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 26
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 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
Saturday Oct. 31st 1789. Left Newburyport a little after eight o'clock (first breakfasting with Mr. Dalton) and to avoid a wider ferry, more inconvenient boats, and a piece of heavy sand, we crossed
268
269
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
the river at Salisbury, two miles above and near that further about, and in three miles came to the line which divides the State of Massa- chusetts from that of New Hampshire. Here I took leave of Mr. Dal- ton and many other private gentlemen, also of Gen. Titeomb, who had met me on the line between Middlesex and Essex Counties, corps of light horse and many officers of militia, and was received by the Presi- dent of the State of New Hampshire, the Vice President, some of the Council, Messrs. Langdon & Wingate of the Senate, Col. Parker, Mar- shal of the State, and many other respectable characters. Besides several troops of well clothed horse in handsome uniforms, and many officers of the militia, also in handsome red and white uniforms of the manufactures of the State. With this cavalcade we proceeded and arrived before three o'clock at Portsmouth, where we were received with every token of respect and appearance of cordiality, under a dis- charge of artillery. The streets, doors, and windows were crowded as at all other places, and alighting at the town house, odes were sung and played in honor of the President. The same happened yes- terday at my entrance at Newburyport, being stopped at my entrance to hear it. From the Town House I went to Col. Brewster's tavern, the place provided for my residence, and asked the President, Viee President, and two Senators, the Marshal, and Major Gilman to dine with me, which they did, after which I drank tea at Mr. Langdon's.
Sab. Nov ist Attended by the President of the State (General Sul- livan), Mr. Langdon, and the Marshal, I went in the forenoon to the Episcopal church under the incumbency of Mr. Ogden, and in the afternoon to one of the Presbyterian or Congregational Churches, in which a Mr. Buckminster preached. Dined at home with the Mar- shal, and spent the afternoon in my own room writing letters.
Monday 2d Having made previous preparations for it, about eight o'elock, attended by the President, Mr. Langdon, and some other gen- tlemen, I went in a boat to visit the harbor of Portsmouth, which is well secured against all winds, and from its narrow entrance from the sea. and passage up to the town, may be perfeetly guarded against any approach by water. The anchorage is good, and the shipping may lay close to the docks, etc., when at the town. In my way to the mouth of the harbor. I stopped at a place called Kittery in the Prov- ince of Maine, the river Piscataqua being the boundary between New Hampshire and it. From hence I went by the old Fort (formerly built while under the English government) on an island which is at the entrance of the harbor, and where the lighthouse stands. As we passed this Fort we were saluted by thirteen guns. Having lines we proceeded to the fishing banks, a little without the harbor, and fished for cod, but it not being of proper time of tide, we only eaught two, with whieh, about ten o'clock, we returned to town. Dined at Col. Langdon's and drank tea there, with a large circle of ladies, and retired a little after seven o'clock. Before dinner I received an address from the town, presented by the Vice President, and returned an answer in the evening, to one I had received from Marblehead, and 18
270
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS.
another from the Presbyterian Clergy of the State of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, delivered at Newburyport,-both of which I had been unable to answer before. 1
Tuesday 3d Sat two hours in the forenoon for a Mr .- painter of Boston, at the earnest request of Mr. Brick of that plaee, who wrote Major Jackson that it was an earnest desire of many of the inhab- itants of that town that he might be indulged. After this sitting I called upon President Sullivan and the mother of Mr. Lear, and having walked through most parts of the town returned by twelve o'clock, when I was visited by a clergyman of the name of Haven, who pre- sented me with an ear and part of the stock of the dyeing corn, and several small pieces of eloth which had been dyed with it, equal to any colors I had ever seen, and of various hues of the same eolor. About two o'clock I received an address from the Executive of the State of New Hampshire, and in half an hour after dined with them and a large company, at their Assembly room, which is one of the best I have seen anywhere in the United States
At half after seven I went to the Assembly, where there were about seventy-five well dressed and many very handsome ladies. Among them (as was the case at the Salem and Boston assemblies) were a greater proportion with much blacker hair than are usually seen in the Southern States. AAbout nine I returned to my quarters. Portsmouth, it is said, contains about five thousand inhabitants. There are some good houses (among which Col. Langdon's may be esteemed the first) but in general they are indifferent, and almost entirely of wood. On wondering at this as the country is full of stone and good clay for bricks, I was told that on account of fogs and damp they deemed them wholesomer, and for that reason preferred wood buildings. Lumber, fish, and potash, with some provisions, compose the principal artieles of export. Ship building here and at Newburyport has been carried on to a considerable extent; during and for some time after the war there was an entire stagnation to it. but it is beginning to revive again.
