USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of the town of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire : from the time of the first settlement within its borders, 1640 until 1900 > Part 17
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SEABORN COTTON. Hampton, Sept. 5th 1685.
In answer to this petition the council order-
That the petitioner be left to the law to have his remedy agt the persons he contracted with for his dues.
R. CHAMBERLAIN Ck. Couneil.
The above petition affords a curious illustration of Mr. Cotton's character. His wishing for an order of council for the especial ben- efit of himself. was not an uncommon occurrence in those times, still he appears to have been somewhat ashamed of being known as the instigator of it. The council acted justly in the matter.
HIe died April 19, 1686, aged fifty-two years. He married June 14, 1654, Dorothy Bradstreet, daughter of Governor Bradstreet. She died February 26. 16:2. By her he had nine children. His son John succeeded him in the ministry at Hampton. July 9. 1613, he married Mrs. Prudence Crosby, widow of Dr. Anthony Crosby, of Rowley, Mass. He had at least two children by his second wife. One, a son, Rowland, graduated from Harvard in 1694, and was a physician in the Isle of Wight, England.
Mr. Cotton was sometimes appointed an appraiser of estates, and was administrator to the estate of John Haskett. March 22, 16:1, Robert Page gave him a legacy of €5 in his will. One fourth part of his farm at Hogpen plains was sold October 20, 1:02, by William Philbrick of Greenland, to Eben Johnson of Hampton, for €?5.
His will was dated May 20. 1684 ; completed, June 2, 1684; proved, August 2. 1684. It mentions his wife Prudence, John and Row- land, his sons, and six daughters. Inventory: Plate. £20: library. £60; horse, £1: mare. €1; colt, €1; : cows, £24; 22 sheep and lambs, €6; swine. great and small, {4; 40 pounds unwashed wool. £2. 10 shil- lings: a silver whistle, 11 shillings. He gives his first wife's "truncke" to Mary in remembrance of her mother, and a pocket pistol to his son John. He mentions his father and his cousin, Cotton Mather.
REV. JOHN COTTON.
The death of Rev. Seaborn Cotton left the people of Hampton without a minister for the first time since the settlement of the town, a period of nearly forty-eight years. Soon after the late
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pastor's death, efforts were made to find a suitable successor. The first preacher known to have been employed was Mr. John Cotton, son of the deceased pastor, a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1618, who, having been chosen a Fellow of the college, was living in Cambridge at the time of his father's death. He then came to Hampton and was employed as a preacher. While the people were destitute of a settled minister, they were not unmindful of the habits and conduct of the young. At a town meeting, 1687 .-
Voted, That the Constables shall take special care. that the youth be kept from playing on the Sabbath. If any children are found to be disorderly, their parents or masters shall first be informed, and if they shall not take care of them-and they are again found disorderly, Complaint Shall be made to authority.
The town did not act in reference to Mr. Cotton as a candidate, but wished to have him ordained at once.
Voted that Mr. Henry Green, and William Fuller, should treat with Mr. Cotton whether he would be willing to settle here in the work of the ministry, and be ordained.
By this act the town showed their willingness that he should be ordained at once. From some cause, not now known, he was not then ordained, but continued to preach as a supply. Mr. Cotton was married August 12. 1686. to Anne, daughter of Capt. Thomas Lake of Boston, and began housekeeping in Hampton and contin- ued to preach until the summer of 1690. An effort was then made to see what the inhabitants would contribute yearly toward Mr. John Cotton's maintenance as long as he remained here in the work of the ministry.
Either Mr. Cotton had suspended his labors, or had expressed his intention of doing so. About 1692, an effort was made to induce Mr. John Pike, then settled in Dover, to come and settle here. Mr. Nathaniel Weare, William Marston. Capt. Samuel Sherburne, Lieut. John Sanborn, and Henry Dow were chosen to treat with Mr. Pike, to know if he were willing to come here in the work of the ministry. Mr. Pike had been pastor of the Dover church for many years, but was now living in Portsmouth, on account of the danger from Indian ravages which were being committed in and about Dover. Mr. Pike was willing to come here if he could be cleared from his engagement with the Dover church. This he probably did not ob-
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tain at that time. After living here a short time, he removed to Newbury, Mass., in 1692. He afterward returned to Dover, where he died in 1210.
