
92
Capt James Shirley
88
77
3I
56
John Kelsey
85
88
II
8I
Jotham Odiorn, Esqr
83
33
69
49
Coll Theodore Atkinson
30
46
63
2I
Lieut Thomas Craige .
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