USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Claremont > History of the town of Claremont, New Hampshire, for a period of one hundred and thirty years from 1764 to 1894 > Part 6
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During the commotions excited by the stamp act he was careful not to make himself conspicuous in the ranks of either party. At that time he had been in the executive chair twenty-five years, and expected that his successor would soon be appointed. The long term of his administration gives reason to believe that his acts, as a whole, were not oppressive or dissatisfactory to the people. He had become quite wealthy, though it is not charged that he filled his coffers by extortions from the people. His grants of land, profuse and unauthorized, perhaps, in some instances, proved to be of great advantage to New Hampshire in filling up her waste places with 5
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
industrious and enterprising men, and in laying the foundation for that prosperity which ever since his day has marked the progress of the state. Under his administration the town of Claremont was incorporated, as before stated.
Vermont had long been a petitioner for admission into the Union. The boundaries between New Hampshire and Vermont and New York and Vermont having been determined by Congress, and ac- cepted by the Vermont Assembly, and the troubles between the towns bordering on Connecticut river in New Hampshire and Ver- mont having been virtually settled, Vermont was admitted on equal terms with the thirteen original states and became the fourteenth state in the confederacy, by virtue of an act of Congress, signed as follows :
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBURG, Speaker of the House of Representatives ; JOHN ADAMS, Vice President of the United States, and President of the Senate.
APPROVED, February the eighteenth, 1791. GEORGE WASHINGTON, Pres- ident of the United States.
DEPOSITED among the ROLLS of the OFFICE OF THE Secretary of STATE. TH. JEFFERSON, Secretary of State.
Here ended the controversy, and times were much better be- tween New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.
1
CHAPTER IV.
FEDERAL AND STATE CONSTITUTIONS.
FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
At a town meeting held on February 7, 1788, Deacon Matthias Stone was chosen a delegate to a convention at Exeter to "con- sider the Constitution of the United States," and Samuel Ashley, Sanford Kingsbury, David Dodge, Benjamin Tyler, Ambrose Cos- sit, and Elihu Stevens, "were chosen a committee to instruct the delegate how to act."
According to Dr. Belknap's History of New Hampshire, the population of the state in 1788 was about one hundred and thirty-four thousand. The New Hampshire convention met at Exeter, on the thirteenth of February of that year, "for the In- vestigation, Discussion, and Decision of the Federal Constitu- tion." Joseph B. Walker, of Concord, prepared with much pains and skill a history of this convention, which was published in a handsome little volume in 1888, from which most of the facts in relation to its proceedings are derived.
On the first day of the convention there were about fifty dele- gates present and a temporary organization was effected. One hundred and thirteen delegates were returned to the convention from one hundred and seventy-five towns and places. There were eight towns that were not represented at the first session of the convention, and seven at the second. Each town was usually represented by one delegate - Portsmouth, however, sent three and Londonderry two, while several small towns joined and sent but one - Holderness, Campton, and Thornton were repre- sented by Judge Samuel Livermore. Colonel Ebenezer Webster,
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
father of the Hon. Ezekiel and Daniel Webster, was a delegate from Salisbury.
On the second day about one hundred delegates took seats in the convention and a permanent organization was effected by the choice of His Excellency John Sullivan, president, and John Calef, of Hampstead, secretary. Mr. Walker, in his history, says,
A majority of the members were undoubtedly opposed to the Constitution. It- has been alleged that before the delegates had been chosen, active anti-Federal- ists 1 had visited more or less of the towns which were off the more public lines of travel, and induced their citizens, who as yet knew little regarding its pro- visions, to instruct their delegates to vote against it.2
The talent of the convention was decidedly on the side of the Federalists, and a majority of the ablest members were in favor of ratification.3 His Excellency John Sullivan, Hon. Samuel Livermore, chief-justice of the supreme court, Hon. John Taylor Gilman, Hon. John Langdon, as well as other members of com- manding influence, were outspoken and earnest for its adoption. These all worked in harmony to that end.
The opposition was led by Hon. Joshua Atherton, who was earnestly supported by Captain Charles Barrett, Hon. Abel Parker, Rev. William M. Hooper, Deacon Matthias Stone, and others.
