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 7
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
Soldiers' monument, Central park . 567.47
Railroad station 543.10
Junction railroad station . 473.25
Sunapee lake, high water ·
1,103.22
It is in latitude 43° 22" north, and longitude 4° 46" east from Washington.
This is the largest town in point of business, valuation, popu- lation, and importance in the western part of New Hampshire. There are but few, if there are any, towns in the state which possess so many natural advantages and striking beauties as Clare- mont. Some of these are her fertile meadows and uplands ; high hills, cultivated or grazed to their very tops; large and produc-
EP
HIRA BECKWITH'S, RESIDENCE.
DAJ.Hood.
I Colby
R
REVE
S.PIce Co.
SoupMfg.
F. CKelsey
Miss M.Keuting
EB.Heywood
J.Kelsey' R.King Mrs.D.W.
DE,C.Kelsey
M.Mills
DELmer
WALL
ST.
Alden Fund
ivanHo.
J.F.Blake
I.Proctor,
F.Paulett
ABS.Sh,
ST.
TREMONT
DEArpin
JS.Babcock
JJE Cullough
AT. Cowles
JW.M.Smith.
Baken
Mrs.H.Parmelee
S.H.
+
+
Burrill
Univ;Chỉ
+
Cemetery
+
+
Mrs.H.Healey
CHAPEL ST.
Epis.Ch.
MTs.H. Healey
J. Emerson Est,
Mrs.M.EPartridge
Rectory
C.B.Spofford
Mrs.J.Collins
B.I.Lewis.
C.B.Spufford
Mrs.H.ADickinson.
H.Ferguson
Mrs.H.Roondye
J.L.Farwell.
ST.
PUTNAM
H.Bailey
S.H.
A.T.Cowles.
G.L.Balcom
ST.
F.CKelsey
E.F.Johnson F.CKelsey
E.F.Johnson
DJ.0'Neill
: 6,Page
DE.Bordo
HIGH
BROAD
A.H. MUELLER, LITH. PHILADA.
P. Raymond.
E.B.Heywood Mrs.C.M.Atherton D.Livingston
JAWinn> F.M.Palmele
Miss.K.Kennedy S.X.Lefevbre Mrs.E.Markolf
The Plains
V.C Bunrmuff .
TOWN OF CLAREMONT. SULLIVAN CO. N H.
A
LE Bancroft
ONION
GEM.
CHURCH
GATH CHE
CATH CEM J Potoslcd .
" Trbbles
A Marshall
West Claremont P. O. TOWN OF CLAREMONT, SULLIVAN GO N H.
EB.Rup
Chas Fletcher
J Tyler Est .
Elchuhurst .
.
.
P.U
C. S.Eastnum
HOTEL # G P.Cross
J.S.Furrington
E. M. Gurdort
I.PO Coburn
COY PAPER
CO.
.
s.r.
+
+
.
Thịv.Chỉ.
f
Cemetery
Miss.R.Colby-
Grø. P. JE.D.Boker Hunton MA.Dickinson HIS.
ST.
A.R.Cummings
TRINITY ST.
FBHeywood
CHAPEL
ST.
E.D.Baker
R.EMiller
A.Childs Est .
ELNoves
WMSmith-
JC.L.Martin
J. Emerson Est --
Mrs M.EPartridge
M.S Rossiter
yLA Hannaford.
Rectory
C.B.Spafford
3Mrs.J.Collins
G.W. Hotden
ST.
B.P.Lewis
C.B.Spofford
Mrs.H.ADickinson.
Mrs.B. Judkins
Mrsw Clark
Mrs.Hi.Roonid
Wilkinson
PINE
H.Holt D
J.J . Forwell
ST.
Mrs.S.M Chellis
ED.Baker
Seule of Fert
F.Jewett
P.Locke
C.K.Baker
( Mitchell
MIDDLEST.
G.V.
R.B.Tenney Parwell
RIVER
Bs.P.Icc l'o.
Soap Afg.
F. CKelser
Miss M Keuttinut
JĄCKelsey
Mrs.F.Markolf
M.Mills
FAHeywood J.Kelses. R.King
D.Livingston
J.AWinn F.M.Paluitte
Alden Fund.
Sullivan Ho.
J F.Blake
1.Proctor 1
P. Raymond.
ST.
TREMONT
K.F.Johnson
DEl'Kelsey
&.Babcock'
JJE Cu llough
A.P. Cowles
O.J.0' Neill.
