USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 9
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To His Excellency the President and to the Honourable the Senate & House of Representatives in General Assembly Convend at Concord Octr 1785
Wee the Subscribers Inhabitants of New Chester Being Desireous of Promoteing the Publick Good and the Settlement of the Western part of the State which at present is a great part Uncultivated and as it is highly Necessary that Good Roads Should Be Made and kept in Repair in order that People might pass and Repass From one part of the state to the other with as Little Trouble and difficulty as Possible and the Town of New Chester is a very Long Town it is between nineteen & twenty miles in Length as the Road goes besides a very Bad Mounntain which Must be Crosd and wee have Several Long Bridges Some of which we have Been obliged to Build twice in a year By reason of Freshets, in Short wee have upwards of Fifty Miles of Roads already in the Town to maintain, & But Eighty Six polls in the town which makes it such a Burden to us that wee are not able to Make our Roads Good without Some help therefore wee pray your Excellency and Honours to grant the Town the Liberty to Tax the Lands of the Nonresidents Lying in the Town to the highways in Such a way as your Excellency & Honours in your wisdom Shall think Best, and your Petitioners as in Duety Bound will Ever Pray
New Chester Septembr 24th 1785
Benjn Boardman
Elias Boardman
John Mitchel
Joseph marshall
Seth Spencer
Josiah Brown Jr
Peter heath David Craig
Alexander Craig
Simeon Cross
Cutting Favour
Jonathan Merrill
Joseph Sanborn
David plum
Nathan Colby
Joseph Hoyt
william murray
Jacob Gurdy
Winsor Goolden
John Cleavland
John Cleaveland Junr
Michael Moshier
Thomas Lock
Daniel Heath
Case fuller
Jacob Peaslee Sherbern Tilton
John Sleeper
John Tilton
John
Carr Huse
David Emerson
willom Benet
65
Tilton Bennet
Ephm Webster
Nathaniel Sanborn
Josiah heath john Bussell
Jacob wells
Thomas Rowell
Reuben wells
thomas Wells
Thomas Crawford
John Smith
Nason Cass
Jonathan Crawford
Abner fellows
Moses Sleeper
Peter Sleeper
Sherburn Sanborn
Theophilus Sanborn
The result was, the assembly passed an act authorizing the town to tax the non-resident lands for the two years next en- suing.
The next step in the development of the territory embraced in the old town of New Chester was the division of the town. Though a distressing war had prevailed for more than half of the time since the organization of the town, material advancement had been made. Now that peace had returned and the finances of the country had been placed on a firmer basis, the prospects of the town were decidedly brighter than at any previous time in its history. With the dawn of 1787, the question of the divi- sion of the town was actively agitated. At the annual town meeting the question came up for action, and the town voted in ยท favor of a division at Smith's river. This vote was then recon- sidered and a vote was passed favoring a division of the town at a line running from the Pemigewasset river between Lots 55 and 56, to the westerly end of these lots, thence in a straight line to the outlet of Newfound lake.
Notwithstanding this vote, public sentiment was divided. There were those who were opposed to any change ; those who wished to have the territory of New Chester divided into two towns, and those who advocated the formation of two new towns, one to be composed of the northern part of New Chester, and the other of the central part of New Chester and the eastern part of Alexandria. The people in the eastern part of Alexan- dria were nearly a unit in favor of this last named plan. The result was, two petitions and a remonstrance were sent to the assembly. The first petition was dated Aug. 23, 1787, and read as follows :
State of New Hampshire
To the Honourable Senate and House of Representatives of said State to be convened at Charlestown on the Second Wednesday of September AD. 1787.
The Petition of the inhabitants of New Chester in said State Hum- bly Sheweth, Wee your Petitioners Laboring under many Difficulties and Disadvantages in our present Circumstances by Reason of the Town Be- ing Exceeding Long and in one place but a very little more than a mile wide, which makes it very difficult for the Major part of the People to at- tend Publick Worship when we have preaching in the town, and like wise to Attend Town Meetings, as it is Commonly bad-traveling when we have our Annual meetings, the Town is more than nineteen Miles in length. Wee your Humble Petitioners Earnestly Request that your Ex- cellency and Honours would Divide the Town of New Chester into two
5
NEW CHESTER
.
