USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Henniker > History of the town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, from the date of the Canada grant by the province of Massachusetts, in 1735, to 1880 with a genealogical register of the families of Henniker > Part 12
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Voted to sell the School write of land.
Voted that the sum or sums that said Land is Sold for Shall Be Paid Annually for the support of a School and the Princi- pal To Lie forever.
The interest only was intended to be thus used. Previous to this year there had been no regular districts laid out by the town. The few school-houses that were built had been placed where they would accommodate the most families, regardless of any district lines. At the annual meeting of this year (1786), the town
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
Voted to alter the School Deestricts.
A school committee of eight were chosen to see to the mat- ter.
At a meeting held Feb. 27th, this year, the town again voted to sell the school right under the following terms, viz.,-
The sum that it is sold for to lay in the hands of the purchas- er, they giving good security, and paying the interest annually, at 6 per cent.
2d Each lot to be set up separate.
3d five shillings to be a bid.
4ly if any dispute should arise between the bidders then the same shall be set up again.
5ly the deed to be given upon good security within two days after the sale.
6ly Any person, or persons, that shall bid off any or either, of said lots, and shall neglect, or refuse, to apply for a deed as aforesaid, he, the said bidder, shall forfeit and pay the sum of Three Pounds for the use and benefit of the town.
Amos Gould, Samuel Mansfield, and Joshua Heath were chosen a committee to sell and convey the land.
The school lots were,-Lot No. 8, 7th range, struck off to Dr. Edward Hunter for £107-10s .; lot No. 4, 3d range, to Stephen Adams, for £30-5s. ; lot No. 7, 2d range, to Elisha Barnes, for £32-5s.
Jonas Bowman was vendue master.
At a meeting held March 31, 1788, the town voted to let each district manage its own financial affairs. Up to this time there had been no school in what is now the village. At this same meeting the town
Voted ; Squadron for the middle of the town, may draw their proportion of school money for 1787.
In 1788, the town, having become divided into several districts, voted to take the several school-houses as the town's property, assessing their value, and paying each dis- trict its proportion. They were of but little value, all being built of logs, and very poorly finished. The school-houses, at this date, stood in what are now Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
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NAMES OF VOTERS.
9, and 12. Alterations have been made in these several dis- tricts since: some have been divided, and in others the lines changed. In 1790, the town, at its annual meeting, voted to build a school-house in each district, and chose a committee to locate and build the same. It was not done, however. The town took charge of the houses and the schools. The selectmen hired the teachers, determined the number there should be, and the length of the schools, hav- ing, in fact, a general supervision of the schools and school- houses. At the annual meeting, held in March, 1796, the town voted to let each district provide its own teachers, and that the children should not be confined to the district they lived in, but might attend any school that should convene them the best. The town also refused to divide the school- money according to the number of schools. In 1797, the town voted, for the first time, to divide the school-money equally among the scholars between the ages of four and twenty-one. At the annual meeting, held March 3, 1800, the town voted to build new school-houses as a town, and have them built by a town tax. A committee of ten were chosen to see how many districts there should be, how many school-houses, where they should be built if the dis- trict could not agree upon the location, and make a report of their doings to the town as soon as convenient. This committee made a report shortly after, dividing the town into ten districts, the following persons to comprise each district. We give their names to show the number of tax- payers in town at this date, and where they lived :
NO. I, NOW NO. 13 AND PART OF NO. I.
Aaron Adams, Jer. Sargent,
Oliver Noyes, Robert Rogers,
William Adams,
Mr. Whitcher,
Eliakim How,
Benjamin Pressey,
Thomas Stone,
Jonas Alexander, Jr., Mr. Hardy, William Gould, Samuel Kimball,
Simeon Rogers, Obediah Rogers,
Joshua Kimball,
Samuel Kimball, Jr.,
Jedediah Kilbourn,
Daniel Colby,
Penn How,
Joseph Plummer,
Moses Whitaker,
Amos Gould,
Samuel Page.
