USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Haverhill > History of the town of Haverhill, New Hampshire > Part 10
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the Vermont assembly. Such, however, was the pressure brought to bear upon the political leaders in Vermont in opposition to this union, that they gave the delegates from these towns signal offense by refusing to erect counties east of the river, a measure which was demanded as indis- pensable to good government. This refusal on the part of the Vermont assembly, which met at Bennington in June, 1778, led to a dissolution of the union which these towns had formed with Vermont.
An attempt was then made to influence the New Hampshire authorities to claim jurisdiction in Vermont west of the river, and this, instead of being successful, led to a reaction in favor of the New Hampshire authori- ties. Col. Charles Johnston became the leader in this reaction, taking the place from which Colonel Hurd had been driven, with the result that he was elected to the New Hampshire council for Grafton County by the votes of such of the towns as had remained loyal to the Exeter government and the votes of some of the towns which had met with such a decided rebuff from Vermont. The county, thenceforward, was represented in the council till the adoption of the state constitution in 1784.
Haverhill, however, remained obdurate and continued in revolt. Numbers from both sides the river seceded from this assembly which had met first at Bennington in June, 1778, and later at Windsor in October and called for a convention to meet at Cornish in December. James Bayley and Thomas Simpson were the delegates from Haverhill to this convention. The purpose of the leaders of this movement was to secure the union of the towns on both sides the Connecticut in one jurisdiction. It was proposed to keep them together either by a union with New Hamp- shire or with New York, or failing this by the erection of a new state to be composed of the valley towns. This Cornish convention in March, 1779, drew up a definite proposition for union with New Hampshire, and made its appeal to the New Hampshire legislature for concurrence. That body referred the matter to the Continental Congress with the result that nothing was done.
Cheshire County next took the lead. A convention of Cheshire dele- gates held at Walpole November 17, 1780, issued a call for a convention from all the towns within the grants to meet at Charlestown in January, 1781. Forty-six towns were represented in this convention, and a com- mittee was appointed to confer with the Vermont legislature which was to meet at Windsor in February, and the convention adjourned to meet at the same time at Cornish, on the opposite side the river, and wait events. The assembly received the committee of the Cornish convention February 10, and articles of union were agreed upon to take effect when ratified by two thirds of the interested towns. Adjournment was had to ascertain the result of the voting, and these being favorable, on the 5th of April members from thirty-five towns east of the Connecticut River were ad-
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mitted to seats in the Vermont legislature. This was the second union accomplished. Haverhill was represented by Col. Timothy Bedel and Capt. Joshua Howard, elected at a special town meeting held March 31, 1781, at which it was formally "voted that the articles of union between the state of Vermont and the New Hampshire grants be agreed to."
When the assembly met in June at Bennington, eleven towns near Hudson River, now in the state of New York, were admitted to seats on similar terms as those granted to the New Hampshire towns, and the political situation was changed. Delegates were sent to the Continental Congress applying for the admission of Vermont to the Confederation, but they were informed that a condition of such admission would be an abandonment of all claim to territory east of the Connecticut River and west of a line drawn from the northwest corner of Massachusetts to the southern extremity of Lake Champlain. The legislature met in October in Charlestown, and in default of an election of lieutenant-governor by the people, Elisha Payne of Lebanon was chosen to that office. Sixty-six Vermont towns and thirty-six of those east of the river were represented. Resolutions relating to the terms imposed by Congress were passed, and courts were provided for towns east of the river.
In some of these latter towns there was a minority vigorously opposed to this union. In Haverhill the opposition was quietly but effectively led by Colonel Johnston. The authority of Vermont was openly defied and armed collision occurred in the southern towns. Gov. Meshech Weare ordered a draft of a thousand men to proceed to the scene of the disturb- ance, and Vermont proceeded to hold these eastern towns by force. Civil war seemed imminent, and agents of the British in Canada were busy. The period was a critical one. Finally Washington threw the weight of his influence in favor of the plan proposed by the Continental Congress and this prevailed. In February, 1782, the legislature met at Bennington and the union was dissolved by formal vote. The towns east of the river were left to adapt themselves and their affairs as best they might to the government of New Hampshire. Newbury, Bradford, Thetford, Norwich and Hartford on the west side the river sought for a time the protection and jurisdiction of New Hampshire, but they received little encouragement, and the river towns one by one came to acknowledge the jurisdictions determined by the river as a boundary line. It was, however, not till December, 1783, that Haverhill sent its first representa- tives to the New Hampshire house, and not till 1786 that Newbury became enough reconciled to Vermont to send representatives to her legislature.