After the failure to secure Mr. Pike, renewed efforts were made to induce Mr. Cotton to settle. October 26, 1691. the town voted to invite him to settle in the work of the ministry. Nathaniel Weare and Francis Page were appointed to communicate with him, and receive his answer, which they were to lay before the town, anthor- ity having been given them to call a meeting for that purpose. Mr. Cotton was then living in Portsmouth, and had received a call to become pastor of the church there. Mr. Moody, who had gone away because of Cranfield's order, and was now living in Boston, concluded to return to Portsmouth and resume his labors in the pastorate, which he did in 1693. Mr. Cotton on this account de- clined the call.
Another town meeting was holden in reference to Mr. Cotton, who, the record says, "was for some years with us." It was voted to invite him to come and preach at least one Sabbath, and a town meeting would be held on the next morning at the meeting-house to receive his propositions and see if any agreement could be made with him. Mr. Cotton probably preached Sunday, March 27. as on Monday, the 28th. Lient. John Sanborn and Mr. Nathaniel Weare were chosen to speak to Mr. Cotton, and desire him to let the town know his terms in writing, that they might see how near they could comply. A quarterly contribution and repairs upon the parsonage were promised. In case he accepted. the town agreed that there should be a convenient house built for him on land appointed for the purpose. In the meantime, the old house was to be made hab- itable for him.
A committee was chosen to build a parsonage house, which, after considerable delay, was accomplished. It was voted May 17, 1694. to give Mr. Cotton £85 per year, to be paid every half year in wheat at 5s. per bushel, Indian corn at 3s., malt and rye each at 4s. per bushel, pork at 3d. per pound, beef at 2d. per pound .- all merchant- able and good, and the use of the house. land, and meadow appointed for the ministry. The town was to maintain the outside fence of said land and meadow, and "to do what they see cause for about supplying him with fire wood." The town voted him "Sixtie load of wood, such loads as fower oxen would draw, two loads to make a cord, to be valued at 3 shillings a cord." Afterward the vote was
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modified and he was to receive 30 cords per year, those furnishing it to receive 5s. jer cord provided one half, at least, was oak. The procuring and payment for wood was left in charge of the selectmen.
After Mr. Cotton's compensation had been settled upon, the way was opened for his ordination. September 19, 1696, the town voted that they desired to have him ordained at once. It was also voted that if Mr. Cotton's goods, which were at Mystie, should be sent to Boston, they would be at the expense of transporting them from there to Hampton. A committee was chosen to solicit contributions to defray the charges of the ordination, which was appointed for November 19, 1696, ten years and four months after the death of their last pastor. The ordination was an event of no ordinary interest, as there had not been an ordination in the town for nearly forty years and during that period only three ordinations in the province. The church, which had been so long without a pastor, had decreased somewhat in membership. Ten were admitted in the January following, and seventy the first year. During Mr. Cotton's ministry the whole number admitted was 215. In that time 487 were baptized.
Provision was made to have the sacrament of the Lord's supper administered eight times in a year, but on account of the cold of winter it was omitted from December 1 to March 1, making the observance seven times during the year. September 11, 1698, thirteen persons were dismissed from the church to be incorporated into a church state at Exeter. They were residents of Exeter who had united with this church because there was none in their own town. Now there was a church to be organized there, and a pastor ordained. Mr. Nathaniel Weare and Capt. Henry Dow were chosen messengers from this church to assist in the ordination.
In 1701, the town voted Mr. Cotton ten cords of wood in addi- tion to his former thirty cords, on the condition that he preach a lecture in Hampton once a month, according to former custom in his father's days.
After a pastorate of thirteen years and four months, and a min- istry of more than twenty years, Mr. Cotton was suddenly removed from his people by death, March 10, 1710, at the age of 31 years, 10 months, and 19 days.
It may seem strange to some that sketches of the lives and min- istry of the early ministers of Hampton should be given a place in the history of Hampton Falls. Up to nearly the time of Rev. John Cotton's death, in 1710, there was no church in the town
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south of Taylor's river. All attended church at what is now the old town of Hampton, and many of the prominent and influential members lived south of the river, as we have seen by the records. The church was maintained and the ministers supported by rates levied upon the whole town. The tax rate of 1709, which is before us, contains 128 names of persons south of Taylor's river, all of whom were rated that year for the support of Rev. John Cotton and the old church at Hampton. All the ministers of Hampton previous to this time were as much our ministers as theirs, and we furnished our proportion of the members. It was during Mr. Cot- ton's ministry, in 1209, that forty-nine members of his church were dismissed to incorporate a church at the Falls, and among them one of the deacons, Samuel Shaw, who lived on and owned what has since been known as the Governor Wcare place. The death of Rev. John Cotton was the occasion of the Falls people petition- ing to be set off entirely from the old town in ministerial matters, having before this been considered as the second parish in the town. and supported and governed by the whole town. The result of this petition was an order to raise a separate rate for each, which continued until the death of Rev. Theophilus Cotton in 1126. after which the system was abolished and the two towns became entirely separated in the management of town and church matters.