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
DISTRICT NO, 2, NOW NO. 12 AND PART OF NOS. I AND 2.
Joseph Gibson, Elisha Barnes,
David Dole,
Gideon Adams, John Whitman,
Joshua Heath,
Amos Whitney, Benjamin Jacobs,
Hezekiah Purington,
John Goodenow, Ezra Tucker,
Richard Dole,
Jasper Temple, Ezra Tucker, Jr.,
David Purington,
Moses Adams,
Samuel Cheney,
Amos Farrington.
Samuel Eastman,
Stephen Hardy,
DISTRICT NO. 3, NOW PART OF NOS. I AND 2.
Jonas Alexander,
David Pope,
Michael Archer,
Darius Whitcomb,
Jonathan Bowman,
Benjamin Clough,
John Smith,
David Bowman,
Nathaniel Folsom,
Nathaniel Chase,
Oliver Patch,
Ben. James Peaslee.
Joseph Hussey,
Thomas Pingree, Jr.,
Jonathan Hoag,
Thomas Pingree,
DISTRICT NO. 4, NOW PART OF NOS. 3 AND IO.
Simeon Simons,
Joshua Downing,
Joshua Harriman,
Pelatiah Purington,
Nahum Newton,
Ebenezer Harriman,
Daniel Newhall,
Jesse Campbell,
Levi Davis,
Thomas Howlett,
Thomas Hoagg,
Enoch Johnson,
Phinehas Ward,
Timothy Peaslee,
Benjamin Hoyt,
Joseph Marsh,
Joseph Bowyers,
Thomas Willson.
DISTRICT NO. 5, NOW NOS. 3 AND 8.
Ephraim Morrill,
William Wallace,
George Little,
Daniel B. Alley,
Robert Wallace,
David Morrill,
John Sawyer,
Francis Withington,
Elias Haswell,
Levi Gove,
Jesse Ward,
Bela Butler,
James Joslyn,
Joseph Ward,
John Campbell,
Josiah Ward,
John Southwick,
Thomas Steward.
William Morrison,
Moses Huse,
DISTRICT NO. 6, NOW NO. 4, FORMERLY NO. 9.
Daniel Rice,
Joshua Whitney,
Thaddeus Warren,
Levi Colby,
Bezaleel Smith,
John Warren,
David Colby,
Thaddeus Gibson,
Mathias Heath,
Samuel Wadsworth, Lewis Gibson,
Moses Smith, Jr.,
Moses Smith, Abel Dufur,
Manoah Harriman,
Joseph Wood,
George Hoyt, Abner Harthorn,
Charles Rice,
Daniel Emory,
Eli Wood,
Samuel Smith, John Harthorn,
Aaron H. Wadsworth.
Jonathan Wood,
Samuel M. Smith,
Elisha Rice.
NAMES OF VOTERS.
I53
DISTRICT NO. 7, NOW NOS. 4 AND 5.
Lt. Bowman,
Eleazer Whitney,
Timothy Sprague,
David Campbell,
Timothy Abbott,
Micah How,
Dr. Thomas Brooks,
David Barrows,
Paul Harthorn,
Levi Bowman,
Joseph Patterson,
Charles Whitcomb,
Ezekiel Smith,
Nehemiah How,
Nathaniel Livingston,
Solomon Childs,
Ephraim Goss,
Silas Harthorn.
Ebenezer Harthorn,
David Clough, Esq.,
Benjamin Whitcomb, Benjamin Gould,
DISTRICT NO. 8, NOW NO. 6.
Jonathan Gordon,
Nicholas Colby,
Stephen Adams,
David Gordon,
Moses Connor, David Adams,
Jonathan Gordon, Jr.,
Samuel Connor,
Eliphalet Colby,
Abel Gordon,
Noah Rice,
Thomas Putney,
David Connor,
William Myrick,
James Connor,
Aaron Eastman, Moses Myrick,
John Tucker.
DISTRICT NO. 9, NOW NOS. 7 AND II.