Wednesday Nov. 4th About half past seven I left Portsmouth quietly and without any attendants, having earnestly entreated that all parade and ceremony might be avoided on my return. Before ten I reached Exeter, fourteen miles distance. This is considered the second town in New Hampshire, and stands at the head of tide water of Piseat- aqua river, but ships of three or four hundred tons are built at it. Above (but in the same town) are considerable falls which supply several grist mills, a slitting mill, and a snuff mill. It is a place of some consequence but does not contain more than one thousand in- habitants. A jealousy subsists between this town (where the Legis- lature alternately sits) and Portsmouth, which, had I known it in time, would have made it necessary to have accepted an invitation to a public dinner, but my arrangements having been otherwise made I could not. From Exeter passing through Kingston six miles from Exeter I arrived at Haverhill about half past two. The lands over which I traveled today are pretty much mixed, in places, with stone,
271
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
and the growth with pines, till I came near to Haverhill, where they disappeared and the land had a more fertile appearance.
We have given Washington's diary, kept by himself from the time he entered the state until he left it, to show just where he went and how his time was occupied while in the state. There have been many stories told of places visited and things done while in this state, which any one reading this diary can see at once must have been impossible. as his whole time is accounted for.
When leaving Newburyport Washington crossed the Merrimack river at Amesbury ferry in a boat which had been specially fitted for the purpose, thence across the Powwow river through Salisbury point, over Rocky hill. to the New Hampshire line.
Washington makes no mention of Hampton Falls or Hampton in his diary. My grandfather, who was present. told me that the party halted for a short time at Hampton Falls, but where we are unable to say. It was probably near the Wells tavern and not at the Weare house as many have supposed. Governor Weare had at this time been dead three years. Washington was mounted upon his horse. It was not his custom to shake hands indiscriminately with the crowd as do public men at the present time, but he made it a point to shake hands with those who had been soldiers in the Rey- olutionary War. A number shook hands with him here, and they were probably soldiers from this town and vicinity. When passing through Hampton a crowd had gathered at Toppan's corner, to whom he bowed pleasantly to the right and left. He left his car- riage at Greenland and rode into Portsmouth upon his favorite white horse. He stopped a short time in Exeter and partook of a collation at the house of Colonel Folsom.
Washington took command at Cambridge July 2, 1175. There is a well authenticated tradition that about this time he came to Hampton Falls to consult with Governor Weare and remained over night at his house.
VISITS OF MARQUIS LAFAYETTE AND PRESIDENT MONROE.
Angust 31, 1824, the Marquis Lafayette passed through New- bury and Newburyport. He arrived late in the evening in the midst of a heavy shower, where great preparations had been made to welcome the illustrious guest. The next day thousands
272
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS.
went to see him and were glad to see and grasp the hand of the man with whose name and history many of them had been so long familiar. A day or two after, he passed through Hampton Falls on his way east and halted here and many of our people went to see him. He is said to have visited the Weare house and to have spent some little time there.
July 12, 1817. James Monroe, president of the United States, passed through Newbury and Newburyport. He was received with all the marks of respect and honor due to his personal worth, as well as to his exalted station. At Amesbury he spent considerable time in inspecting the two mills and examining the goods manu- factured, and was much interested in ship building. He came to Hampton Falls and was much pleased to meet Major Joseph Dow, whom he had known in the Revolutionary army. Major Dow greeted him with a characteristic speech, reminding him that he was once Monroe's superior officer, but that now things were differ- ent. Monroe was said to have anticipated a great deal of pleasure in meeting Major Dow, who was something of a wag. -
RESIDENCE OF WARREN BROWN.
CHECK-LIST, 1814.
THE following is a list of the voters in Hampton Falls qualified by law to vote in town meeting for the choice of state and county officers, etc., in 1814:
Jacob Abbott
Joseph Dow
Nathan Adams
Richard Fifield
Joseph Akerman
Jonathan Fifield
Luke Averill
John Falls
John Brown
Eaton Green
John Brown, Jr.
Jacob Green
John Brown, 3d
James Green
Levi Brown
Benj. Green
Noah Brown
Jeremiah Gove
Zephaniah Brown
Aaron M. Gove
Jacob Brown
Stephen Gove
William Brown
Henry George
Benjamin Brown
Henry George, Jr.