It is presumed that Deacon Matthias Stone acted according to the directions given him by the committee chosen by the town of Claremont, to "instruct the delegate how to act," although no record has been found to show what those directions were.
The constitution was considered by paragraphs, and on some of them considerable discussion was had, and continued from day to day, for the ensuing seven days.
For a time the friends of the constitution had hopes of securing its ratification without a recess of the convention. Although a greater number of the members from the upper part of the state came down rather opposed to its adoption, yet on the final question it was hoped that a majority would be found to favor it.+ But these hopes proved delusive. While some of the members who came to the convention instructed to vote against the constitution, had been led by the dis- cussions to a change of opinion and now favored it, they still felt bound by their
1 Those favoring and those opposing the ratification of the Constitution were respect- ively designated as Federalists and anti-Federalists.
2 Massachusetts Centinel, February 27, 1788.
3 Memoir of Joshua Atherton, by Hon. C. H. Atherton.
4 Massachusetts Centinel, February 28, 1788.
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
instructions, and frankly said that if a final vote was to be taken before they had opportunity to consult their constituents their vote would be adverse to ratifica- tion. This would secure a rejection of the constitution, and prejudice unfavora- bly its success in those states where conventions were yet to be held. At the same time the declaration indicated that some of them would array themselves with the friends of the new system of government, could they free themselves of the shackles which bound thern. Under these circumstances it seemed to the friends of the constitution that the wisest course to be pursued was
First, To secure, if possible a recess of the convention.
Second, During the time to effect, as far as practicable, a change in public opinion favorable to the great cause which they had so much at heart, particularly in the towns represented by the delegates above mentioned. Their first effort, therefore, was to secure an adjournment to a future day, sufficiently distant to give time for the contemplated effort.
Mr. Langdon accordingly introduced a resolution to that effect, and urged its passage with his wonted force and eloquence.
Mr. Atherton, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Parker, and Deacon Matthais Stone made speeches in opposition to the adoption of the resolution. After considerable debate the resolution was adopted by only five votes-fifty-six having voted for and fifty-one against its adoption, and the convention adjourned to meet at Concord on the eighteenth day of June, 1788.
To make the constitution operative, nine of the thirteen states of the confederation must ratify it. Before the assembling of the convention six states had ratified it, and between the time of its adjournment, February 21, and its re-assembling, on June 18, Maryland and South Carolina had ratified the constitution, and only one more state was required to make it operative over the whole country; and on the twenty-first of June, 1788, the New Hampshire convention, by a vote of fifty-seven yeas to forty-seven nays, ratified it by a majority of ten votes. Below are given the states, the order in which and the date when each ratified the con- stitution, and their population at the time of taking the first census by the United States government, in August, 1790.
STATES.
DATE OF RATIFICATION.
POPULATION.
Delaware,
December 6, 1787.
59,096
Pennsylvania,
December 12, 1787.
434,373
New Jersey,
December 18, 1787.
184,189
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
STATES.
DATE OF RATIFICATION.
POPULATION.
Georgia,
January 2, 1788.
82,548
Connecticut,
January 9, 1788.
238,141
Massachusetts,
February 6, 1788.
378,717
Maryland,
April 28, 1788.
319,728
South Carolina,
May 23, 1788.
249,073
New Hampshire,
June 21, 1788.
141,899
During the recess the Federalists of New Hampshire were active in their ex- ertions in behalf of the ratification. They were greatly cheered by the results of the conventions held in Maryland and South Carolina-in the first of which ratification was carried on the twenty-sixth day of April by a vote of sixty to eleven, nearly six to one; and in the latter by one hundred and forty-one to sixty-three, or about two to one.
Dr. Bancroft's history says that
The vote on ratification was taken on Saturday, June 21, at one o'clock, P. M. As the glad tidings flew through the land, the hearts of the people thrilled with joy that at last the tree of union was firmly planted.