Asa Gould, Samuel Morrison, 3d, Eli How,
Andrew Bancroft,
Samuel Farizel,
Moses Hoyt,
David Mansfield,
Jacob Peters,
John Kimball,
John Gould,
Jonathan Ray,
William How,
Levi Kemp,
Moses Duston,
William Kimball,
Levi How,
Capt. E. Whitman's farm,
Peter How,
Stephen Whitaker,
Thomas Clough,
Moses Kezer,
Widow Stone,
Jonah Whitney,
Samuel Morrison, Jr., Jonathan Sawyer,
Ebenezer Phillips.
DISTRICT NO. 10, NOW NOS. 8 AND II.
John Proctor,
Nathaniel Harthorn,
Edward Whitman,
Shuthelah Rice,
Daniel Jacobs,
Joshua Darling,
Rev. Jacob Rice,
James Wallace,
Isaac Patterson,
Isaac Whitney,
Thomas Brown,
Silas Whitcomb,
John T. Connor, John Connor, Jr., Phinehas Campbell, Joseph Eager,
Josiah Morse, Jonathan Eastman,
Eben How, Elijah Rice, Eliphalet Dufur,
Jonas Bowman,
Alex'r Patterson, Jr.,
Francis Bowman, Jr.,
James Hemphill,
William Bowman,
Oliver Whitcomb,
Aaron How,
Solomon Johnson,
Jacob Rice, Jr.
Two hundred and twenty-one names in all.
II
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
At this same meeting, the vote that had been passed for the building of the several school-houses by the town was reconsidered, and the several districts built their own houses. For a good many years the school-money was divided among the districts by the scholar.
The school-houses now began to be located anew, the old ones mostly disposed of, and new ones built. They were built with a square roof, the four corners meeting in a point at the top of the roof. Save a little entry, the whole inside of the building was one room. Bench seats ran around the room upon three sides, with desks before them; on the other side of the room stood the fire-place, usually of large dimensions. The teacher's desk was near the fire-place.
An improvement also began in the number and kind of studies to be pursued. At the first schools but little was done save reading in the Testament and Catechism,-the latter answering for a question-book. After a while a Reader was introduced, and Dillworth's Spelling-Book : the teacher taught mathematics by examples originated by him- self. Then came Daboll's and Pike's arithmetics, and the old American Preceptor for a reader. No grammar was taught in the schools until within the present century. Later came Adams's Arithmetic, the English Reader, and Marshall's Spelling-Book, with various other studies.
At the annual meeting in March, 1802, the same vote, or nearly the same, that passed in 1800, in relation to the town's building the school-houses, was passed, and a committee ap- pointed to locate and build them, and to redistrict the town again. A meeting was held a few days after, at which this vote was reconsidered. At this meeting the town
Voted that no scholar should go out of his own district to school.
Again, in 1804, a similar attempt was made, but received little support.
A portion of the people were at first dissatisfied, from the
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SCHOOL MATTERS.
fact that the idea that a district could govern its own affairs as well as the town, and perhaps better, was contrary to their fixed principles in regard to such things. The town must have control, as a town, of both secular and religious matters. Hence it was difficult for them to conform to the improvements that were being made. About this time church and state became separated by the formation of a new religious society, and our old fathers trembled lest it was not for the best interests of the people at large. This determined opposition was kept up, however, and at the an- nual meeting, in March, 1805, the matter was again revived. The town chose a committee of one from each existing district to redistrict the town, so that there should be but seven districts instead of ten, giving the committee power, however, to make the number eight if they thought best. The town also voted to build in each district a new school- house, the one then standing to be appraised by the com- mittee to district the town. The town further obligated itself to have the new school-houses ready by October of the fol- lowing year. Robert Wallace, Jonas Bowman, and Joshua Darling were chosen a committee to see that the houses were built. The building of each house was to be let to the lowest bidder. This committee made a report to the town in May of this year. They established eight districts, where are now Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The school-house on the common was sold for $287.50, and the one at Westbury Corner for $152.50. No record of any other sale was made. No. I then contained 38 proprietors; No. 2, 33; No. 3, 31 ; No. 4, 31; No. 5, 26; No. 6, 18; No. 7, 24; No. 8, 40 ;- total, 241.