It is to the honor of Haverhill that, during all these troubles, there was no wavering in her devotion to the patriot cause. The records, while by no means complete, show that the town, as already noted, was constantly making appropriations to promote the cause, and was year by year plac-
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ing its most substantial citizens on its committees of safety. Ezekiel Ladd was reimbursed for money advanced to Capt. Joshua Haywood for "horses for his men to Saratoga"; the Widow Richardson was paid for supplies provided for James Hardy, a Continental soldier, in his sickness; James Little was allowed £12 for lead bought of Moses Little.
At a special meeting in January, 1780, Charles Bailey was chosen delc- gate to a convention to be held in Dresden January 20, to consult upon some united measures to be taken "for the defense of these frontiers"; in February, it was voted "to take effectual measures to stop all grain in town for the use of the public" and a guard was appointed to carry this vote into effect. Captain Bedel, John Rich and James Woodward were made a committee to look after such guard, and to give permission to such women and children, as they deemed best, to secure supplies of grain.
The town may take just pride in its Revolutionary roll. In spite of internal strife concerning state jurisdiction, there was no hesitation when it came to giving military service. John Hurd, Timothy Bedel and Charles Johnston held commissions as colonels. Thomas Simpson, Joseph Hutchins, William Tarleton, Simeon Stevens, Luther Richardson, Timothy Barron and Ezekiel Ladd held commissions as captains and at various periods were in command of companies. No less than 109 others, men and boys, between the years 1775 and 1783, served in subordinate capacities as officers or as soldiers in the ranks-and this out of a pop- ulation which did not, at any one time, exceed 425. Haverhill occupied a strategic position. It paid the penalty for being the foremost Coos town.
In the company of rangers authorized by the provincial congress May 26, 1775, increased later to a battalion, and later still to a regiment under command of Colonel Bedel, and which was at the fall of St. Johns in November, 1775, there were 15 Haverhill men. There were upwards of 25 soldiers from Haverhill in Colonel Bedel's regiment, authorized in January, 1776, assigned to the Northern Continental army, and which saw service in Canada, at St. Johns, the Cedars, and elsewhere. Haver- hill men were found also in Colonel Stark's regiment at Bunker Hill, in other New Hampshire regiments during the siege of Boston, in Colonel Scammel's battalion, and in other New Hampshire commands on the Continental line during the war; they were found in Major Whitcomb's company and battalion of rangers, in service from October 15, 1776, to December 31, 1779; in Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill, N. Y., during the winter 1776-77; in Colonel Warren's regiment in the Jer- seys in 1775, and in the fateful expedition of Arnold against Quebec; in Colonel Hobart's regiment; in Gen. John Stark's brigade at Benning- ton; in Capt. Joseph Hutchins' company which served under the com-
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mand of Gen. Jacob Bayley in the eastern division of the Northern Army under General Gates, from August 17 to October 3, 1777; in Colonel Bedel's regiment raised by order of Congress for an expedition to Canada in December, 1777, and January, 1778, which after the abandonment of that expedition was continued in service for the defence of the frontiers on and adjacent to Connecticut River until November 30, 1779 (five of the eight companies of this regiment were commanded by Haverhill men); in Col. Moses Hazen's regiment raised under act of Congress March 15, 1779, and in General Hazen's later command in 1782; in Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company, serving under direction of Col. Charles Johnston, from June till November, 1782, and in New York and Massachusetts regiments for longer or shorter periods during the war.
The names of nearly all of these men, with the service they rendered, have been preserved, though some muster rolls have been lost. These are:
David Ladd: In Bedel's company of rangers in 1775; in Bedel's regiment in Canada, 1776; in May, 1777, in Major Whitcomb's rangers; in Hobart's regiment, Stark's brigade, at Bennington in 1777.
Joseph Moulton: In Bedel's company of rangers in 1775.
Ebenezer Sanborn (or Sandborn): In Bedel's company of rangers, 1775.
John Sanborn: In Bedel's regiment in Canada, 1776.
Mark Sanborn: In Colonel Warren's regiment in the Jerseys in 1775; in 1776 in a Massachusetts regiment.