66
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
Towns, and that it may be Divided at Newfound River So Called (vs) Beginning at the mouth of Newfound River and running up said River untill it come to Newfound pond, then running on the Easterly shore of said pond untill it comes to the Town line between New Chester and Ply- mouth, ' and your petitioners as in Duty Bound will ever Pray
New Chester August 23th 1787
Carr Huse
Nathaniel Sanborn
David Emerson
Reuben Wells
Ephm Webster
Thomas Rowell
john Bussell
Cutting favour
Joseph Jonson
Nathan Colby
Michael Mosher
Thomas Lock
Peter heath
Thomas Huse
Samuel worthen
Jonathan Ingalls Jun
John fellows
Benj Boardman
Elias Boardman
Jonathan Holt
John Mitchel
Jonath Ingals
Seth Spencer
Josiah Brown
Joseph Marshall
Jonathan Carlton
Jacob Fellows
Joseph Emons
Ephraim Clark
Isaac Senter
Moses Fellows
John Mitchel Junr
Jonathan Crawford
Simeon Cross
Ziba Townsend
Beniamin Emons
Daniel Heath Chase Fullar
William Powell
James heath
John Ladd
Josiah heath
Jonathan heath
Samuel Drew
John heath
David powell
David Craig
James Craige
Alexander Craige
Robt Craige
This was followed by the following petition of the inhabi- tants of Alexandria and New Chester :
To the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives Convened eat Charlestown the Second Wednesday of Septr A. D. 1787.
The Petition of the Inhabitants of a part of New Chester Lying Be- tween Newfound Pond River and Smiths River so called-and the In- habitants of the North [east ] Part or first Division of Alexandria, Humbly Shews that we your Petitioners for a number of years have Laboured un- der many difficultys by reason of our Scattered Situation it being as much as fourteen Miles from one Extream part of our Settlements in Alexan- dria to the other Extream .- and the situation of that part of New Ches- ter above mentioned is nearly as convenient to either of the Centers of New Chester which makes it extreamly Difficult to assemble either to transact Town Business or for Public Worship-Wherefore your Peti- tioners Humbly pray that your Excellency and Honours would grant us an Incorporation by the name of . . ... Beginning at the mouth of Smiths River so called thence westerly up Sd River to the Range Line between the first and Second Divns of Alexandria thence North 12 Degs West to the Pattent Line as lately Run-thence North Easterly by Sd Pattent Line to the Easterly side of Newfound Pond thence down the Easterly Shore to the outlet of Sd Pond thence South Easterly by the Range Line Between the Second and third Divisions of New Chester to the corner of the River Lott No. 56, thence Easterly on the Line Between 56 and 57 to Pemigesawasset River thence Down Said River to the mouth of Smiths River first mentioned and your Petitioners as in Duty Bound will ever pray.
N. B. it was always expected and intended By the Proprietors of Alexandria and New Chester to make four or five Towns or Parishes of the two, and to Divide Nearly according to the vote of the Inhabitants of New Chester and this Petition
Alexandria, Septr 3, 1787,
I Now Hebron.
67
.NEW CHESTER
Joshua Tolford
John McMurphy
Hugh Campbell
thomas fuller Ebenezer Simonds George Corliss
Eliphalet Gale Sanders Mcmurphy
Nath1 Bartlett
Simon Merrill
Jeremiah Ladd William Corliss
Peter Smith Alexr McMurphy Moses Johnson Asa Hastings David Cross Benjamin Emerson
John Sleeper
Ebenezer Ferrin
Timothy Simonds
Alexander Craig
Sherburn Tilton W Willerd Israel Ingalls
Theophilus Sanborn
Eleazer Taylor
John tilton
William Morrison
Joseph Hoyt
Isaac Ladd
Moses Worthen
William McMurphy
Moses Sleeper
william Ladd
John simond
peter Ladd
Josiah Emerson
Joshua Taylor
John Moor Corliss
N. B. the following are the Inhabitants of New Chester that are peti- tioners as they have signed their names in this Petition.