G,Paye DE.Bordo
JW'MSmith
Enge
UNION BLOCK
F.H.Brown
Advocate
csAllen
G.H.Stowell
PARK
+
+
Mrs.H.Healey
R.Jarvis Est,
Hotel Belmont E.Bitch wood
Allen'est
Epis,Ch,
Mrs. Il. Healey
.
FM Bradford
10 20 yo Rods
RFTone
B.Emerson
MVorvin
HS ..
G.D.Wolcott
Osgoed
SCHOOL
ST.
C.l. Martin
Vraf.L. Perry
DGW. Nichols
G.W. Fitch
F.S.Rund.
Cong.Ch .
H.Ferguson
Mrs Ff
Explanation. PUBLIC BUILDINGS & ]BUSINESS BLOCKS
9 50 100
300
RESIDEN GES .
P. Locke O
Monadnock Mills
-
SUGAR
MAIN
T. D. Kımban
Baker &Lincoln Miss J'Pupper
Sisabine
CRESCENT
Claremont
Star
Building Association
ST.
testone
Inckinson
&W Hale
BEK
Untel.
.Bach
Est
Forwell BAN
Dickinson Est
SULLIVAN
ST.
MisIKlook
E.D.Baker
Mrs.Il.Parmelee
TOWTLE Hall
Batten
Mis.O. Robinson Betsy-WEstgat
FRANKLIN
CentrePart of CLAREMONT, P.O. TOWN OF CLAREMONT. SULLIVAN, CO. N.H.
BROAD
PUTNAM A.P.Costes
H. Bailey
.S.H.
G.L.Batcom
A H MUELLER, LITH PHILADA
Miss.K.Kennedy SX.Lefevbre
ST.
WALL
Manadu
ST.
Mills
F.B.Herwood
Mrs CMAtherion
Mrs P.M.Woodbury Jr. OBWay
ST.
ST.
DE Paulet!
JAssh .
It.k.
D.A.J.Hood
I Colby
MMM.
VissB.
Denison.Brost
Rice
Miss
.I.Kempton 7
Mrs.V.L. Jewett
J.L.Fhrwell Mrs.L. Bingham
PLEASANT
ST.
HIGH
S.S.RAnd
Burrill
ST.
RF.Johnson
WATER
enis14 odT THOMBRAND 70 KWOT .H.N .00 NAVIJJUZ
CEW
Tirdina
2 1001 08
09
.О Ч ТoнoвIO JaoW HOO NAVISJUZ , TROMSRAJO 70 WWOT
. УЛЯЯЗ
.
Co b-
ТТ И|Ят
bruttomad MAX
екс Я ор.
S
1
О.А.тиомняк. TMEMBRAID 30 \WOT .HW OD WAVIJJUZ
001 0
T
71
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
tive farms, on which are neat, substantial, and capacious buildings and good fences, indicating abodes of taste, intelligence, and thrift ; and rapid and useful rivers and brooks. There is an air of prosperity, plenty, comfort, and contentment throughout the town found in but few places of similar size anywhere.
The village is situated about three miles due east from Con- necticut river, near the geographical center of the town, occupies a large and varied area, and through it, from east to west, runs Sugar river. The fall of this river is about three hundred feet in the town, about one hundred and fifty feet of which is in the village, in a distance of half a mile. Each foot of fall is capable of turning one thousand spindles. This water power, though not fully, is pretty well occupied. Here is an abundant market for all the wood and farm products of this and the surrounding towns, and it is the center of trade for the western part of the county of Sullivan and adjacent towns in Vermont.
In the village are extensive and prosperous manufacturing establishments, workshops, excellent hotels, national and savings banks, stores with stocks of goods the equal of the best found in cities; church, school, and other substantial and handsome public buildings; private residences -all comfortable, many of them large and elegant, with well kept lawns, and fruit, flower, and vegetable gardens. Two aqueducts supply an abundance of pure water for drinking and culinary purposes, and hydrants dis- tributed all about the village, with pressure sufficient to carry streams over the highest buildings, with electric fire alarm, steam fire engine and good apparatus, and a well organized department for extinguishing fires, render property reasonably secure from destruction by this element. The streets, public buildings, stores, offices, and residences are lighted by gas and electricity ; and on most of the streets are concrete and other good side and cross walks. These, with the excellent high and graded schools and large free library, make the village and town a desirable place of residence.