CHRISTOPHER HUSSEY.
Christopher Hussey was born at Dorking in Surry, England. He went to Ilolland where he became enamored of Theodata, daughter of Rev. Stephen Bachiler, who had resided there for several years, but her father would not consent to their marriage unless Mr. Hussey would remove to New England, whither he was preparing to go. Mr. Hussey came to Lynn, New England, with his wife and his mother, widow Mary Hussey, in 1630. His son Stephen was born here the same year and was the second white child born in Lynn. He removed to Newbury in 1636. and was one of the first settlers there. In 163% he was chosen one of the first seven men of the town.
Hle and his father-in-law. Bachiler, sold their lands in New- bury to Mr. John Oliver for sixscore pounds, on the 5th of July, 1639, and removed to Hampton. Next to Mr. Bachiler and Mr. Dalton he was considered the greatest man among the early set- tlers of Hampton. At the incorporation of the town, May 3,
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1639, he was appointed to "end all business under 20s." There were two others joined with him in this office, which was similar to justice of the peace. He was appointed at first by the court, but afterward he sustained the office several years by a vote of the town from year to year.
August 30, 1639, he and two others were chosen to measure and bound the respective lots, the several owners attending with stakes. For this service they were to have 12d. per house lot and a penny an acre for other lands. March 29, 1640, he and John Moulton and Mr. Dalton were appointed to set the bounds between Hampton and Salisbury. April 30. 1640, he was granted "10 acres for a house lott, as it is laid out, 14 acres of fresh meadow near the bridge by the beach, fifteen acres of planting ground part of which joined his house lot & the rest in the East field .- 150 acres for a farm as it is in part layd out near the falls river on the further side therof. There being near about 18 acres of fresh meadow 100 acres of upland & the rest in Salt marsh. The residue of his 250 aeres granted, is yet to be appointed. 33 acres or upwards of the swamp next Bro. Davis' is added & about a qr. of an acre by his cellar."
June 25, 1640, six persons were chosen to go and view the high- way towards Colchester. Hussey was one of them. November 29, 1640. he and two others were chosen to oversee the building of the meeting-house. February 19, 1641. he was to confer in relation to a ferry place. May 28, 1641, he was chosen moderator. This is the first mention of this office upon the record. He was repre- sentative in 1658, 1659, and 1660. He was selectman in 1650, 1658, 1664, and 1668. He was town clerk in 1650. In 1645 he had two shares of the 147, beside his farm, and in 1651, two shares in the ox common. In 1663 his tax was £? 8s. 3d .. being the sec- ond, as respects the amount, in the town.
From 1642 to 1650 his name is not found upon our records in the important business proceedings. from which it may be inferred that he had become unpopular on account of his being a son-in-law of Rev. Mr. Bachiler, who was the occasion of dividing the town into two parties who show much animosity to each other. The Bachiler party, being the minority, were obliged to leave the field to their more successful opponents. These prejudices probably existed some years, and operated against Mr. Hussey's being put forward as he otherwise would have been. But from 1650 to the time of his death, he seemed to have gained his former consequence,
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and frequently discharged the duties of those offices which were then only bestowed upon the best informed and influential men. Among those offices was that of moderator at the meetings, and they were then chosen to preside over the next meeting, so that nothing was to be done in assembling but to proceed immediately to business. May 28. 1641, the town passed a vote to regulate these meetings: 1st. The moderator was to be chosen at the end of every meeting for the next succeeding one. 2d. The moder- ator, if the elders were not present, was to open the meeting with prayer. 3d. He was there to state to the meeting some propo- sition or to call on some one else to do it. 4th. When any person addressed the moderator he was to stand up and put off his hat, and no other person was to speak at the same time, and no one was to speak oftener than twice or thrice on the same business without leave. "Nor shall any one propound anything till the former be for that time determined. Nor shall any, when a matter is in agi- tation, be talking of any other thing within the meeting room." The clerk was to call over the freemen and note the absent. The meeting was to be ended with prayer. Every person who violated the foregoing rule was subject to a fine of six shillings. to be laid out upon the highway or other town business, and if not paid within six days the constable had power to distrain, etc.