Theophilus Sanborn
William Corliss
John Tilton
William Morrison
Moses Sleeper
John Smith
Sherburn Sanborn
Thomas Fuller
Asa Hartings
Moses Worthen
William Boyd
Sherburn Tilton Jr
John Sleeper
Ebenezer Ferren
Joseph Hoyt
Alexander Craige
Sherburn Tilton
Both of these petitions were addressed to the legislature that met at Charlestown in September, 1787. The last was be- fore the house Sept. 14, and a hearing was fixed for the third Wednesday of the session in January, following, at Portsmouth. This seems to have stirred the opposition to action and the fol- lowing remonstrance was sent in :
State of New Hampshire.
To the Honorable the Senate & House of Representatives Convened at Portsmouth the Wednesday of January A. D. 1788.
Wee the Subscribers inhabitants of the Town of New Chester in Said State Do Protest against the Petition the inhabitants of Alexandria & a part of New Chester to be Taken off and Joyned with a part of Alexandria and to be incorporated into a Town The Reasons against it are as follows firstly wee apprehend it will Ruin the South part of New Chester for making a Convenient Town for a number of years to Come as there will be but thirty-four polls in the whole and Several of them are very Scat- tering Secondly if a part of this Town Should be Joined with Alexandria it will Reduce us So as that wee shall be unable to support the Gospel in our Day. thirdly it will Deprive us of a public Lot of land which was laid out & belongs to the South part of the Town for the Benefit of a School forever which wee think is very unreasonable wee think it will be very hard to have the Town Cut to pieces and Ruined to accommodate another Town when it will be more to the advantage to be kept together as wee have been very well united till of late, therefore wee Rest the mat- ter with your Excellency & Honours to your wise Determination and as in Duety Bound will ever pray.
N. B. there have three Signed their petition which Does not own a foot of land in New Chester one of them is upwards of seventy years of age 1 & has not been Taxed in town for Several years past Thomas Fuller
I Moses Worthen.
Benja Basford William Simonds
Sherburn Tilton Jr.
Sherburn Sanborn
Nathaniel Ladd
68
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
never Did belong to the Town for he was warned out of the Town very Soon after he came into it & has never been Taxed in the Town Sherburn Tilton is under twenty years of age.
Another town meeting was held Nov. 1, 1787. The second article in the warrant was
To See if the Town will Comply with the Petition which the Town of New Chester have Preferred to the General Court to have the town divided at Newfound River, and to be incorporated into two towns. Thirdly if the Town Does not comply with the Aforesaid petition then to see where the town will have it Divided.
At this meeting it was
Voted not to Comply with the Petition which the Town of New Ches- ter have preferred to the General Court.
Thirdly, Voted that the Town be Divided Beginning at the Bound at Pemigewasset River Between Daniel Heaths and Lieut. Benj. Emmons, and running on Said Line to the head Line of Said lot then to run on the head lines of the Home Lots till it Comes to the South Easterly Corner of No. 2 in the third Division then Northerly to the range line then to Run westerly on the Range line to the Mouth of Newfound pond.
Another meeting was called for Dec. 27, to see if the town would put itself on record in favor of the petition sent to the leg- islature by those favoring the incorporation of a town from the central part of New Chester and a portion of Alexandria. The call for this town meeting was defective, and no business was done.
An act to incorporate a town by the name of Bridgewater passed the house Feb. 11, 1788, and the next day the senate con- curred. No part of Alexandria was taken to form the new town ; New Chester being simply cut in two, the line running on the north bank of Newfound river, and thence on the east shore of the lake to the Plymouth (now Hebron) line. It will thus be seen that no part of Newfound lake is in Bridgewater.
