USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Exeter > History of the town of Exeter, New Hampshire > Part 15
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Christopher Lawson,
1644
Nicholas Listen, 1654, 5, 7, 62, 6
Elward Hilton,
1645, 6, 1651
John Warren, 1655, 7
Anthony Stanyan,
1645, 6
William Moore,
1647, 54, 8, 71, 2,
Jonathan Thing, 1658, 61, 8, 71, 2, 6,82,3
91, 4, 9
Nicholas Smith, 1658
James Wall,
1647,9
John Tedd,
1658, 62
John Legat,
1647-1650
John Folsom, 1660, 8, 91
Godfrey Dearborn,
1648
Thomas Biggs, 1660
John Cram,
1648, 9
Ralph Hall, 1666, 73, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 80
Henry Roby,
1650
Samuel Leavitt, 1675, 91, 6
Thomas King, 1650, 2, 8, 62
1651
Elward Gilman,
1680, 1, 2, 3, 90
John Gilman, 1652, 4, 5, 7, 61, 8, 71,
2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 87
John Folsom, Jr., 1681, 96
Thomas Pettit,
1652
Moses Leavitt,
1682, 3, 91, 6
John Robinson,
1653, 61, 6, 73
Biley Dudley, 1687, 90, 4, 5, 9, 1700
Elward Smith, 1679, 80
Nathaniel Drake,
Kinsley Hall, 1681, 90, 3
149
HISTORY OF EXETER.
John Wadleigh, 1687
William Hilton, 1690
Cornelius Conner, 1720
Francis Lyford, 1690
Ephraim Folsom,
1691
Theophilus Dudley, 1693, 4, 5, 9
Richard Hilton, 1693, 1701, 2, 3, 7, 8,15
John Wilson, 1693
Robert Smart, Sr., 1694
Moses Gilman, Jr.,
1694
Jonathan Robinson,
1695
Henry Wadleigh, 1695
James Sinclair,
1695, 1700, 6, 21
Winthrop Hilton, 1696
James Gilman, 1696
Andrew Wiggin, 1699, 1712, 4
William Scammon, 1699, 1700
Nicholas Gilman, 1699, 1700, 1, 9,
18, 21,5, 6, 7,9
Theophilus Smith,
1699, 1706, 11,
12, 7, 8, 27, 33, 4, 6, 7, 9, 40 *
Theophilus Dudley,
1700-1709, 11
Simon Wiggin,
1701-1705
Jonathan Thing, 1701-1705, 14, 5, 6 John Gilman (son of Moses), 1701- 1705, 8
Samuel Leavitt, 1704, 7
Robert Coffin, 1705, 7, 8
Jonathan Wadleigh, 1705, 7, 8, 12,
4, 5, 6, 23, 4, 6, 7, 8, 29, 32
John Robinson,
1706, 20, 5, 38
Bradstreet Wiggin, 1706
William Moore, 1709, 11,2
William French, 1709
Jeremiah Conner,
1709, 22, 30, 1
Capt. John Gilman,
1711, 4, 5, 6, 8, 20, 3, 4, 8, 9, 30
Lieut. John Gilman, 1711, 2, 4, 7, 31,2
Joseph Hall,
1715, 6, 7, 21, 3, 4
Nicholas Gordon, 1716, 7, 8, 22, 5
Moses Leavitt, 1717
Joseph Leavitt,
1757
Edward Hall,
1718, 20, 2, 6
John Giddinge,
1758, 9, 61, 2, 3, 4
*This is one of several instances where the same name was handed down through two or more generations, and it is difficult to ascertain where the father's term of office terminated, and the son's began. The same is true of other names, John Gil- man, for example, which represents at least four different persons in this list.