In the year 1806 the Friends began to agitate the matter of being allowed their proportion of the school-money, to be by them expended as they thought fit. At a meeting held March 17, 1807, a committee of five was chosen to "Con- verse with the Friends, relative to giving them their propor- tion of the school Money." This committee made a report
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
to the town, one week later, and recommended the town "to set off their proportion to be laid out in schooling in their own way and in their own house" (for they had built a house at their own expense); but the town took a different view of the matter, and refused to vote them their proportion. This petition was signed by Daniel B. Alley and "sundry other Friends."
A committee of three from each district was chosen to inspect the schools at their commencement and at their close. A man was also chosen in each district to take care of the school-house. The teachers were hired by the select- men. Jonas Bowman, one of the committee to build the houses, died in 1807, and Thaddeus Gibson was chosen in his place.
In 1808 the town voted to lay out one third of the money for schooling in the summer. This has been substantially followed ever since. The schools had been mostly taught in the winter, and by males. The vote this year was as fol- lows:
That each District may lay out one third of its school Money, by hireing a School Mistress qualified by law, in the Summer season, if they think best.
This was the commencement of summer schools, and of the employment of females as teachers.
In 1809, Rev. Moses Sawyer, Joshua Darling, and Hon. Robert Wallace were chosen a committee to superintend the schools. This was the first committee chosen without refer- ence to districts, and was the beginning of superintending school committees.
In 1810 the Friends again made an attempt to have their own school-house and school-money set off to them, so that they might be independent of the rest of the town. The town thought it would not be politic to do so, and declined to grant their request.
In 1812 the town
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SCHOOL MATTERS.
Voted to choose three men in each and every district, to visit their school at such times as they may think proper, and invite in any Gentleman they may choose, to hear the scholars in their respective studies, and advise the master relative to the Govern- ment of the School, &c.
The Friends and a few other families having built a school- house, asked the town, in 1816, to be made a separate dis- trict. The town, at its annual meeting, chose a committee to investigate the matter, and to report to the town. They reported favorably ; and the town voted to create a new dis- trict, with the understanding that the school-house should become the property of the town. This was acceded to, and District No. 10 was formed. No. 3 were authorized to re- move their school-house nearer the centre of the district, which they did, near the spot where their present neat little school-house stands. The town publicly thanked No. 3 for their liberality in building so good a house, and for present- ing it to the town free of expense.
There was as yet no school-house in the village, upon the north side of the river. In 1819 they asked the town to move the school-house to the centre of the district. As this would carry the house upon the north side of the river, the town gave District No. 8 the privilege of dividing their school-money as they saw fit.
In 1822 a committee of one from each district was chosen by the town, to take into consideration the propriety of di- viding District No. 8, and the lines in such other districts as they might think proper. This committee made a re- port, at the annual meeting in 1823, recommending the divi- sion of District No. 8, the river to be the boundary line, except Luther Harthorn, who had a carding-mill where the kit-shop now is, and Lieut. Joel How, who then owned the mills now owned by Mr. Gutterson. No. II was thus cre- ated ; and a school-house was built near where the shoe-shop was moved from.
In 1824, Rev. Moses Sawyer was chosen superintendent
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
of schools, the first time there had been less than three for that purpose.
In 1827, the selectmen appointed the superintending school committee for the first time.
November 27, 1841, a meeting of the town was held, at which it was
Voted to divide District No. I through the centre of the School House, North and South.
District No. 13 was formed from the east side of this line.
Another town-meeting was held, December 15th of the same year, to see if the town would unite these two dis- tricts. The town did nothing in regard to the matter.
The school-house in No. I was located this year, by a committee appointed for the purpose, and the spot where it now stands was selected. The first brick school-house in the town was built by this district.