New Chester was not only divided pretty nearly in the cen- ter, geographically, but also as to its population. There were in the town, in April before the division, one hundred and four taxpayers, and of these fifty resided in that part of the town taken to form Bridgewater, leaving fifty-four in the old town. The names of the taxpayers in each town are here given :
Taxpayers in New Chester.
David Emerson, Esq.
Winsor Goolden
Nathaniel Sanborn Ephraim Webster Carr Huse, Esq.
William Murray
David Dodge
John Emmons
Thomas Huse John Nichols John Bussell Ensign Reuben Wells
NEW CHESTER
69
Tilton Bennett
Jeremiah Quimby, Jr.
Chandler Cass
Thomas Favor
Nason Cass
Lieut. Thomas Wells
Jeremiah Quimby Capt. Cutting Favor
David Hunt
Joseph Sanborn
Peter Wells
Nathan Colby
Thomas Rowell
John Colby
Jacob Blaisdell
Daniel Shirley
William Nichols
Phineas Sargent
William Searles
William Pingrey
Capt. John Tolford
Benjamin Winter
Theophilus Sanborn
Lieut. John Smith
Shirburn Sanborn
Capt. Peter Sleeper
Sherburn Tilton
Joseph Hoit
Alexander Craige William Morrison
Ebenezer Ferrin
[Name illegible]
Asa Hastings
Jonathan Merrill
William Baid
Ebenezer Wells
Lieut. Robert Forsaith
Stephen Patten
Widow Ruth Sleeper.
Taxpayers in Bridgewater.
Josiah Brown
John Kidder
Stephen Thurston Brown
John Cleveland
Jonathan Jewett
Thomas Locke
Abel Turrell
Michael Moshier
Samuel Stearns
John Tilton
Jacob Fellows
Samuel Worthen
Lieut. Jonathan Robbey
John Mitchell
Joseph Emmons
Seth Spencer
Thomas Crawford
John Sleeper
Jonathan Carleton Peter Heath
Josiah Fellows
Benjamin Boardman
Elis Fellows Benjamin Kidder
Elias Boardman John Fellows
Lieut. Benjamin Emons
Moses Fellows
Esq. Daniel Heath
Jonathan Ingalls
Chase Fuller
Jonathan Holt William Ordway
Jacob Peaslee John Heath Josiah Heath
Elijah Sanborn Abram Sanborn Isaac Senter
James Heath
Jonathan Ingalls, Jr.
Jonathan Crawford Mary Craig Samuel Drew
Simeon Cross
Jacob Gurdy
Jonas Turrell
Samuel Gurdy
5a
William Powell .
Moses Sleeper
John Ladd
Timothy Sargent
CHAPTER VII
BRIDGEWATER AND NEW CHESTER FROM 1788 TILL THE INCORPORATION OF BRISTOL
The full region leads
New colonies forth, that toward the western seas Spread, like a rapid flame among the autumnal trees. -Bryant.
In this chapter, as elsewhere in this history, no attempt is made to confine the subject-matter to that part of New Chester and Bridgewater now Bristol. The history of every part of these towns is so closely linked to the whole that this cannot well be done. At the same time no effort is made to cover all the history of these towns, during these years, as this is beyond the scope of this work.
BRIDGEWATER
The following is a copy of the charter of Bridgewater :
State of New Hampshire
In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight. An act to incorporate the northerly part of New Chester in the county of Grafton into a distinct town.
Whereas, a petition hath been preferred to the General Court in be- half of the inhabitants of New Chester in the county of Grafton setting forth that they labor under great inconveniences by reason of the great length of their town and praying that they may be divided into two towns, of which public notice has been given and no objection has been made,
Therefore, be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened and by authority of the same that there be and hereby is a township erected and incorporated by the name of Bridge- water 1 bounded as follows :
Beginning at the mouth of Newfound River (so called), thence running by the northerly bank of said river to New found pond, thence by the easterly shore of said pond to Plymouth line, thence by said line to Pemigewasset river, thence down said river to the bound first men- tioned, including all the islands in said river against said tract.