He was a signer to Weare's petition to the king. He was prob- ably a very severe sufferer from the hands of Mr. Mason, for in Weare's brief of evidence presented to the Lord's Commissioners of Trade, etc., it is stated that for Partridge's costs, goods were tendered and refused. and that Partridge was imprisoned: that he was forbid to work in prison, and forced to live upon the charity of his friends. John Smith testifies the same of Christopher Hus- sey. Mr. Weare knew him to be 86 years old. This brief is dated March 10, 1685.
Lewis's History of Lynn says he was cast away on the coast of Florida in 1685. He was then about 8 ?. It would seem almost incredible. What could induce such an old man to take a voyage so far from home, as to have been cast away upon the coast of Florida? The only reason we can assign for it is that having suf- fered imprisonment on account of Mr. Mason. there was an entire uncertainty whether he should not again be exposed to a similar trial, as well as to the loss of his estate. He may have contemplated moving to one of the West India islands, in order to spend the remainder of his days in peace and quietness.
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From another source we learn that Captain Hussey, having rounded out ninety years in an honorable and distinguished career, died March 6, 1686, and was buried March 8, as stated on the town records. Capt. Henry Dow wrote upon his diary in cipher for Monday, March 8, that he was at Captain Hnssey's burial. From this it would appear that he died in Hampton, and not, as has been previously stated, upon the far-off coast of Florida.
Mr. Hussey was appointed one of the first councilors in New Hampshire under royal authority, upon its separation from Massa- chusetts in 1679. This office he held till his death. He was also a military man. April 2, 1653, he was chosen presbyter to the next court to be held at Salisbury, to be installed as lieutenant for the town of Hampton. He was afterward called Captain Hussey. He was a chief man in church affairs, being one of the first deacons, having the first seat.
Ilis mother, Mary Hussey, had a separate grant from her son in 1640. It was 5 acres for a house lot, 3 acres fresh meadow, and 5 acres of planting ground. In 1645, she had one of the 147 shares. She died June 16, 1660. It is not known where her house was.
His inventory was £660, appraised by John Tuck and Joseph Dow.
ITis first wife was Theodata Bachiler, daughter of Rev. Stephen Bachiler. She died October 20, 1649. He married, second, Ann, widow of Jeffery Mingay. She died June 24, 1680.
His children were as follows:
STEPHEN, who was born in 1630, married Martha Bunker, and moved to Nantucket, where he died in 1718. aged 88 years. JOHN, who married Rebecca Perkins.
JOSEPII.
MARY, who married Thomas Page; second, Henry Green; third, IIenry Dow.
HULDAH, who married John Smith and died in May, 1740, aged 97 years.
THEODATA, who married Benjamin Swett in May, 1682.
Captain Hussey's farm, where he lived after 1645 or 1650, was south of the Falls river. and was afterward known as the Worth farm and was probably owned by the Husseys until Mr. Worth came here, abont 1733. It has since been owned by Captain Hoyt, Abraham Dow, James Brimner. and others, and comprised what is
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now owned by George L. Brown, heirs of Jefferson Janvrin, John A. Dow, and others.
Many have erroneously supposed that Mr. Hussey owned and operated the mills now known as Dodge's. This could not have been so, as Henry Green was in possession as early as 1648. by a grant from the town. They remained in possession of his descend- ants until 1264, when they were sold to Col. Jonathan Moulton of Hampton. If Mr. Hussey ever owned or operated mills it must have been elsewhere.
The poet John G. Whittier felt pride in the fact that he was a descendant of Christopher Hussey.
GOVERNOR EDWARD CRANFIELD.
Mason had now learned from experience that the people, if governed by officers of their own choice, would never admit his title to their lands. He therefore besought the king to appoint a new governor who would favor his claims. Mason, by surrender- ing one fifth of the quit-rents to the king for the support of a royal governor, procured the appointment of Edward Cranfield as lieu- tenant governor. and commander in chief of New Hampshire. Avarice was Cranfield's ruling passion, and the proprietor ap- proached him through that avenue by mortgaging to him the whole province for twenty-one years, as security for the payment of one hundred and fifty pounds per annum to the new governor. Thus Cranfield became personally interested in Mason's claim. His com- mission was dated May 9, 1682. It granted almost unlimited powers.