The hills and mountains in and about Claremont form a land- scape which is a continual source of pleasure and pride to her
72
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
citizens, and of admiration to visitors. There are gentle and graceful elevations in the north, Green mountain in the east, Flat Rock and Bible hill in the south, and Trisback hill and Barbouis mountain in the west part of the town; while Ascutney mountain, just across Connecticut river in Vermont - an isolated, conical elevation of more than three thousand feet above the valley, with its ever changing lights and shades, in full view from many points in Claremont -is claimed by her people as a kind of inheritance. These hills and mountains are covered with fresh, living green in summer, all the varied, rich, warm tints in autumn, and a thick mantle of snow in winter, producing scenes of unsur- passed beauty.
The roads in Claremont, as a matter of pride and economy, are kept in good condition, and the drives in almost every direc- tion are varied, attractive, and pleasant. Newport, Cornish Flat, and Windsor, Vt., are each ten miles distant, and Charlestown twelve. In going to either of these places, one road may be taken, and another in returning, making an agreeable variety. Few towns are more generally healthy. It is free from epidemics or prevailing sickness of any kind, which is accounted for by the character of the soil, pure water, and entire exemption from fogs and the causes of them, or malarial influences of any kind.
LOCALITIES,
Many years ago certain localities in town became distinguished by such names as Puckershire, a neighborhood about two miles east from the village, on the new road to Newport; Bible Hill, an eminence south of the village; Green Mountain, a picturesque hill northeast of the village; Cat-Hole, north of Green Mountain ; Hop-Yard, in the northeast corner of the town; Slab City, about two miles north of the village, and Dog Hollow, in the vicinity of the Sullivan House. There is no record as to the origin of the names as applied to these localities, and the traditions are various and conflicting in regard to them; nor is it essential to know why or by whom they were thus designated, since the names were accepted long ago, and will probably continue many years to come.
--
$ CREDFELD
MONTHLOT
STORE CIGARS
EAST SIDE OF TREMONT SQUARE.
THE BILL BARNES HOMESTEAD.
73
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
CLAREMONT VILLAGE IN 1822.
Dr. James Hall, in a letter published in the "National Eagle," describing Claremont in 1822, when he lived here, is of interest, and liberal extracts are given from it. Dr. Hall died near Bal- timore, Md., in 1888.
The township then contained some three thousand inhabitants; was entitled to two representatives in the state legislature, and was considered a wealthy town with great possibilities, dependent upon its valuable and easily utilized water power. But I propose merely to speak of the village, the contrast in that between the then and now being greater.
Five main roads entered the village, connecting it with the adjacent towns and villages. The Windsor, or Cornish river road, entered on the north side of Sugar river, joining the Newport road at the upper bridge and dam. At the eastern or southern extremity of the Plain, as it was then called, the Unity road entered -the one now leading to Newport. The Charlestown road, or the one leading through North Charlestown, left the village by the back street, or " sandhill" way, and a half mile or so forked, one branch passing over the hill due south, the other deflecting to intersect the river road from Charlestown to Cornish. Another road led directly west from the village center to the west part, or " Union church."
The actual number of buildings and population can be better calculated by tracing one of these roads to the village center, beginning with the Windsor road. The first house on coming in sight of the churches, after rising a steep sand hill from a swampy bottom, was one of two stories, and occupied by Bill Barnes, a well-to-do farmer, near which was that of his son-in-law, Mr. Eastman, a tanner; next the low dwelling and shop of Jotham Willard, a blacksmith ; next Linus Stevens's house and shop, a carpenter ; next and near it, the dwelling of Oliver Hubbard, wagon maker, with his shop underneath, - the last three all on the southeast side of the road. Nearly opposite the last named, on a slight elevation, was the two-story house of Walter Bingham; further on on the same side the two story dwelling and small shop of Eliel Parmelee, shoe- maker. Nearly opposite these last and under the hill, were two or three low dwellings, occupied by the overseer and operatives of a paper mill. On the north side, next comes the large square house of Mrs. Clarke, and a small unoccupied store with stable and shed- the house afterwards a tavern. At this point we come to a triangular square covered mainly by logs for sawing, and sawed lumber, often blocking the roadway leading through it. On the north side, or base, of this triangle was the large dwelling and out-houses of Col. David Dexter, and a small house further on, occupant not remembered;
6
74
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
the south side of the place was covered by the miller's house, saw and grist mills and smith shop of Col. Dexter. On the east was the store of Samuel Fiske, Esq., bordering on the Newport road, which joins the Windsor road at the bridge. On the road north of Fiske's store were two or three small dwellings occupied by one Fargo, the bell ringer, and a man named Russell; farther out, and still to be reckoned iu the village, were the residences of Mr. Abraham Fisher, Mr. Patch, and Mr. Handerson, a tanner, all men of means, independent. This list comprises every dwelling and shop on the north side of the river, excepting a small dwelling between Fiske's store and the bridge. On crossing the bridge we come to three one story dwellings on the left, one owned and occupied by Stephen Starbird, tailor; next, on the same side, the three story tavern house of Daniel Chase, with extensive stables and yards. On the oppo- site, or west side from the bridge, is the gristmill of Col. Stevens, and the low dwelling and saddler's shop of Capt. Matthew Porter -the latter on a corner formed by a cross road leading to the dwelling house of Col. Stevens, on a level with the Plain or common.