And the inhabitants of said tract are hereby erected into a body politic and corporate to have continuance and succession forever, and invested with all the rights, privileges and immunities which any town in this state have and enjoy.
To hold to the said inhabitants and their successors forever and Mr
I Named after an English town.
71
BRIDGEWATER AND NEW CHESTER
Thomas Crawford is hereby authorized to call a meeting of said inhabi- tants to choose all necessary and customary town officers, giving fourteen days notice of the time and place and design of said meeting, and the officers then chosen shall be and hereby are invested with all the power and authority necessary to discharge the duties of their respective offices as in other towns in this state, and every other meeting which shall be annually held in said town for that purpose shall be on the second Tuesday of March forever, Provided that nothing in this act shall alter the mode of choosing representatives, but that they shall be chosen in the same manner as though this act of incorporation had not taken place, and that the state and county taxes be assessed and collected in the same manner as heretofore practiced, until a new valuation be taken through the state.
State of New Hampshire
In the House of Representatives Feby. 11th, 1788. The foregoing bill having been read a third time voted that it pass to be enacted.
Sent up for concurrence.
Thos. Bartlett, Speaker.
In Senate February 12, 1788.
This bill having been read a third time, voted that the same be enacted.
Jno. Sullivan, President.
The warrant for the first town meeting in Bridgewater was issued by Thomas Crawford, in the following words :
State of New Hampshire, Grafton SS.
Whereas an act of incorporation by the General Court of said state have been granted to the town of Bridgewater bearing the date February 12, 1788, authorizing me, the subscriber, to call a meeting of said inhabi- tants to chuse all necessary and customary Town officers, giving fourteen days notice of the time, place and design of such meeting, these are therefore to notify and warn the Freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Bridgewater to assemble and meet at the dwelling house of Mr. Samuel Drew in Bridgewater on Tuesday the eleventh day of March, next ensuing, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon of said day,
First. To chuse a moderator to govern said meeting.
Second. To chuse a Town Clerk for the year ensuing.
Thirdly. To chuse a Constable for the year ensuing.
Fourthly. No chuse Selectmen for the year ensuing.
Fifthly. To chuse all necessary and customary town officers.
Sixthly. To bring in votes for a President.
Seventhly. To bring in votes for a Senator.
Eighthly. To bring in votes for a County Register.
Ninthly. To bring in votes for a County Treasurer.
Tenthly. To see what sum of money the Town will raise to clear and repair highways for the year ensuing.
Eleventhly. To act upon any thing more that may appear necessary or expedient when met.
Given under my hand at Bridgewater February 25, 1788.
Thomas Crawford.
This meeting was held, as called, at the house of Samuel
72
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
Drew. Mr. Drew lived, at the time, in the Locke neighborhood, just south of the present line between Bristol and Bridgewater, and his place was, therefore, near the center of the new town. The following are the records of this first town meeting :
At a legal meeting held at the house of Samuel Drew, in Bridgewater, March ye 11, 1788, Daniel Heath, Esq., was chosen Moderator to govern the meeting.
Thomas Crawford was chosen Town Clerk for the year ensuing.
Daniel Heath, Esq., was chosen Constable for the year ensuing.
Thomas Crawford was chosen Selectman. Simeon Cross was chosen Selectman. Micheal Moshier was chosen Selectman for the year ensuing.
Thomas Locke, Chase Fuller, Samuel Drew, Jonathan Carleton, Jonathan Ingalls, Jun., and Jonathan Tirrell was chosen surveyors of highways.
Jonathan Ingalls & Josiah Heath was chosen Hogreves for the year ensuing.
Jonathan Carleton and Moses Sleeper was chosen Surveyors of Lumber.
The votes being brought in for President there was 28 votes for John Langdon, Esq., and one vote for Samuel Livermore, Esq.
The votes being brought for a Senator There was 33 votes for Francis Worcester, Esq.
County Register, 39 votes for Samuel Emerson, Esq. County Treas- urer, 32 votes for Samuel Emerson, Esq.
Voted to raise fifty five pounds for clearing and repairing highways for the year ensuing.