17 1741
Jonathan Conner,
1743-1748
Josiah Sanborn, 1743, 4, 5, 6, 50, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8
John Odlin, Jr., 1743-54, 6, 7, 8, 9 John Rice, 1743, 52, 6, 7, 8, 9, 61, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 70
Zebulon Giddinge,
1744-1748
Samuel Fogg,
1747-1749
Ephraim Robinson, 1749, 50, 2, 3, 4, 60, 72, 5, 7, 8, 80-1785
Nathaniel Bartlett, Jr.,
1749-1754
Samuel Gilman, Jr.,
1751, 3, 4, 60
Robert Light,
1751, 5
James Leavitt,
1735
Charles Rundlett,
1755, 66, 7, 8, 9
John Phillips,
1756
Peter Folsom,
1756
John Kimball,
1757
James Leavitt, 1721, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 32 Bartholomew Thing, 1721, 6, 7, 8, 9, 33, 6, 7
Samuel Thing,
1722
Eliphalet Coffin,
1725, 33
Caleb Gilman,
1725, 30, 1, 6, 7
Theophilus Gilman, 1726
Joseph Thing, 1728, 30, 1, 2,3, 4, 6, 7, 9 Thomas Webster, 1730, 1, 2
Samuel Gilman, 1733, 6, 7, 8
Edward Gilman,
1734, 40
Stephen Lyford, 1734
Jonathan Gilman, 1734, 55, 60
Peter Gilman, 1738
Ezekiel Gilman, 1738
Trueworthy Dudley, 1738
Daniel Thing, 1739
James Gilman, 1739, 40, 3-1750
Josiah Gilman,
1739, 55, 6
Thomas Dean,
17.10 - 1740 1740
Elisha Odlin,
Thomas Wilson, 1720, 3, 4
150
HISTORY OF EXETER.
Nicholas Gilman, 1758, 9, 61, 2, 3, 4,
Edmund Pearson, 1808-1813
Thomas Kimball, 1808
Josiah Folsom, Jr., 1808, 9
Josiah Robinson, 1759, 66, 7, 8, 9, 70,1
Harvey Coleord,
1809-1814
Theophilus Gilman, 1760, 1
John Dudley, 1760-1764
John Gordon,
1814-1816
Daniel Tilton, 1762, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9,
Joseph Osborne,
1815, 6
John Rogers,
1817-1829
Joseph Gilman, 1769, 70, 1
Peter Coffin,
1771-1775
Nathaniel Gordon,
1772, 6, 93
Samuel Brooks,
1772-1775
Theophilus Smith, 1772, 6
Ephraim Folsom, 1773, 4
Theodore Carleton, 1773-1775
Thomas Folsom, 1773, 4, 5, 7, 9
Joseph Cram, 1776, 80-90
Eliphalet Giddinge, 1776-1778, 1788 -94, 1802, 3
Trueworthy Gilman, 1776, 7, 8, 80- 87
John T. Gilman, 1777, 8
Benjamin Boardman, 1778, 9
Eliphalet Ladd,
1779, 84, 5, 6
Jedediah Jewett,
1779, 82, 3, 4
Samuel Folsom, 1779
James Thurston, 1780-1783
Nathaniel Gilman, 1785, 91, 2
Ephraim Robinson, 1786-93, 95-
1805, 7
George W. Furnald, 1852-1854, 1868-
Gideon Lamson, 1786, 1794-1805, 9
Oliver Peabody, 1787-1791
Edwin O. Lovering,
1854
William II. Robinson,
1855, 6
Asa Jewell,
1855-1837
Ammi R. Wiggin, 1855, 6
Alfred Conner, 1857, 8, 72
John W. Elliott, 1857, 8
James W. Odlin, 1858, 9
John Clement, 1859, 60
Samuel Gilman, 1801, 2
Nathaniel G. Giddings, 1859, 60
Trueworthy Robinson, 1803-1806
Nathaniel Shute, 1860, 1
Joseph D. Wadleigh, 1861, 2
Josiah J. Folsom, 1861-63, 1879-86
Adoniram J. Towle, 1862
Solomon J. Perkins, 1863-1867
John Kimball,
1807-13, 17-29
Joseph T. Porter, 1864-1867
John Smith, 1830
Theodore Moses, 1830
George Smith, 1831-36, 8, 9
James Burley, 1831-37, 40, 1, 2
Josiah R. Norris, 1836-1839
John Dodge, 1837, 40
Jeremiah Robinson, Jr., 1838-41, 3, 4, 5
William Conner,
1841-46, 50, 1
William Philbrick, 1842
John T. Gordon, 1813-1848
Retire H. Parker, 1846-1848
Nathaniel Swasey, 1847, 8
Jewett Conner, 1852-54, 63-67, 1879- 85, 7
Benjamin Lang, 1849-1851
William P. Moulton, 1849
John Foss, 1849, 50
Lewis W. Perkins, 1851-1853
70
Dudley Odlin, 1787-1790
Jeremiah Robinson, 1792, 3, 1810-16
Samuel Tenney, 1792-1800
Jeremiah Leavitt, 1794-1807
George Odiorne, 1794-1796
Benjamin C. Gilman, 1797-1801, 14, 5,6
Daniel Conner, 1804-1807
Nathaniel Parker, 1806
Jeremiah Dow, 1806
Nehemiah Folsom, 1807, 17-24
6, 7, 8, 70, 1
Enoch Rowe,
1810-1816
70, 1, 80, 1
Freese Dearborn,
1825-1829
Josiah Robinson, 1830-1835
151
111STORY OF EXETER.