This action of New Hampshire was regarded all over the coun- try as of very great importance, as it really was, and it was cele- brated with demonstrations of joy by the people of Rockingham county, at Portsmouth, on the twenty-sixth of June, in which many prominent men from other sections of the state took part. The "New Hampshire Gazette and General Advertiser," in an interest- ing account of the celebration, said : "Thursday being the day ap- pointed to celebrate the RATIFICATION of the Federal Constitution by the State of New Hampshire, a numerous concourse of the in- habitants of Portsmouth and neighboring towns being assembled on the Parade, about eleven o'clock an armed ship was espied from the State House bearing down under full sail; being hailed on her approach, she proved to be the ship UNION, Thomas Man- ning, Esq., Commander, from Concord, out five days, bound to the Federal City, all well and in good spirits. About a quarter past eleven she dropped anchor, and having received pilot on board, got under way and joined the procession." Celebrations took place at Salem, Mass., and other places in New England.
The session of the convention which ratified the constitution and thus made it operative as the fundamental law of the land, was held
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
in the Old North Meeting House' at Concord, which made that building ever after one of more than common interest.
Dea. Matthias Stone, the delegate from Claremont in that con- vention, opposed the ratification to the last, and there is no known record nor tradition that the people of this town celebrated the event by any public demonstration.
STATE CONSTITUTION.
On the twenty-eighth day of December, 1775, the fifth and last pro- vincial congress of New Hampshire voted to " take up civil govern- ment, to continue during the present contest with Great Britain, and resolved themselves into a house of representatives, and then chose a council to continue one year from the 21st day of Decem- ber current," and a committee consisting of Matthew Thornton, Mesheck Weare, Ebenezer Thompson, Wyseman Claggett, Benja- min Giles, Joseph Giddings, and Joseph Badger, was appointed " to frame and bring in a draft of a new constitution for the rule and government of the colony." This committee reported on the fifteenth day of January, 1776, and the convention voted " That this congress take up civil government for this colony," and be gov- erned by the constitution as adopted by the convention.
On the seventh of September, 1791, a convention to revise the constitution of the state was held at Concord. Claremont elected Sanford Kingsbury a delegate to this convention. Four sessions, occupying thirty-six days, were held before the work of revision was completed. The constitution as amended was approved by the people and it went into effect in June, 1793. By it the title of President for the chief executive was changed to that of Governor.
At a town meeting on May 7, 1792,
Voted to choose a committee to take into consideration the Constitution with the amendments and report thereon.
The following persons were appointed that committee: "Jabez Upham, Esq., Thomas Sterne, Ebenezer Rice, Elihu Stevens, Esq.,
1 This building was sold to private parties, turned into a tenement house, occupied as such several years, and was destroyed by fire on the night of Nov. 28, 1870.
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
Ambrose Cossit, Esq., Ezra Jones, John W. Russel, George Hub- bard, Nathan Smith, Josiah Stevens, Giddeon Handerson, and John Strobridge."
At a meeting held on the twenty-first of the same month this committee submitted the following report :
Agreeable to the vote of said Town the Committee have met and taken into consideration the constitution with the amendments agree to report as followeth, viz - That the several amendments be accepted except the addition to the sixth article under the head of Bill of rights in the first amendment and the forty- ninth Amendment under the head of secretary &c.
Attest
AMBROSE COSSITT, Clerk for the Committee.
This constitution continued the fundamental law of the state for nearly sixty years. It provides that "the general court shall, at the expiration of seven years from the time this constitution shall take effect, issue precepts, or direct them to be issued from the secretary's office, to the several towns and incorporated places, to elect delegates to meet in convention for the purposes aforesaid ; the said delegates to be chosen in the same manner and propor- tioned as the representatives to the general assembly ; provided, that no alteration shall be made in the constitution before the same shall be laid before the towns and incorporated places, and approved by two-thirds of the qualified voters present and voting upon the question."
The following table, found in " The New Hampshire Manual for the General Court," compiled by Hosea B. Carter, Actuary, shows the dates of the action on the approval of the several acts of the legislature subsequent to 1793, providing for taking the sense of the qualified voters on the expediency of calling a convention to revise the constitution, and the aggregate affirmative and negative votes on the question, as returned to the secretary.
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
DATE OF ACT.
YEA.
NAY.
1799
December 13,
2,478
4,246
1806
June 11,
1,722
10,903
1820.
December 11,
2,407
13,853
1833
January 5,
4,623
11,818
1833.
July 6,
5,973
12,183
1837
July 1,
2,821
16,830
1844.