ACADEMY.
The opening of the year 1836 found this town in the full tide of its prosperity. Although the population had dimin- ished somewhat from that of 1820, still it was so small as to be hardly perceptible in the business interests of the town. The farms were all occupied, and machinery began to be used quite extensively upon the water-power of the town. Two years previous had witnessed the building of three sub- stantial churches. The year previous had witnessed the building of a stone bridge across the river at the centre of the town, which was of itself both ornamental and useful ; also a fine, substantial wooden bridge across the river at the upper village,-both costing some $6,000. It was then that the people of the town began to turn their attention more to their educational interests. For some time the mat- ter of erecting an academy here had been discussed in a casual manner; but, believing that the true standing of the
159
THE ACADEMY.
town depended upon the intelligence of its inhabitants, and that the more intelligent and educated its people were, the more industrious, contented, and happy would they be, mak- ing the town a more desirable place of residence for all, a few of the leading citizens set themselves to work to see what could be done. A committee was chosen to ascertain how much could be obtained towards such an object. The matter was voluntary, and the money was raised by subscrip- tion. The people took hold of the project quite liberally ; and such success had been met with, that a meeting of the shareholders was held at the office of Samuel Smith, Esq., April 4, 1836, at which meeting Hon. Joshua Darling was called to preside, and Samuel Smith was secretary.
This meeting voted to build an academy; and it chose as a committee to procure land for the purpose, Page Eaton, Col. D. C. Gould, and Abel Connor. A committee was ap- pointed to report a plan for the building, consisting of Rev. Jacob Scales, Dr. Nathan Sanborn, and Horace Childs. A building committee was also chosen, to ascertain the price for which the building could be erected, and to contract the same, consisting of Abel Connor, Horace Childs, and Col. D. C. Gould. A committee of three was chosen to procure an act of incorporation, consisting of Hon. Joshua Darling, Rev. Jacob Scales, and Samuel Smith, Esq. It was voted to incorporate in the name of the town of Henniker, and that the names of the subscribers to the shares be in the act of incor- poration. Col. Imri Woods was representative that year, who was requested to present the petition, and to take the matter in charge.
At a meeting of the shareholders, held at the vestry of the Congregational church, May 2, the report of the com- mittee upon a plan for the building was read and accepted. Everything relating to the building was left in the hands of the building committee. The committee upon location, after viewing different situations, decided upon the one where it now stands, which was given by Horace Childs,
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
and which is the pleasantest that could be found. An effort was made to locate it at a point midway between the two villages, but for some reason this failed.
At a meeting held at the vestry, May 16, the following gentlemen were chosen trustees of the institution : Rev. Ja- cob Scales, Dr. Nathan Sanborn, Hon. Joshua Darling, Sam- uel Smith, Esq., Page Eaton, Esq., Abel Connor, Horace Childs, Col. Stephen H. Long, of Hopkinton, Rev. Jubilee Wellman, of Warner, John Grimes, Esq., of Deering, Rev. Orlando G. Thatcher, of Bradford, and Gen. Anthony Colby, of New London,-all of whom accepted save Col. Long. Additions have been made from time to time to the board of trustees, by the election of the following gentlemen: In 1837, Col. D. C. Gould, Robert M. Wallace, Esq., Moses Brown, Esq .; 1838, Jonas Wallace, James Wilkins; 1843, Jacob Sawyer, Oliver Pillsbury, Capt. Jonathan Cogswell ; 1858, Jeremiah Foster, Esq., Horace Gibson, Zadok Duston, Jr., Carlton S. Dodge, Daniel Cogswell ; 1859, Oliver Pills- bury, Dr. Wm. W. Wilkins, Edward B. S. Sanborn, Ephraim Dutton, Hillsborough, Horace Gove, Deering, Stephen K. Hoyt, Warner, Ira A. Eastman, Manchester (did not accept), William L. Foster, Concord, Nehemiah Colby, Bradford, Jo- siah G. Dearborn and William H. Gove, Weare.