Jacob Carlisle, 1868, 9
John H. Kimball,
1868, 9
Oliver L. Giddings, 1874-1876
Daniel F. Hayes, 1870, 1
Charles H. Downing,
1877, 8
John M. Wadleigh, 1877, 8
William B. Morrill,
1871-84, 6
Andrew J. Fogg,
1885, 6
Joshua Getchell,
1872, 3
George W. Green, 1887
Lyford Conner,
1873
Charles H. Towle, 1887
MODERATORS.
Peter Coffin, 1696, 1705
William Moore, 1698
Kinsley Hall, 1700, 4
Theophilus Dudley, 1706, 9
Moses Leavitt, 1707, 8, 13, 4, 5, 23, 6 John Gilman, 1711
Nicholas Gilman, 1716, 7, 8, 30-35,
7, 9, 43-48
Captain John Gilman, 1720, 4, 5, 7. 9, 36, 8
Samuel Thing, 1721, 2, 8
1740
Zebulon Giddinge,
1741
Nathaniel Gilman, 1850-1853
Peter Gilman, 1742, 54, 5, 60-68,
70-73, 6
William B. Morrill, 1854, 5, 9, 60-66 James M. Lovering, 1856, 7
James Gilman,
1749, 50, 3
Joseph G. Hoyt, 1858
Samuel Gilman,
1751, 2, 9
Charles G. Conner, 1867-1886
John Odlin,
1756-1759
John J. Bell, 1887
REPRESENTATIVES.
Bartholomew Tippen,
1680
Samuel Thing, 1703, 13, 4, 5, 27, 8
Ralph Hall,
1680
Nicholas Gilman, 1709, 11-15, 1732
William Moore,
1681, 92
Capt. John Gilman, 1716-1722
Robert Wadleigh,
1681
Lieut. John Gilman, 1716-1722
Robert Smart,
1684
Bartholomew Thing, 1727, 8, 31-35
Thomas Wiggin,
1684
Benjamin Thing, 1730, 1
Samuel Leavitt,
1685, 92, 6, 1703
Peter Gilman, 1733, 4, 5, 7, 9, 40-42 5, 9, 52, 5, 8, 62, 5, 8
John Folsom, 1685, 94, 5
Edward Hall, 1736
Samuel Hall, 1736
Nathaniel Gilman, 1737, 9, 40
Moses Leavitt,
1693, 5, 8, 1702
Theophilus Dudley, 1693, 5, 8, 1702,
9,11,2
Kinsley Hall,
1694, 5
Samuel Gilman, 1742
David Lawrence,
1696, 1703
Nathaniel Folsom, 1774, 5, 7, 9, 85-90
John Phillips. 1778
Nicholas Gilman, 1780-84
John T. Gilman, 1791-1794, 1806, 7, 9, 10, 1, 7, 8, 20-25
Oliver Peabody, 1795, 7, 1801, 5, 12 Samuel Tenney, 1796, 8, 9, 1800, 8 Jeremiah Smith, 1802, 3, 4, 13-16
Nathaniel Gilman, 1819
James Burley, 1826-1842
James Bell, 1843-1846
Ezekiel Gilman,
Woodbridge Odlin, 1847-1849
John Gilman,
1617-1693 1693
Jonathan Thing,
Zebulon Giddinge, 1741, 5, 9, 52, 5, 8, 62, 5, 8
John Phillips,
1755, 71
Joseph Perkins, 1870, 1
Nathaniel G. Gilman, 1874-1876
152
111STORY OF EXETER.