June 19,
10,855
20,994
1846
July 10,
4,583
12,415
1849
July 7,
28,877
14,482
1857
June 27,
2,822
18,449
1860
July 4,
11,078
9,753
1862
July 9,
1,044
12,428
1864.
August 19,
18,422
15,348
1868.
July 2,
No vote on record.
1869
July 8,
No vote on record.
1875.
July 2,
28,771
10,912
1883
July 27,
13,036
14,120
1885
August 13,
11,466
10,213
The act of the legislature of 1849, authorizing the calling of a convention in 1850, to revise the constitution, as will be seen, was approved by a large majority of the voters of the state. Delegates were chosen on the eighth of October, and the convention met at Concord on the sixth of November, 1850. The delegates from Claremont were John S. Walker, P. C. Freeman, and William Rossiter.
Forty thousand dollars had been appropriated by the legislature to pay the expenses of the convention; the people called for but few amendments to their fundamental law, and expected a short session. But the convention sat forty-six days, the cost far exceeded the appropriation, and it adopted fifteen amendments. The people were indignant and the voters by a large majority rejected all of the proposed amendments. The convention reassembled on the sixteenth of April, 1851, and having ascertained the result of the vote, adopted the following to be voted on at the annual town meeting in 1852: 1st. To abolish the property qualification; 2d. To abolish the religious test; 3d. To empower the legislature to originate future amendments to the constitution and send them
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
out to the people for acceptance or rejection. The first of these amendments was adopted by a two-thirds vote, and the other two were rejected.
This was a notable convention, composed of able men from all over the state. Franklin Pierce, afterwards president of the United States, was president; Thomas J. Whipple, secretary ; and Charles H. Bell, afterward governor of the state, assistant secretary.
In 1860 the votes as returned were 11,078 in favor and 9,753 against calling a convention to revise the constitution. In view of the small number of votes cast, probably, the legislature did not pass an act authorizing it. In 1864 the returns showed 18,422 as voting in favor and 15,348 against calling a convention, and the legislature did not pass the necessary act. In 1875, the legislature passed an enabling act, which was approved by a vote 28,771 in favor and 10,912 against it. A convention was called and assembled at Concord on December 6, 1876, was in session eleven days, proposed several amendments, all but two of which were ratified by the voters. This amended constitution provides, amongst other things, for biennial elections for state and county officers; biennial sessions of the legislature, and for twenty-four instead of twelve state senators. The delegates from Claremont to this convention were : John S. Walker, George H. Stowell, Nathaniel Tolles, Stephen F. Rossiter, and Albert F. Winn.
In 1885 the vote in favor of a convention was 11,466, against it 10,213, and the legislature passed an act providing for one, which met at Concord on January 2, 1889, did its business, and adjourned on the eleventh of the same month. It proposed several amend- ments - one of which was changing the time of the sessions of the legislature from June to December -all but two of which were adopted by the people at the annual town meeting in March. The Claremont delegates to this convention were Ira Colby, George H. Stowell, Robert E. Mussey, and Israel D. Hall.
CHAPTER V.
COUNTY OF SULLIVAN.
Prior to 1771 the sessions of the legislature, and of the courts for the province of New Hampshire, were held at Portsmouth. In that year the province was divided, by act of the legislature, with the approval of the King, into five counties, and they were named by the Governor, Rockingham, Hillsborough, Cheshire, Strafford, and Grafton. After the settlement of their several boundaries separate courts were established in Rockingham, Hillsborough, and Cheshire. The counties of Strafford and Grafton, being sparsely settled, were attached to the judicial circuit of Rockingham, till the Governor and Council should deem them competent to exercise separate jurisdictions; and this was so ordered in 1773. Sub- sequently, from time to time, other counties were created and their boundaries defined by the legislature.
Cheshire county extended north from the line of the state of Massachusetts to the line of Grafton county, about sixty-five miles, and east from the west bank of Connecticut river, about twenty miles to the lines of Hillsborough and Merrimack counties, em- bracing thirty-eight towns in its territory. Courts were held alternately at Keene and Charlestown, at each of which places was a jail. To better accommodate the business of the northern part of the county, in 1824, the legislature passed an act that the May term of the Supreme court should be removed from Charlestown to Newport.