Very soon after entering upon his office. Cranfield suspended from the council the popular leaders Waldron and Martyn. The people soon learned that Cranfield was clothed with extraordinary powers, and that both their liberty and property were in peril. He could veto all acts of the legislature and dissolve them at pleas- ure. The judges were also appointed by him. On the 14th of February, 1683, the governor called on the inhabitants of New Hampshire to take their leases from Mason within one month, with threats of confiscation in case of neglect to do so. Very few per- sons complied with this requisition. The courts were then arranged so as to secure a verdict in every case for Mason. The notorious Barefoote was made judge. The juries were selected from those who had taken leases from the proprietor.
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With matters thus arranged Mason commenced actions of eject- ment against the principal inhabitants of the several towns. No defense was made. The verdict was in every case for the plaintiff, and he was put legally in possession of the forfeited estates, but so strong was the popular hatred against him he could neither keep nor sell them. The government became a mere instrument of op- pression. The people were harassed beyond endurance. The people as a forlorn hope resolved to petition the king for protec- tion. This was done in secret. Nathaniel Weare of Hampton was appointed their agent to present this petition to his majesty.
The remainder of this turbulent administration was a series of collusions with the assembly, the people, and the pulpit. Cran- field was a perverse, arrogant, impractical schemer, and re- peated failures in his high-handed measures made him desperate. He undertook to rule without the assembly, and thus involved himself in difficulty with the home government. While he re- mained in office he succeeded in making everybody unhappy and uncomfortable.
He owed the Rev. Joshua Moody of Portsmouth a special spite. Hle determined to bring this sturdy independent to terms. He issued an order in council requiring ministers to admit all persons of suitable years and not vicious to the Lord's supper, and their children to baptism, and that if any person desired baptism or the sacrament of the Lord's supper, it was to be administered accord- ing to the church of England. The governor himself, with Mason and Hincks, appeared at Mr. Moody's church the next Sabbath, desiring to partake of the Lord's supper, and requiring him to administer it according to the liturgy. He at once declined to do so. Moody was arraigned for disobedience to the king's command. He made a suitable defense, pleading that he was not Episcopally ordained and therefore not legally qualified for the service de- manded. The governor gained over several reluctant judges and Moody was sentenced to six months' imprisonment without bail or mainprise. Mr. Moody was immediately taken into custody, with- out taking leave of his family, and held in durance for thirteen weeks. Ile was released but was to preach no more in the province.
The governor, being foiled in all his plans, proceeded to levy and collect taxes without the sanction of the assembly. His officers were resisted. They were assailed with clubs in the street and scalded with boiling water in the houses. In process of time the agent of the colony was heard in England, and the lords of trade
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decided that Cranfield had exceeded his authority and instructions. and the king granted him leave of absence, rewarding his loyalty with an office in Barbadoes. So the colony was relieved of one tyrant to give place to another, for Walter Barefoote. his deputy. reigned in his stead.
Cranfield seems not to have possessed any element of nobility of character or generosity. He was deceitful and treacherous, as well as vindictive and malicious. His successor during his short admin- istration walked in his steps. He continued the prosecutions in- stituted by Mason, and allowed persons to be imprisoned on execu- tions, which the lords of trade had pronounced illegal. The service of these writs was attended with peril to the officials. In Dover the rioters who resisted the sheriffs were seized during divine wor- ship in the church. The officers were again roughly handled. and one young lady knocked one of them down with her Bible. Both Barefoote and Mason received personal injuries at the house of the former from two members of the assembly. who went thither to converse about these suits. Mason was thrown upon the fire and badly burned. Barefoote attempted to aid him and had two of his ribs broken. Mason commenced the assault. It was an unseemly quarrel for a prospective baron and an actual governor. In 1686. Mason having hitherto been defeated in his attempt to recover the cultivated lands of the state turned his attention to the unoccupied portions. He disposed of a large tract of a million acres, on both sides of Merrimack river. to Jonathan Tyng, and nineteen others. for a yearly rent of ten shillings. He also leased for a thousand years to Hezekiah Usher and his heirs. "the rivers, minerals, and ores" within the limits of New Hampshire.
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