John Giddinge,
1771, 4, 5, 6
Oren Head, 1852, 3
Nathaniel Folsom, 1774, 5, 8, 82, 3
Nathaniel G. Perry, 1852, 3
Noah Emery,
1776
William Conner, 1853, 4
Thomas Odiorne, 1777
William W. Stickney,
1854
Samuel Hobart, 1777, 8
Retire H. Parker,
1854
John T. Gilman,
1779, 81, 1810, 1
James M. Lovering,
1855-1857
Ephraim Robinson, 1779, 81, 6
George F. Waters,
1855
Jedediah Jewett, 1782-1784
Jeremiah W. Marsh,
1855, 6
Joseph Cram, 1782
Henry Shute,
1856, 7
Josiah Gilman, Jr., 1785
Isaiah S. Brown,
1857, 8
Dudley Odlin,
1787-1790
William B. Morrill,
1858, 9
Benjamin Conner, Jr.,
1791-1803
Charles H. Bell,
1858-1860, 72, 3
Nathaniel Gilman,
1804
Nathaniel K. Leavitt,
1859, 60
George Sullivan,
1805, 13
Jewett Conner,
1860, 1
Nathaniel Parker,
1806-1809
Moses N. Collins,
1861, 2
Oliver Peabody,
1812
Charles Burley, 1861
Joseph Tilton, Jr.,
1814-1822
Abraham P. Blake,
1862, 3
John Kimball,
1820, 1
Joseph C. Hilliard,
1862, 3
William Smith, Jr.,
1822-1824
Samuel D. Wingate, 1863, 4
Oliver W. B. Peabody,
1823-1830
Nathaniel G. Giddings,
1864, 5
Jeremiah Dow, 1825-1828, 31, 2, 3
Henry C. Moses, 1864, 5
Samuel T. Gilman,
1829
Charles G. Conner,
1865, 6
Jotham Lawrence,
1831
James W. Odlin, 1866, 7
John Rogers,
1832-1834
William H. Robinson,
1867, 8
John Sullivan,
1834-1837
Andrew J. Hoyt,
1868, 9
William Odlin,
1835-1837
Sebastian A. Brown,
1868, 9
William Perry,
1838
Eben Folsom, 1869, 70
Daniel Conner,
1838, 9
John G. Gilman,
1870, 1
Nathaniel Gilman, 3d,
1839, 40
John H. Kimball,
1870, 1
Samuel Hatch, 1840
George W. Furnald,
1871
Woodbridge Odlin,
1841
Jacob Carlisle,
1872, 3
Josiah Robinson, 1841, 2
Asa Jewell,
1874, 5
Amos Tuck, 1842
John D. Lyman,
1874, 5
Theophilus Goodwin,
1843, 4
Thomas Leavitt,
1874, 5
Charles Conner,
1843, 4
Josiah J. Folsom,
1876
Gilman Marston, 1845-48, 72, 3, 76
8, 80, 2, 4, 6
Horace S. Cummings,
1876
John Kelly,
1845
William Burlingame,
1877, 8
James Bell,
1846
Alfred Conner,
1877, 8
William Wadleigh,
1846-1848
Daniel Sanborn, 2d,
1878
George Gardner, .
1847, 8
Winthrop N. Dow, 1878, 80
John F. Moses,
1849, 50, 1
Charles O. Moses,
1880
Nathaniel G. Gilman,
1849, 50
Andrew J. Fogg,
1882
Nathaniel Gordon,
1849, 50
John J. Bell, 1882, 4, 6
Charles J. Gilman,
1851
Edward H. Gilman,
1884
Isaac Flagg,
1851, 2 John Templeton,
1886
Nathaniel Conner,
1829, 30
Joseph W. Merrill, 1866, 7
Joseph T. Porter,
1876, 7
ECCLESIASTICAL.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIRST SOCIETY.