Rev. Jacob Scales, Samuel Smith, Esq., and Dr. Nathan Sanborn were chosen a committee to report upon the most proper books to be used.
The act of incorporation was received, incorporating "Jacob Scales, Joshua Darling, Nathan Sanborn, Samuel Smith, Page Eaton, Abel Connor, Horace Childs, Jonathan P. Darling, Daniel C. Gould, and their associates, succes- sors, and assigns," under the name of The Henniker Acad- emy. The extent of their powers in money matters was ten thousand dollars. Jacob Scales, Nathan Sanborn, and Joshua Darling, or either two of them, were authorized to call the first meeting under the act of incorporation. The act was a simple act of incorporation, giving the parties all the pow-
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BY-LAWS OF ACADEMY.
ers necessary to a successful carrying out of the enterprise. Isaac Hill was governor.
The building was immediately put under contract to Mr. Horace Childs, above the foundation. Mr. David Bowman dug the cellar, and stoned it with split granite. Mr. Childs raised the building, and finished it in the fall, so as to be ready for the spring term. Aug. 15, a meeting was held, at which Joshua Darling, Dr. Nathan Sanborn, and Samuel Smith were appointed a committee to draft a code of by- laws for the institution. Nov. II, the committee reported the following code, which was adopted :
BY-LAWS OF THE HENNIKER ACADEMY.
The object of this institution is to afford instruction to young persons of both sexes in all branches taught in academies in New England. It is to be arranged in one or more depart- ments, as circumstances require and admit. The institution shall be under the direction of a Principal, and such assistants from time to time as the Trustees shall think necessary.
Ist The number of Trustees shall not exceed twelve, of whom a majority shall belong to Henniker. All vacancies shall be supplied by their own choice.
2ª The Annual Meeting of the board of trustees shall be holden at the close of the fall term.
3ª A President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be chosen at each annual meeting ; also a committee of three shall be chosen annually to transact the prudential business of the institution, and to give advice to the Principal in matters of peculiar inter- est or difficulty : and to give their approbation of the books to be used in the academy.
4th Any five members shall constitute a quorum.
5th Meetings of the board may be called by the President, or at the request of any three Trustees.
Of terms and duties of students.
Ist There shall be four terms, of eleven weeks each, in a year ; beginning on the second Tuesday after the Commencement at Dartmouth College and followed by a vacation of two weeks.
2ª There shall be a public examination each term, or semi- annually, as the Trustees may elect.
3ª No person shall be employed as Principal who is not a credible professor of religion.
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HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
4th The public exercises of each day shall commence with the word of God and prayer: and all members of the institution shall be present at these exercises, unless excused by the Prin- cipal. And it shall be the duty of all students to attend public worship on the Sabbath, unless excused by the Principal.
5th Students shall not be allowed to visit each others' lodg- ings, nor to walk, nor ride for amusement, on the Lord's day.
6th All playing at cards, or dice, or any other game of chance for gain or amusement, and all profane language, is strictly for- bidden.
7th No student shall spend his time by loitering at any store, shop, tavern, or place of similar resort.
Sth No student shall be absent from any exercise prescribed, without permission of the teacher, or rendering a satisfactory excuse ; and all instances of tardiness shall be carefully noticed.
9th Silence, and strict attention to study and instruction are required during the hours of attendance.
The following persons have been principals of this insti- tution :
Breed Batchelder, spring of 1837, first term.
J. Webster Pillsbury, fall of 1837.
Charles D. Fitch, for one year, fall of 1838 to fall of 1839.
Franklin George, fall of 1839 to winter term of 1840.
Samuel Badger, winter term of 1839-40.
Rev. Isaac D. Stevens, spring term of 1840.
Rev. Mr. Roe, winter term of 1840 and 1841.
Mr. Wing, spring term 1841 ; Isaac D. Stewart.
Richard Lane, fall term, 1841.
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