Voted to allow three shillings per day for work done on the high- ways.
The meeting was disolved.
So the meeting was disolved.
Thomas Crawford, Town Clerk.
Another meeting was held at the same place November 3, following, when Thomas Crawford and Jacob Gurdy were chosen a committee to settle with New Chester; another, Dec. 15, to vote for representatives to Congress, and still another, Feb. 2, 1789, to vote to fill a vacancy in the New Hampshire delegation to Congress. The last mentioned meeting was held in the afternoon, and adjourned to meet at the house of Moses Sleeper, in the evening of the same day. This evening meeting was, therefore, the first town meeting held in what is now Bristol village.
1789. Four town meetings were held this year; the first two at Samuel Drew's, and the next two at John Fellows's on Bridgewater hill. One was for the purpose of electing a collector to succeed Daniel Heath, deceased, for no vacancies were filled by the selectmen in those days, and another was for the selection of a grand juror, all jurors then being chosen at a town meeting called for the purpose. This year the town voted to buy a jury box, and the box purchased under this vote is still in use in Bridgewater.
73
BRIDGEWATER AND NEW CHESTER
1790. It was voted to allow the account of Thomas Craw- ford-one pound, eight shillings and six pence, for his services as selectman in 1788, and fourteen shillings for his services as selectman and committeeman in 1789. Jacob Gurdy was al- lowed fourteen shillings for his services as committeeman for 1789.
1793. The subject of the division of the town came up in Bridgewater as well as in New Chester. It was "Voted to allow the lower end of Bridgewater to be set off to join New Chester and New Hampton, to begin between Lots 35 and 36, First Division, thence to run till it strikes Newfound pond River," but no further action was taken on this subject till 1800.
Jonathan Ingalls, Jr., and Jonathan Carleton, fence viewers, made a report this year that "having viewed Samuel Stern's fence around his cornfield they find that the said fence is good and lawful in their opinion."
I794. In 1790, the town first voted to build pounds, one at Capt. Jonathan Crawford's and one at John Kidder's, but no work appears to have been done under the vote. At the meet- ing in 1794 it was voted to build two pounds, one near John Peaslee's and another at John Fellows's, each of round logs thirty feet square. The record tells us that Alexander Craig agreed to build one, at Lieut. John Fellows's, and finish the same "to the turning of the key by the fifteenth of September, next, for $7, and Samuel Heath agreed to build the other for $6.50."
1796. The annual meeting this year was held at the house of William Powell. It was voted to hold meetings half of the time at Lieut. Samuel Worthen's and the other half at John Mitchell's, "year about." As these two men lived at the extreme ends of the town, this arrangement was equitable. Thomas Crawford and Jacob Gurdy were each allowed $2.50 and Jonathan Jewett ten shillings and six pence, for services as selectmen the year previous.
1798. A committee, consisting of Capt. Daniel Moore, Lieut. Moses Lewis, and Thomas Crawford, was elected to sell the public lots belonging to the town.
I799. This year laborers were allowed seven cents per hour on the highways from June I to Sept. 30; after that, five cents per hour.
1800. At a town meeting held Oct. 27, in regard to dividing the town, it was voted that the division should "begin at the lower end of Newfound pond between Lots 88 and 89, Second Division, running on the range line to the northeast corner of Lot No. 77, in the Second Division, thence turning and running between Lots 76 and 77 to Lot 90, and by easterly side line of said Lot 90 to southeast corner thereof, thence to run between Lots 38 and 37, First Division." After this vote,
74
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
this subject did not again come up in town meeting for seven- teen years.
1804. A bounty of twenty-five cents was voted for each crow killed in town in May or June of that year. This bounty was continued for several years.
1807. The annual town meeting this year was held at the schoolhouse in District No. I, that stood on the west side of North Main street, just north of Hotel Bristol. It was voted to build "one sufficient pound in the center of the town," and that the selectmen "pitch upon the place where the pound shall stand and superintend the building thereof." It was also voted to buy a standard of weights and measures.
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