Lowell Brown
Wells Healey
Nathan Brown
John Hardy
Josiah Brown
Jonathan Hardy
Reuben Batchelder
Joseph Hoag
Moses Batchelder
Green Hoag
Jeremiah Blake
Jeremiah Hilliard
Simon Blaisdell
James Janvrin
Jonathan Cram
Caleb Knight
Jonathan Cram, Jr.
Isaiah Lane Levi Lane
Christopher T. Chase
Charles Chase
Dearborn Lane
Chevey Chase
Samuel Lane
Jacob Cilley
Jonathan Lane
Caleb Dow
Thomas Leavitt
Elijah Dow
Edward Langmaid
Billy Dodge
Joseph Melcher
Stephen Dodge
Samuel Melcher
John Dodge
Thomas Moulton
Nathaniel H. Dodge
Dudley Dodge
Nathan Moulton Aaron Merrill
273
274
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS.
Aaron Merrill, Jr.
Daniel Pervear
John Merrill
Nathan Roby
Moses Merrill
Theophilus Sanborn
Robert Marshall
Green Sanborn
John Marshall
James Sanborn
Richard Nason
Benjamin Sanborn
William Otis
John Sanborn
James Prescott
Abner Sanborn
James Prescott, 2d
Joseph Sanborn
Simeon Prescott
Sewell Sanborn
Jessee Prescott
Samuel Smith
Levi Prescott
John Simpson
Josiah Prescott
Peter Tilton
Benj. Pike
Jonathan Tilton
Josiah Pike
Stephen Tilton
John Pike
Caleb Tilton
Joshua Pike
Joseph Tilton
Jacob Pike
Ebeneazer Tilton
Nathan Pike
Michael Tilton
John Porter
John Tilton
John Pervear
Currier True
Joseph Perkins
Aaron Wells
Nath1 Perkins
Moses Wells
David Perkins
Moses Wells, Jr.
A true copy, Recorded Feb. 22d 1814. Attest:
CALEB TILTON, Town Clerk.
FIRE ENGINE COMPANY.
BY-LAWS AND RULES FOR THE REGULATION AND GOVERN- MENT OF THE HAMPTON FALLS FIRE ENGINE COMPANY, NUMBER ONE.
ADOPTED APRIL 1, A. D. 1823.
ARTICLE 1. The property of said corporation shall consist of eigh- teen shares.
ARTICLE 2. All eleetions shall be by ballot.
ARTICLE 3. Each proprietor shall exercise votes and enjoy privi- leges in proportion to the number of shares he holds.
ARTICLE 4. Every constitutional vote passed by a majority at any regular meeting shall be binding on all the proprietors.
ARTICLE 5. The proprietors shall annually at the meeting in April elect a Chairman, Captain, and a Clerk, who shall be Treasurer, and a Steward. The business of the Chairman shall be to govern all meet- ings, and on application of five members in writing to call a meeting on extraordinary emergencies. The duty of the Clerk shall be to keep a fair record of all proceedings of the Society, and to eall a roll of all the members, at all the meetings, to collect all assessments and fines, and to pay all bills. The duty of the Captain shall be to take charge of the engine, and direet how it shall be worked in case of fire, and see that it is at all times fit for use. The duty of the Steward shall be to furnish sueh refreshments as are necessary when the engine is employed to extinguish fires.
ARTICLE 6. There shall be two stated meetings of the proprietors in each year, viz., on the second Monday in April and the last Monday in October, in the afternoon, and the roll shall be ealled precisely at five o'clock and each proprietor who is not present at the roll eall shall be subject to pay a fine of fifty eents.
ARTICLE 7. All assessments for the repair of the engine and for building a house for the same, shall be voted at one of the stated meetings.
ARTICLE 8. At any alarm of fire all the members whose property is not exposed shall instantly repair with their engine to the building whose danger is greatest and make every exertion for the preserva- tion of the property exposed. Every negleet of this duty shall sub- ject the members to pay a fine of fifty eents.
275
276
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS.
ARTICLE 9. Every member who is absent from any stated meeting without the exeuse of bodily indisposition shall pay a fine of twenty- five cents.
ARTICLE 10. If any proprietor shall refuse or negleet to pay any fines, or any such sums as shall in future be required by any legal vote of the proprietors to be paid on each share, by the time in sueh vote limited, the share or shares of such delinquent proprietor shall and may be sold by the Chairman, the sale to be by auction, and such notice given as the proprietors at any legal meeting shall think proper, and the purchaser shall be entitled to a certificate in the form hereafter prescribed and the money arising from the sale shall be applied to the payment of the sum assessed on sueh share, and the charge of the sale,-and the residue shall be returned to the former proprietor when he shall think proper to receive the same.