To return. Ascending a sandy hill from Chase's tavern, we come to the Plain with the meeting-house, now town house, on the right and back and east of the roadway, the burying place, then the only cemetery near the village. Back of this, on the hill, was an unfinished brick dwelling, afterwards owned and occupied by Dr. Josiah Richards, then the only building of any kind east of the Plain. The octagon brick church, Episcopal, nearly shut in the path to the hill back -hardly a road. South of the church, on the east side of the Plain, follow in order, first, a one story house owned by Walter Bingham; a one story dwelling occupied by Dr. Richards; a two story brick dwelling and small store or shop of George Fiske; a low dwelling of Reverend Jonathan Nye, and small shop near it; then a low brick building and brick law office of Asa Holton, Esq .; next a low dwelling, afterwards a two story brick, and shoe shop of John Farwell; then a small house, or hnt, of Josiah Holt, hatter. Then comes the swamp, south of which, on the corner of the road leading to Unity, is a one story dwelling. On this road east were two low dwellings and the two story house of Mr. Brooks, tanner, with yard and shop.
Returning to the Plain we find nothing more on the east, but the dwelling of Ambrose Cossit, Esq., fronts us from the ultimate south limit of the Plain across the gully, as it then was. From Mr. Cossit's house a cross road passes to the Charlestown road, on which there was one dwelling, shop, and outbuild- ings, occupied by a Mr. Barrett, and a shoe manufacturer named Alcock, or Otis, afterwards. Recrossing the gully, passing north on the south side of the Plain, we come first to a large dwelling and outbuildings owned and occupied by Dr. Timothy Gleason; next to this a like establishment of Samuel Fiske, Esq., at the southwest corner of a cross street leading to what was then called the back way, or Charlestown road. On this cross street were two dwellings, that of Rev. J. B. Howe, and one of Peter Parmelee, with the cabinet maker's
UPPER IRON BRIDGE.
75
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
shop of Mr. Parmelee. On the northwest corner Cross street with the Plain, and opposite the dwelling of Esquire Fiske, was the law office and dwelling of George B. Upham, Esq. Continuing north, next come the store, postoffice, and dwelling of John Tappan, Esq., formerly a congregational clergyman. Next, the store of Glidden & Dean, with dwelling of Mr. Dean and family overhead. Next the shoe factory and large brick dwelling of Nicholas Farwell. Further on, at an angle in the west line of the Plain, is a shop and one story dwelling, afterwards owned and occupied by Captain Porter, before mentioned. Next, the hat factory and dwelling of Nathan Bingham. Next the dwelling of Josiah Stevens, Jr. Next that of Godfrey Stevens, his yard including the entire ground between the back street and the Plain. On this back street was a range of large barns and yards fronting on it, and but one dwelling, that of Alvah Stevens. Immediately west of the Congregational church, now town house, was a long, low building, apparently extended at different periods, the store of Josiah Stevens & Sons. Directly opposite, at the angle of the road leading west, was the dwelling of Col. Josiah Stevens, afterwards extended and called the Tremont House. On the road west, after passing barn yards on one side and a range of outbuildings, wood-yard, and sheds on the other, comes a low tene- ment house on the right; then the dwelling of Thomas Woolson, at the angle of a road leading down to the river. On this road was the dwelling of Ros- well Elmer, and a small one and shop of "Cooper Smith."