James Abbott: In Colonel Reed's regiment in 1776.
Robert Simpson: In Bedel's rangers, 1775; in New Hampshire continental battalion, seige of Boston, winter of 1775-76.
Nathaniel Wales: Quartermaster, Bedel's regiment in Canada, 1776.
Joseph Fifield: In Bedel's regiment in Canada, 1776; May 1, 1777, in Major Whit- comb's rangers.
John Loverin (Lovering): In Bedel's rangers, 1775; later enlisted in New York state for three years.
Joseph Hadley: In Bedel's regiment in Canada in 1776; in Major Whitcomb's rangers, May 1, 1777.
John Haseltine: In Bedel's regiment in Canada, 1775.
John Dodge: In Colonel Warren's regiment in the Jerseys in 1775; in 1776 in a Massa- chusetts regiment.
Thomas Simpson: In Bedel's rangers, 1775; in continental battalion, seige of Boston, winter of 1775-76; captain of company of 53 men on the frontiers, September 14 to December 5, 1776.
Thomas Simpson, Jr .: Ensign in his father's company, September to December, 1776.
Harry Morgan: In Colonel Reed's regiment, 1776.
William Haseltine: In Colonel Reed's regiment, 1776.
John Rine: In Stark's regiment at Bunker Hill.
Silas Wheeler: In Col. Moses Hazen's regiment.
Daniel Stevens: Enlisted in New York state regiment for three years.
Avery Sanders: Enlisted in New York for three years.
Alexander Hogg: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill in winter of 1776-77.
Solomon Parker: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill.
Ebenezer Rice: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill.
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William Miner: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill; in Captain Hutchins' company in 1778.
George Moors: In Stark's regiment at Bunker Hill; in Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill; later in New York service for three years.
Samuel Lang: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill.
Joshua Hayward: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill.
John Taylor: In Bedel's rangers, and at St. Johns, 1775.
Ephraim Wesson: In Colonel Gilman's regiment at Peekskill.
Hezekiah Fuller: In Massachusetts service for three years.
Anthony Foster: In Captain House's company, Colonel Cilley's regiment, Continental line.
Josiah Elkins: In Bedel's regiment in Canada; in Capt. Joseph Hutchins' company, 1778.
John Hodgdon: In Bedel's regiment at St. Johns; May 1, 1777, in Major Whitcomb's rangers.
John Sanders: In Bedel's regiment in Canada; in Captain Hutchins' company, 1778. Isaac Stevens: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Thomas Manchester: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
John Fifield: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Jona. Sanders: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Asa Bailey: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
William Abbott: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Richard Sanborn: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Jesse Heath:
In Bedel's regiment in Canada; later enlisted in New York for three
years.
Benijah Hall: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Zebulon Hunt: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Amos Heath: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Joseph Sawyer: In Bedel's regiment in Canada; later in Massachusetts service.
Josiah Burnham: In Bedel's regiment in Canada; May 1, 1777, in Moses Hazen's regi- ment.
Henry Palmer: In Bedel's regiment in Canada.
Moses Doty: In Bedel's regiment in Canada; later in a New Hampshire battalion, Continental line.
Perley Rogers: In Bedel's regiment in Canada; later in Massachusetts service.
Joseph Springer: In Colonel Stark's regiment at Bunker Hill, till September, 1775; one of the 88 New Hampshire men in Colonel Arnold's Quebec expedition.
Henry Springer: In New Hampshire battalion, Continental army; in Captain Stone's company, Col. Alex. Scammel's regiment.
William Locke: In Colonel Hobart's regiment, Stark's brigade, at Bennington. Elisha Lock: In Colonel Hobart's regiment, Stark's brigade, at Bennington. Ezra Gates: In Colonel Hobart's regiment, Stark's brigade, at Bennington.
Thomas Haselton: In Colonel Hobart's regiment, Stark's brigade, at Bennington. Edward Clark: In Colonel Hobart's regiment; in Col. Moses Hazen's regiment organ- ized under resolution of Congress, 1779.
Elisha Brown: In Luther Richardson's company, Bedel's regiment, 1778-79.
Caleb Young: In Captain Cushman's company, Bedel's regiment, 1778-79. Ezekiel Ladd: Captain in Bedel's regiment, April 1, 1778 to May 1, 1779.