THE formation of the First church in Exeter, and the events of the pastorate of the Rev. John Wheelwright, have already been narrated. Mr. Wheelwright was not inclined to stay to witness the extension of the authority of Massachusetts over the settle- ment that he had founded, but removed with his family, probably in the early spring of 1643, to the almost unbroken forests of Wells, in Maine. But it would not have been like him to leave his flock without a shepherd, and accordingly we find that the people were provided with another religious teacher, Mr. Thomas Rashleigh.
Mr. Rashleigh had been admitted to the Boston church three years before, being then a student of divinity. In 1641 he had ministered " as chaplain " to the people of Cape Ann, afterwards Gloucester, in Massachusetts, where there was then no organized church. He came to Exeter in the spring of 1643, no doubt, by the desire of Mr. Wheelwright, and with some intention of making a permanent settlement there. On the sixth of May, in that year, the town granted him a house lot, and he undoubtedly continued to act as their minister during the remainder of his stay in the place, which was something less than a twelvemonth. His house lot, of which the grant must have been conditional only, -was re-granted by the town, five years after he went away, to the Rev. Samuel Dudley. Why Mr. Rashleigh remained no longer is not known ; though the subsequent existence of two parties in the church or town, may furnish the clue to his early departure.
In the spring of 1644 some of the inhabitants made an attempt to gather a new church in Exeter, and to call the aged Rev. Stephen Bachiler of Hampton to the ministry thereof. They went so far as to appoint a day of humiliation, on which to carry both these purposes into effect, but intelligence of their design having reached the ears of the Massachusetts General Court, that body
155
156
HISTORY OF EXETER.
summarily overruled it, by adopting, on the twenty-ninth of May, 1644, the following resolution :
Whereas it appears to this court that some of the inhabitants of Exeter do intend shortly to gather a church and call Mr. Bachiler to be their minister, and forasmuch as the divisions and conten- tions which are among the inhabitants are judged by this court to be such as for the present they cannot comfortably and with approbation proceed in so weighty and sacred affairs ; it is there- fore ordered that direction should be forthwith sent to the said inhabitants to defer the gathering of any church, or other such proceeding, until this court or the court at Ipswich, upon further satisfaction of their reconciliation and fitness, shall give allowance thereunto.
On the same day the General Court passed this further order :
That Mr. Wheelwright (upon a particular, solemn and serious acknowledgment and confession by letters of his evil carriages and of the court's justice upon him for them *) hath his banish- ment taken off, and is received as a member of the Common- wealth.
The adoption of both the foregoing orders on the same day leaves little doubt of the willingness of the government of Massa- chusetts that Mr. Wheelwright should return to his charge in Exeter, if he desired. The people evidently so understood it, for immediately after learning the court's decision, they made a grant to Mr. Wheelwright, his heirs and successors forever, of certain marshland, " with these conditions, that he doth come amongst us again." The major part of the inhabitants having thus evidenced their desire for their former pastor's return, it seems unquestionable that he might have resumed his position there, to the general acceptance.
But Mr. Wheelwright, for reasons satisfactory to himself, did not choose to go back. And the project of gathering another church and of settling Mr. Bachiler over it, was very wisely abandoned. Still it is not probable that the people, a large pro- portion of whom were members of the church, went on without some religious ministrations. Mr. Hatevil Nutter was an " exhort- ing elder" of the church of Dover, and the following facts, gleaned from the records of Exeter, establish a strong probability that he was employed to minister to the spiritual wants of the
* A careful perusal of Wheelwright's second letter will show how unjust to him this statement is.
157
HISTORY OF EXETER.
people of the latter place. Mr. Nutter was the owner of a tract of land at Lamprey river, and at least as early as the beginning of the year 1645 the town " covenanted " to inclose it with fence ; and more than once betwixt that time and 1650 called upon all the inhabitants to do their shares of fencing, under the penalty of paying the wages of others, who should be hired in their stead. The town continned to render this service for the Elder for five years ; and until they had provided themselves with a regular minister, the Rev. Samuel Dudley. Then, on June 11, 1650, Mr. Nutter, by his receipt upon the town book, acknowledged that the fence which the town " was engaged by covenant " to set up for him at Lamprey river, was accepted ; and he was heard of no more in Exeter.