In June, 1826, the question of a division of Cheshire county came before the legislature. There was considerable opposition to the division, but finally an act passed to submit the question of division
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
to the voters of the several towns in Cheshire county, and also, in case of a division, the question as to whether the courts and county buildings should be located at Claremont or Newport. There was much discussion among the people upon both of these questions, but the result was decidedly in favor of a division and of Newport as the county seat.
The proposed new county was to comprise the towns of Acworth, Charlestown, Claremont, Cornish, Croydon, Goshen, Grantham, Langdon, Lempster, Newport, Plainfield, Springfield, Sunapee, Unity, and Washington.
In 1827 the subject came again before the legislature; and while it was pending, a name for the new county was being considered. In a letter to the author of this history from George W. Nesmith, dated July 23, 1878, among other things, he gives an interesting account of the way in which the name of Sullivan was settled upon, as follows :
The friends of the new county had assembled in the library room in the old state house in Concord, and were carrying on an earnest discussion upon the subject of the most appropriate name for the proposed new county. We recollect the name of Sunapee had advocates. Others objected. Amid the dis- cussion, Colonel Cheney of Newport arose and said - "I will now propose a name against which no one can find objection. It is Sullivan - a name distinguished in our history and held in reverence by all our people. For him, who as a gen- eral, often for many years led our armies and exposed his life in battle with the enemies of our country ; and as a civilian, frequently represented us ably in Congress; who presided over the convention which brought our state constitu- tion into existence ; who served us in the capacity of attorney-general and chief magistrate for many years, and who has left us a rich legacy in his living and accomplished sons. For this man I propose the name of our new county." All opposition was hushed and the name of Sullivan was adopted. At this time we were standing near Jona. Smith, representative from Peterborough, and James Thom, representative of Londonderry. Smith remarked to Thom, "That name settles the new county ;" " Yes," says Thom," the charm of Sullivan's name will bring Rockingham and Strafford to the support of the bill, and Hubbard, with all his ability and adroitness, may as well hang up his fiddle." So you see the virtue of a good name in all times of need.
On July 5, 1827, the act incorporating the county of Sullivan was passed, to take effect the following September.
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
Sullivan county is about thirty miles long from north to south, by about twenty miles wide from east to west. It is bounded on the north by Lebanon, Enfield, and Grafton in Grafton county ; on the east by Wilmot, New London, Newbury, and Bradford, in Merrimack county, and Hillsborough and Windsor in Hills- borough county ; and on the south by Stoddard, Marlow, Alstead, and Walpole in Cheshire county; on the west by Rockingham, Springfield, Weathersfield, Windsor, and Hartland in the state of Vermont. Its population, according to the census of 1890, was 17,304.
Sunapee lake- about ten miles long and from two to three miles wide - with an elevation above the level of the sea of 1,103 feet, and 820 feet above the Connecticut at the mouth of Sugar river, is partly in the town of Sunapee, in Sullivan county, and partly in the towns of New London and Newbury, in Mer- rimack county. In the last few years this beautiful lake has attracted large numbers of city people seeking a quiet, inexpen- sive, and healthful spot in which to pass a summer vacation. Its waters are full of choice fish, and on its surface are five steam- boats and other craft, for business and the accommodation of pleasure seekers. The highest point of land in this county is Croydon mountain, with an elevation of 2,789 feet above sea level. From its summit a large part of the area of the county may be seen, while on Connecticut river are some of the best farms in the state, and Sugar river furnishes motive power for many im- portant industries in Claremont, Newport, and Sunapee.
CHAPTER VI.
BOUNDARIES - NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS - LOCALITIES - VILLAGE IN 1822.
The town of Claremont, as originally granted, was six miles square, and contained twenty-four thousand acres. In 1828, by act of the legislature, a tract of land nearly a mile long, and a little more than a half mile wide, embracing what have been known as the Francis Whitcomb, Jacob Smith, Winthrop Sargent, Ira Colby, and Joshua Colby farms, was set off from the town of Unity on to Claremont. The town is bounded on the north ยท by Cornish, east by Newport, south by Unity and Charlestown, and west by Charlestown and the west bank of the Connecticut river at Weathersfield, Vermont.
The altitudes above tide-water or sea-level of different localities in Claremont and of Sunapee lake, in feet and hundredths of a foot, as obtained from a reliable source, are as follows :
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