Returning to the road leading west we find the shop of Woolson & Elmer, a machine card factory; then a dwelling of Colonel Booth, and also a small one occupied by a Miss Petty, an elderly maiden lady. From this, on the top of the hill, none other till we come to the dwelling and outbuildings of Eph- raim Tyler on the right, nearly opposite a by-road leading to the Charlestown road, some half a mile away. On this road is the two-story dwelling of Austin Tyler, and further on, a smaller one occupied by a Mr. Draper, house painter. At the angle formed by this road and the one leading west, is a small dwelling and shop occupied by a Mr. Turner, a wheelwright. From this a road leads to the river, which is here crossed by a bridge, and then extends to intersect the Windsor road at our place of starting. On the east or south side of the river, just above the bridge, are the grist and sawing mills of Ephraim Tyler & Sons; on the north side a carding machine and possibly clothing works of Benjamin Meacham.
This rough sketch, at random, from memory, extending back sixty and odd years, embraces nearly every dwelling house, name of occupant, and the various shops and stores in the village of Claremont in 1822. The general summary shows some sixty dwellings in all, twenty on the north side and forty on the south side of the river. Allowing six people to a house, a fair estimate, the village then contained 360 souls, or making allowance for oversight, say 400. By no fair calculation could it reach 500.
USE OF THE WATER POWER. The upper dam, where the main bridge crosses
76
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
the stream, supplies the saw and grist mill of Colonel Dexter, together with his smithing works, scythe factory, etc., on the north side; and the grist mill of Colonel Stevens on the south side. The second dam supplies the paper mill of Josiah Stevens & Sons, and the fulling mill and clothing works of Walter Bingham on the north side, and the casting, stove, sheetiron, and carding ma- chine factory of Woolson & Elmer on the south. A small, low dam further west is used by Mr. Eastman, the tanner. The fourth dam runs the mill of Ephraim Tyler & Son, and the carding machine of Benjamin Meacham. There were four stores in the village, nearly, in capital employed and business, as in order named: Josiah Stevens & Sons, Samuel Fiske, Glidden & Dean, and George Fiske. They were supplied with goods mainly from Boston; the merchants generally visiting the then town, after a city, twice a year, and the hauling to and from was mainly done by a six horse wagon owned and driven by one Hazeltine.
The business which brought money to the village was the extensive morocco shoe factories of Nicholas and John Farwell and Cyrus B. Alcock, or Otis. They were, in number of hands engaged and work marketed, nearly in the order above, or perhaps the factory of Nicholas Farwell equalled those of the other two. The product of all was marketed in Vermont or northern New Hamp- shire, supplanting all others, from the excellence of the work.
The next production for export was that of Woolson & Elmer, consisting of machine cards and iron castings, stoves of sheet and cast iron, etc. The ma- chine card and shoe manufacture afforded remunerative labor for many women and children, in shoe binding and lining and setting the wire teeth in the leathers of the cards.
The paper mill furnished an article of export. The scythe factory also, and possibly the three tanneries, especially that of Mr. Eastman, did more than supply the home demand.
The professions of law, medicine, and theology were filled by couples, two of each, in order as below : Messrs. Upham and Holton in law, Doctors Richards and Gleason in medicine, and Reverends Nye and Howe as pastors or preachers. Occasionally a Methodist preacher held services in some hall or schoolhouse, but no church building existed at that time of that denomination, nor of the Baptist, either.
It is not my intent to characterize the town, village, or individuals, but merely to show what might be called in modern parlance the plant of the village, the number and locality of the dwellings, the names of their occupants, and to sketch briefly the various industries of the place. Were a citizen asked as to the general character of the village as to business, the answer would have been, "a very dull place, a dead-and-alive place." This was the character of the village at that time, at home and in the neighboring towns and villages, mainly owing, I think, to the lack of business capacity or enterprise of its merchants or traders. The stock of goods in any and all the stores merely covered
-
*.
ART PUBLISHING CO
GEORGE H. STOWELL'S RESIDENCE.
77
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
articles of every day use and necessity of what we might call common people. The best shopping was done in Windsor, some in Newport, and I well recol- lect one, in want of a buffalo robe, sought it successfully in Unity.
Although a dull place the people were mostly, even for that day, a moral and a religious people or community. They were about evenly divided in politics and religion, but in both quite tolerant.
What Claremont lacked at that time was a printing office, a bank, a library, or a bookstore at least, an apothecary, a jeweler, a milliner. It had not even a fire engine.