In view of Mr. Nutter's gifts as an exhorter, and in the absence of any other known or imaginable consideration for which the inhabitants could have so bound themselves to keep his land inclosed, it seems reasonable to infer that it was done in return for his services as a religious teacher among them, during that interval of five years or more, while they were without a regular minister.
ATTEMPTS TO GET A PASTOR.
But the town in the meantime did not abate their efforts to secure a resident minister. In the spring of 1646 an invitation was given to Mr. Nathaniel Norcross, a young clergyman and " an university scholar," to settle over the church ; and on May 25, of that year, it was agreed that Edward Hilton and Thomas King should purchase Mr. Wheelwright's house and land, in the town's behalf, for Mr. Norcross. Sixteen of the principal citizens entered into a written agreement to be responsible to the purchasers for the price paid, in case the town should fail to fully reimburse them. But Mr. Norcross did not accept the proposal. Possibly he may have been deterred by the divisions which still continued among the people.
Those divisions were the subject of a petition presented the succeeding year to the Massachusetts General Court, the great tribunal for the redress of all grievances, civil and ecclesiastical ; and the following order was passed in response thereto :
In answer to the petition of some of Exeter the court think meet that Mr. Ezekiel Rogers, Mr. Nathaniel Rogers and Mr. Norton be requested by this court and authorized to examine the
158
HISTORY OF EXETER.
grounds of the complaint, and, if it may be, to compose things amongst them ; which if they cannot do, then to certify to this court what they find, and also think best to be done, which may conduce to peace and the continuance of the ordinances amongst them.
No record is found of the doings of the committee under this order, but the people of Exeter were sufficiently united, November 16, 1648, to join in a call to the Rev. William Tompson of Braintree, "a worthy servant of Christ," to become their minis- ter. And it was voted that "in case he could be attained to come," he should be allowed by the town thirty pounds a year, and the profits that should accrue to the town from the saw-mill, and the use of the house and land which were purchased of Mr. Wheelwright, so long as he continued with them as a minister. Christopher Lawson, Edward Gilman and John Legat were appointed to present the offer to him ; and if he declined it, to invite some other person, with the counsel and advice of the elders of Boston, Charlestown and Roxbury.
Mr. Tompson did not see fit to accept the call, and the town voted April 22, 1649, to invite Mr. Joseph Emerson of Rowley, to come to Exeter and be the minister there ; but they met with no better success in this, than in their preceding applications.
MR. DUDLEY ENGAGED.
But at length their persistent efforts to obtain a settled pastor were rewarded by a fortunate issue, in the engagement of the Rev. Samuel Dudley. In anticipation of his coming and to provide means for his support, the town by its officers and leading citizens, on the twenty-second of April, 1650, established this order :
Every inhabitant of the town shall pay for every thousand of pipe staves he makes, two shillings, which shall be for the mainten- ance of the ministry ; and for every thousand of hogshead staves, one shilling sixpence ; and for every thousand of bolts sold before they be made into staves, four shillings ; and what is due from the saw-mills shall also be for the maintenance of the ministry.
It is ordered that after the publication hereof any man that shall deliver any staves or bolts before they have satisfied the town orders, they shall pay ten shillings for every thousand staves, and twenty shillings for every thousand bolts.
And on the thirteenth of May, 1650, the following agreement was executed between a committee of the town and Mr. Dudley, defining the terms of his settlement :
159
HISTORY OF EXETER.
It is unanimously agreed upon by Mr. Samuel Dudley and the town of Exeter that Mr. Dudley is forthwith so soon as comforta- ble subsistence can be made by the town for him and his family in the house which was purchased of Mr. Wheelwright, that then the said Mr. Dudley is to come to inhabit at Exeter and to be a minis- ter of God's word unto us, until such time as God shall be pleased to make way for the gathering of a church, and then he to be ordained our pastor or teacher according to the ordinance of God. And in consideration of this promise of Mr. Dudley, the town doth mutually agree to fit up the aforesaid house and to fence in a yard and garden for the said Mr. Dudley, and to allow forty pounds a year towards the maintenance of the said Mr. Dudley and his family ; and that the use and sole improvement of the aforesaid house bought of Mr. Wheelwright, and all the lands and meadows thereunto belonging, shall be to the proper use of him the said Mr. Dudley, during the time that he shall continue to be a minister of the word amongst us. And what cost the said Mr. Dudley shall bestow about the said house and lands in the time of his improvement, the town is to allow unto him or his, so much as the said house or lands are bettered by it, at the time of the said Mr. Dudley's leaving of it either by death or by some more than ordinary call of God otherwise. And it is further agreed upon that the old cow-house, which was Mr. Wheelwright's, shall by the town be fixed up fit for the setting of cattle in, and that the aforesaid pay of £40 a year is to be made in good pay every half year, in corn and English commodities at a price current, as they go generally in the country at the time or times of payment.