James Ladd: Lieutenant in Bedel's regiment, April 1, 1778 to May 1, 1779; also in Bedel's rangers, 1775; lieutenant in Capt. Ezekiel Webster's company, 1782.
John Brown: In Captain Young's company, Bedel's regiment, December, 1777 to March, 1778.
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Moody Bedel: In Captain Ladd's company, Bedel's regiment, 1778-79.
Simeon Stevens: Captain in Bedel's regiment, 1778-79.
John Way, Jr .: In Bedel's regiment, 1778-79.
Gains Niles: In 3d company, Colonel Cilley's regiment, previous to March, 1780; in Capt. Moody Duston's company, 1st New Hampshire regiment; enlisted February 13, 1781.
Michael Salter: Drummer, Moses Hazen's regiment, organized in 1779.
Jona. Pratt: Fifer, Moses Hazen's regiment, organized in 1779.
Israel Olmstead: Moses Hazen's regiment, organized in 1779.
Robert Hartley: In Major Whitcomb's rangers, March 22, for service during the war. Aaron Wesson: In Captain Phelps' company, Bedel's regiment to March 31, 1778. Jonathan Cooper: In Continental army from December 4, 1776, to March 1, 1777.
Jonathan Morse: In Captain Stone's company, Colonel Nichols' regiment, Stark's brigade, at Bennington.
James Gould: In 1st New Hampshire regiment, Continental service.
Stephen Morse: In 1st New Hampshire regiment, Continental service.
Ebenezer Whitaker: In 1st New Hampshire regiment, Continental service.
Eleazar Danforth: In Arnold's expedition to Quebec.
Timothy Curtis: In Bedel's company, 1775.
Thomas Caprin: In Bedel's company, 1775.
Timothy Barron: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Gates army, from August 18 to October 5, 1777; captain of company in Bedel's regiment raised in spring of 1778.
Luther Richardson: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777; captain of company in Bedel's regiment raised in spring of 1788.
John Page: In Captain Hutchins' Company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August to October, 1777; in Captain Ebenezer's company in force under command of Col. Charles Johnston raised in June, 1782, for defence of western frontiers.
William Tarleton: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August to October, 1777; captain in Colonel Bedel's regiment raised in spring of 1778.
Joshua Howard: Lieutenant in Capt. Thomas Simpson's rangers, September 14 to December 5, 1776; in Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Joseph Hutchins: Captain company in Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August to October, 1777.
Samuel Ladd: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Ebenezer McKintosh: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
David Sanders: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Elisha Cleveland: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Jona. Moulton: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Daniel Miller: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Jona. Eastman: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
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Charles Wheeler: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
James Bayley: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
James Woodward: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
Jonathan Ring: In Captain Hutchins' company, Bayley's brigade, Northern army, August 18 to October 5, 1777.
In Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company, raised June 26, 1782, for the defence of the western frontiers, the entire force being under the command of Col. Charles Johnston, were besides those previously mentioned:
Frederick Zilgo
Michael Johnston
Joseph Ladd
Elijah Balcom William Green
Hugh Barnes
Asa Ladd
Joel Richardson
Amos Blood
Smith Williams
Joseph Young
Reuben Page
Ezra Abbott
Jonathan Pike
William McLaughlin
Seth Flanders
Noah Moulton
Daniel Moulton
Daniel Stevens, Jr.
Many of these one hundred and nineteen men saw two or three terms of service. It is doubtful if any New Hampshire town can, in numbers in service in proportion to population, show a superior record. It is true many of these men were never on the firing line, never engaged in battle, were in no long campaigns, but they rendered arduous, self-sacrificing military service in their country's cause.
CHAPTER VI
READJUSTMENT AFTER THE WAR
READJUSTMENT CAME AFTER THE WAR-DEPRECIATED CURRENCY-MR. POWERS CONCLUDES HIS WORK-TORIES ASKED TO LEAVE TOWN-PAPER CURRENCY VOTED To BE ISSUED-CENSUS, 1790-1800-DIFFICULTY IN SECURING SELECTMEN- VACCINATION CONTROVERSY-BROOK AND CORNER OUTGROWING THE PLAIN- FEDERALISTS IN POWER-HAVERHILL, A COMMUNITY OF FARMERS-SOCIAL LIFE- EACH HOME A MANUFACTORY-CHURCH AND TAVERN.