My self-imposed task is done in placing before you the then. You have the now. The change is no way remarkable in this country, even in New England. It is rather remarkable that it has been so long in coming. I am sensible this sketch can interest no one except a resident of the village at this time, and of those only the curious. Were the ground plotted and the various improvements jotted down, even on a rough lithograph, it would be of more interest and worthy of preservation.
DR. OSMON B. WAY'S RESIDENCE.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
CHAPTER VII.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
In 1771 the entire number of the inhabitants of the town was less than fifty, and of these only a portion remained here during the winter. Up to this time no steps had been taken to secure the permanent settlement of a minister. The greater part of the set- tlers belonged to the Congregational church - the prevailing theo- logical system of New England-and unless a person was connected with some ecclesiastical body of a different denomination, he was compelled to pay taxes for the support of this society, was con- sidered as under its spiritual guidance, to some extent subject to its jurisdiction, and the authority was exercised to enforce the collec- tion of taxes without regard to the condition of membership.
From an early period of the settlement of the town, a portion of the inhabitants had formed themselves into an ecclesiastical body and observed religious services regularly on the Sabbath. Samuel Cole, who came here in 1767, was appointed their reader, and to some degree supplied the lack of a settled minister. He was a graduate of Yale college, and for many years was very useful as an instructor of youth. At a meeting of a few of the inhabitants in- terested in the Congregational denomination early in the spring of 1771, Thomas Gustin suggested that it was a duty binding upon all to adopt immediate measures for the settlement of a minister of the gospel; that the settlement was sufficiently large and able to support a religious teacher ; and besides, the share of land reserved by the charter for the first settled minister would enable him to furnish himself with a portion of his subsistence, and to some ex- tent lighten the burden of the community. He urged immediate
82
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
action, lest this share of land should fall to some other society by a prior compliance on its part with the terms of the charter.
Accordingly, at a town meeting on May 9, 1771, at the house of Thomas Jones, "warned according to law," Thomas Gustin was chosen moderator. It was
Voted that we will call a Minister to come and preach the Gospel among us on Probation in order to settle in the Gospel ministry among us. Voted in the Affirmative, Thos. Gustin, Wm. Sumner, Ebenezer Skinner, Capt. B. Sumner, Jacob Rice, Joseph Wright, John Kilborn, Asaph Atwater, John Spencer, Asa Jones, Jonas Stewart, Barnabas Ellis, Joseph Ives, Joseph Hubbard, Berialı Mur- ry, Amaziah Wright, Gid'n Lewis, Timothy Dustin, and Thos. Dustin. In the Negative, Amos York, Oliver Ashley, and Moses Spaford. Capt. B. Sumner, and Messrs Thos. Gustin, and Samuel Ashley chose a committee to call a Min- ister to settle among us. Voted to apply to Mr. Elijah Parsons to come and preach the Gospel among us on probation in order to settle with us. But if he fails to apply to Dr. Wheelock for advice who to apply to in his room.
December 10th, A. D. 1771. A meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Claremont qualified to vote in common affairs of the town, warned according to Law, at the South School House. Samuel Chase, Esq., was chosen Moderator. Voted to give Mr. George Wheaton a call, and do call Mr. George Wheaton to settle among us in the work of the Gospel Ministry agreeable to the Congrega- tional or Cambridge Platform. For encouragement for Mr. Wheaton to settle with us we do agree and vote to give Mr. Wheaton the Ministerial Right of Land given to the Town by Charter for the first settled Minister, and also Fifty Pounds Lawful Money, fifteen to be paid in money and the rest to be paid in specie for building at money price. At the same meeting voted to give Mr. Wheaton for Salary forty-five Pounds Lawful money for the first year, and to rise five Pounds pr. year until it amounts to Eighty Pounds, one half to be paid in money yearly and the rest to be paid in provision at money price, and that to be his stated salary. Moses Spafford and William Porter protested against the whole proceedings of the meeting and ordered their protest to be recorded. At the same meeting Voted to choose a Committee to present the doings of this meeting to Mr. Wheaton, and to agree with him upon the conditions above men- tioned and to make suitable return to the Town of Claremont. At the same meeting Messrs Phineas Fuller, Capt. B. Sumner, Ebenezer Skinner, and Dr. Sumner chosen a committee for the purpose aforesaid. At the same meeting Voted to adjourn this meeting to this place until next tuesday come sevenight at 10 o'Clock in the morning.
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.