ARTICLE 11. Each proprietor shall receive a certificate for every share he holds, signed by the Chairman and countersigned by the Clerk in the form following:
This may certify that A. B. is entitled to one share in the Hampton Falls Fire Engine Company, Number One, with all the privileges there- unto belonging. This certificate when the share is transferred shall be endorsed by the proprietor and filed with the Clerk and a new one issued to the purchaser.
ARTICLE 12. All fines shall be for the use of the Society and at every October meeting the Clerk shall exhibit an aeeount of all re- ceipts and disbursements, which shall be audited by a committee appointed for the purpose, and the balance in his hands, unless other- wise disposed of by the Society, shall be paid over to his successor in office. Each member shall be furnished by the Clerk with a copy of these by-laws and rules, with the names of all the members annexed.
ARTICLE 13. Each proprietor shall seenre at his own expense and keep in some convenient place, two leathern buckets to be marked with his name. Every delinqueney shall subjeet the delinquent to a fine of fifty cents.
ARTICLE 14. None of these by-laws and rules established for the regulation and government of the Corporation shall be annulled, revised or altered unless by a major vote of all the proprietors and at one of the stated meetings.
The following are the names of the proprietors and the number of shares owned by each:
Amos Goodhue. Share Moses Wells. 3 Shares Benjamin Brown. 1 .. Nathan Brown.
1 Share Dudley Dodge. 1
Newman Brown 1
Horatio G. Brown 1 Richard Dodge 1
Josiah Brown. 1
6.
Stephen Dodge 1
66
John Brown :d. 1 66
Joshua Pike. 1
Theophilus Sanborn. . 1 Lowell Brown, Jr 1 ..
66 Thayer S. Sanborn ... 1
66
277
FIRE ENGINE COMPANY.
Any one reading the above constitution and by-laws of the engine company would be led to suppose that the town once had an efficient and well-organized fire department, but upon investiga- tion such does not appear to have been the case. Those belonging to an engine company were exempt from doing military duty, which many were intent upon doing, using almost any pretext to accom- plish that end. To escape the performance of military duty seems to have been the design of those who formed this company. Sim- ilar companies were formed in other towns for the same purpose. This engine company never rendered any service and was never present at any fire. Benjamin Brown, who lived in the brick house and was one of the members of the company, had a building burned near his house, and the engine which was near by was not taken out. nor was it capable of doing any efficient service had it been present. It was kept in a honse which stood near where the school- house now stands. . The engine went to pieces: what became of the fragments we are unable to say. The house was removed fifty or more years ago, having been purchased by George H. Dodge.
There were quite a number of members besides the stockholders. Any one who wished to evade military duty sought and generally obtained membership. Many who had been warned to do military duty would unexpectedly show certificates of membership to the engine company. The stated meetings were occasions of festivity and good cheer. That which did cheer and would inebriate was always present and assisted in the hilarity of the occasion. The prohibitory law had not then been enacted.
The many subterfuges and makeshifts which had been resorted to in order to get rid of military duty had so reduced the number of men liable to be called out in case of emergency that Governor Gil- man, in his orders of September 9, 1814, requiring the militia to arm for instant service, added the following: "And whereas there are a large number of men able to bear arms who are exempt by our laws from ordinary military duties, they are hereby invited and requested in the present alarming state of the country to as- semble in their respective towns, organize themselves into com- panies and prepare for defense in case it should become necessary." In compliance with this request companies of minute men were formed but were not called into service. They deserve mention as volunteers.
FAIRS.
PETITION OF HAMPTON FALLS FOR A FAIR.
To his Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq. Governor and commander in chief in and over his majesties province of New Hampshire and to the Honble Majesties Council
The humble petition of the Selectmen of the Parish of Hampton Falls in Said province most humbly Sheweth,
That whare as in this our Parish and in the towns and Parishes round about us, and to ve eastward of our Province Thare are raised a Bundance of Quick Stock which to geather with other Traffick, Twice in a year we want to Sell and having experienced Sumthing of benefit of a time and place for marketing Sd Stock and Traffick in our Sd Parish which Benefitt not ondly our Parish but our province together with ve eastward Towns have Shared with us in, by Reason of the Situation of our Parish being ve most convenient to accommodate Boath Provinces-We your Petitioners most humbly pray.