WHILE no battles were fought in Haverhill during the War of the Revolution, it was the centre of military activity, and in a sense the seat of war for the Coos county. There was an almost constant state of alarm, and the growth of the town was at a standstill; in fact there was at one time a decrease of population. In 1773 the number of inhabitants was 387; in 1775, it was but 365, and in 1780 it was hardly more than 400. Recovering from the effects of the war was slow. Internal disputes had engendered strife, and harmony did not come immediately. Town expenses had increased, currency had depreciated, real money was ex- ceedingly scarce, and corn and wheat were made exchange for the pay- ment of debts, and taxes and salaries. In 1775, the sum of £5 was voted for town expenses, while in 1780 the sum voted was £1880, 10s and in 1781 the sum of $34,150 (continental dollars of course) was voted to sup- ply the town's quota of beef for the army. The extent of depreciation is shown by the fact that it was voted to allow town accounts to be paid in wheat, and at a ratio of 40 to 1. Even with this depreciation general town expenses had increased nearly tenfold. In this same year parties who had contracted to erect mills and make other improvements were released from their contracts because of financial embarrassment and "difficult times." There were also a large number of sales of original rights and other lots of land belonging to parties whose circumstances had become straightened by reason of the war. Several prominent families left town to become settlers in newer towns.
The period immediately following the war was evidently a period of recuperation from the disastrous effects of the conflict, and of adjustment to changed conditions, especially the enforced abandonment of any pur- pose of union with Vermont or the formation of a new state in the Con- necticut Valley. During the war town meetings, annual and regular, were held; town officers were chosen, but in the lists of names of these various officers hardly a name appears except those already mentioned
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as having been chosen prior to 1775. Some of the votes recorded just after the war are explanatory of conditions then existing. For example, at the annual meeting in March, 1783, it was "voted that the present government be continued in full force till the 10th day of June, 1784, not- withstanding a general pacification should take place in the meantime, provided a permanent plan of government for this state should not be established antecedent to that period." The people were making ready to recognize the full authority of the general government. The courts which had been discontinued during the war were revived, since the records show that jurors were drawn for the Court of General Sessions and Common Pleas to be held in Haverhill on the third Tuesday of August, 1783.
At a special meeting, September 16, 1783, it was voted not to hire Mr. Powers to preach any more. For the two previous years he had not preached in Newbury, except occasionally in private dwellings and barns, having taken up his residence in Haverhill in the house of Col. Charles Johnston late in 1780 or early in 1781. His salary had fallen in arrears, and his outspoken utterances in favor of the patriot cause had caused adverse criticism on the part of those who were not in hearty sympathy with the cause, and were popularly classed as tories. On Sunday, Sep- tember 10, 1780, Mr. Powers paid his respects to this class in his parish in language that could not be mistaken. He took the text for the two sermons of the day from the famous song of Deborah: "Curse ye Meroz, said the Angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty." There is little doubt that the Merozites, those in Newbury in particular, were scathingly and effectively cursed. Mortal offense was given, the life of the minister was threatened, and he became so greatly alarmed for his own personal safety that he moved his family across the river as before stated. General Bayley, Col. Robert Johnston and others felt, that, having hurt the patriot cause more than he had helped, having by his utterances increased their bur- dens and perplexities and by removing from town had left them to face the plottings and ill will of their Tory townsmen alone, he had broken the agreement of his settlement, they secured the shutting of the meet- ing house against him, and for the next two years his ministrations were for the most part in Haverhill. But his work in Haverhill closed in September, 1783.
In the warrant for this same special town meeting there was the follow- ing significant article:
Art. 4 .: To see if the town will pass some votes concerning tories, absentees, or per- sons who have left the United States of America and voluntarily taken residence within the lines of the enemies of said states and have returned or may return into this town.
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It was "voted that Jonathan Ring, Joseph Hutchins, Nathaniel Merrill, Thomas Miner and Ephraim Bailey be a committee to take care that no such persons as mentioned in the 4th article of the warning be suffered to reside in this town."
It may be noted that at the annual meeting this same year, Col. Asa Porter was chosen constable and collector of taxes, and, though he de- clined to serve, his election is an indication that the charges of "Toryism" which had been made against him, and upon which he had been arrested and deprived of his liberty were not generally accepted as true by his fellow townsmen.
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