To the premises which concern myself I consent unto. Witness my hand.
SAM : DUDLEY.
And for the town's performance of this part of this aforesaid agreement we whose names are hereunder written do jointly and severally engage ourselves to Mr. Dudley. Witness our hands.
EDWARD HILTON, EDWARD GILMAN, JOHN LEGATE, HENRY ROBY, JAMES WALL, HUMPHREY WILSON.
The people of Exeter were fortunate in inducing Mr. Dudley to cast his lot with them. A son of Governor Thomas Dudley, and
160
HISTORY OF EXETER.
son-in-law of Governor John Winthrop, he had acquaintance and influence with the principal characters of the Massachusetts Bay. He was born in England about the year 1610, and passed the first twenty years of his life there, in the society of people of intelligence and position. Though not bred at the university, his education had not been neglected, and as early as 1637 he was spoken of as qualified for the clerical office, and in 1649 is said to have preached at Portsmouth, though it is not known that he was settled in the ministry before he came to Exeter. For the preceding twelve years he had resided in Salisbury, Massachusetts, where he had repeatedly served as a delegate to the General Court, and for two years had held the office of Assistant. It is evident that such a man was a great acquisition to the little community of Exeter.
The language of Mr. Dudley's contraet implies that the church which was formed in Wheelwright's time had, in the seven years when it was destitute of a regular pastor, lost its organization. Whether the wished for opportunity for gathering a new church occurred during Mr. Dudley's ministry, the books of the town afford us no information.
On the twenty-sixth of June, 1650, it was ordered by the town that Francis Swain have twenty shillings for his pains and time "in going into the Bay to receive Mr. Dudley his pay." This un- doubtedly refers to that elause of Mr. Dudley's contract which provided that his salary might be paid in " English commodities." Those were only to be procured from some trader in "the Bay," as Massachusetts was commonly called ; and, no doubt, Mr. Swain had been employed by the town to make inquiry there for some person who was willing to exchange those commodities for lumber or such other products as the town could furnish.
It tells well for the zeal and energy of the new minister of Exeter that in six weeks from the time of his settlement, he in- dneed the people to pass a vote to build a new meeting-house. It was on the same twenty-sixth of June, 1650, and was in these terms :
Its agreed that a meeting-house shall be built, of twenty foot square, so soon as workmen can conveniently be procured to do it, and the place appointed for it is at the corner of William Taylor's lot next the street, and William Taylor is to have of the town 20 s. for five rods square of his land in that place.
This location was undoubtedly upon the elevation on the western side of the salt river afterwards known as "meeting-house hill."
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HISTORY OF EXETER.
It is in the northerly skirt of the present village, near where Sum- mer street unites with the road to Newmarket. There is little question, too, that an earlier place of worship had been situated near the same spot, probably a little northwesterly of it, sur- rounded, in the English fashion of the time, by a yard for the burial of the dead. On December 29, 1651, the town gave Mr. Dudley liberty to fence "the piece of ground where the graves are, and to have the use of it for grazing or feeding of cattle whilst he stays in Exeter, but not to break up the said land." Uniform tradition points out this spot as the earliest churchyard. The surface of the ground is covered with clay, and is now utilized for the manufacture of drain tiles. There was formerly a briek-yard there. From time to time the decayed remains of human bones have been exhumed from the soil, which gave ocea- sion for the remark, respecting a certain brick house erected in the town a couple of generations ago, that it was "built from the dust of our ancestors !"
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