That his Excellency and ye Honble Council order that ve Second Wednesday and Thursday in May, and ve Third Wednesday and Thursday in Oct. to be days of Fair for Publick Traiding in this Par- ish att the most noted Publiek hous, and country Road yearly and for- ever for the Bennefites above expressed, As in duty bound will ever pray
JOSEPH TILTON JONATHAN PRESCOTT JOSEPH WORTH ISRAEL BLAK BENJAMIN GREEN - Selectmen of ve Parish of Ilampion Falls
Hampton Falls Oct. 10th 1734.
GRANT OF A FAIR IN HAMPTON FALLS, 1734.
George the 2d by the Grace of God of Great Brittian, Province Seal. France and Ireland, King Defendr of ye faith &c. To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting. Know vee that we of our Especial Grace certain knowledge and meer motion for the due Encouragement of Trade and Traffic within our Parish of Ilampton Falls in our province of New Hamp. in New England, and for the more effectual carrying on of the Same, there, Have given and granted and do by these presents give and
278
279
FAIRS.
grant to the inhabitants of our Said Parish & their Successors, the privilege of having holding & keeping two yearly Fairs in the Sd parish forever. each to continue 2 days together, and no more. The one to begin on the last Tuesday in April, and the other on ve last Tuesday in October Annually, To have and to hold the Said Privilege of keeping two yearly Fairs as above said for the ends and purposes, above expressed to the Said Inhabitants and their Successors forever. In Testimony whereof we have caused our Province Seal to be here- unto affixed. Witness Jonathan Belcher Esq. our Govr In Chief in and over our Sd Province the twenty fourth day of October in ye 8th yr of our reign Anno. Dom. 1734
J. BELCHER By his Exey Command wth the advice of ye Coun. R. WALDRON Secy.
There is no known record of the holding of these fairs. Tradi- tion says they were held with success for a number of years, and were beneficial to this section.
THE ROCKINGHAM COUNTY FAIRS.
The farmers of Hampton Falls took a lively interest in the ex- hibitions held by the county society, as the following account from the transactions of the society will show. From the records of the old society, incorporated in 1814, we find the following in the year 1825:
The crop of carrots grown on thirty-eight rods and two tenths of land by Levi Lane. Esq., of Hampton Falls is the largest that has ever been offered for a premium in this county, being at the rate of about 910 bushels to the acre. The land on which they were grown is a piece of loamy soil, broken up in the spring of 1824 from a turf sward, partly of twitch, or barn grass, and manured with swamp mud. After the crop was gathered the part where the barn grass grew was twice plowed and twice harrowed to subdue the troublesome grass above mentioned. The plowing was as deep as the plow would go. In the spring of 1825 it was dressed with fine barnyard manure, twenty-seven loads, and deeply plowed and harrowed until the soil was perfectly pulverized. The carrots were sown the last of May in rows about fif- teen inches apart, and three times weeded. The quantity of manure was large, but there is a strong reason for believing that the largeness of the crop was in a great measure due to the skillful manner in which the land was prepared, as the carrots were much larger on that part which was three times plowed than on that which was plowed but once.
280
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS.
At a fair held a few years previous (1819) at Exeter, Levi Lane, Esq., took the first premium in the pulling match for oxen. The heavy load drawn by his oxen was spoken of as wonderful for years after.
In the transactions of the new society, incorporated in 1853, which held its first fair September 16 of that year, is the following:
The grand entry of the Hampton Falls delegation of members, with their ladies, was a beautiful opening of the display. The band, led by the marshal, went ont to meet them a mile from the village and escorted them into the town. Twenty yoke of handsome oxen with their horns tastefully dressed in blue and yellow streamers of ribbon were attached to a ear mounted upon four wheels, and containing twenty-seven young ladies of Hampton Falls. The car was roofed over with green corn leaves for a screen from the sun, and carpeted and cushioned like a church. The outside was beautifully decorated with evergreens and bouquets of flowers. Indeed, no part of the wood, not even the wheels, could be seen. It was an elegant combination of the brilliant colors of autumn flowers with the fresh green of the forest trees and vines. Upon the sides, curiously formed in large letters with vegetables of all kinds, was an inscription of the name of the town.
Snugly seated among the fair oceupants were seen the president of the society and the orator of the day, who had gone out to pay their early respeets. On the square, teams from other towns were added to the procession to the number in all of some seventy yokes of oxen, and at nine o'clock, by the music of the band, and with occasional songs by the ladies, amid shouts and cheers of the multitude already assembled, the procession moved on to the eattle grounds near the depot. Coaches were then furnished by the society to the ladies, who were driven about the grounds to view the animals and then escorted by marshals to the exhibition hall.
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.