USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Keene > History of the town of Keene, from 1732, when the township was granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it became a city > Part 13
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Indian graves have been discovered in that vicinity, the skeletons found, as was almost invariably the case in all parts of the country, in a sitting posture, facing east. It is believed by those who have given the matter some study that there was an Indian burying place of considerable extent on what is known as the "Kate Tyler" farm, a mile and a quarter from the Square, on Court street, between the highway and the river. In excavating for the cellar of the house built there by Henry M. Darling, in 1882, the skeletons of six grown persons and one child were found, in a sitting posture, facing east, and near each other. They were pronounced by well informed persons to be skeletons of Indians. They were in a gravelly knoll or mound, the gravel being of a different kind from the earth around it, and apparently brought there to cover the bodies. No relics or implements of any kind were found buried with the bodies. Four of the skeletons were pre- served, though none is perfect, and may be seen in the rooms of the Keene Natural History Society. Other skele- tons have also been found in various places. Many stone axes, hatchets, chisels and arrow and spear heads have been found in various places in town. The stone pestle fourteen and one-half inches long mentioned above was found near the Swanzey line, and many years ago a similar one seven- teen inches long was found by Capt. Aaron Hall.
In those early days, salmon ran up the Connecticut river and all its larger branches, and the Indians undoubt- edly had a "salmon dam" in the Ashuelot near the "sand bank" mentioned above. In 1888, Mr. George A. Whee- lock wrote for the New England Observer :
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"The low water in the Ashuelot, occasioned by the re- pairs at the Swanzey mill, has exposed the old traditional Indian dam two miles above. Indians were lazy, and this work of theirs is the more surprising on this account; per- haps there is nothing like it in the state. The river at this point is now almost a rapid and strewn with boulders for thirty rods or so. It is less than a hundred feet wide, but the dam being in the shape of a harrow pointing down stream is more than that distance. By skilful stepping it is possible to pass the point of the harrow, the apex of the dam, and somewhat farther. It is made of stones, such as a man could lift, picked up in the stream above. It varies from six to twelve feet in thickness, according to the depth of the water. It looks like a tumble down wall mixed with gravel, but it must have caused weeks of labor. It is natural to suppose that the dam was made to aid in fishing for salmon with nets and spears. Below the dam is a flat boulder reached by stepping stones. Here stood the young brave and watched the silver-bellied salmon, and struck at him with his flint-pointed spear. Near by the old dam lives Jonas L. Moore. Here lived his father and grandfather before him. For one hundred and thirty years this has been called the Indian dam. Mr. Moore's father, in his boyhood, used to cross the river on the wall. The reason it is now so unknown is because the eel grass in the back water of the pond covers and conceals it. The Observer's representative was shown a beautiful spear point of Twin mountain flint. The elder Moore dug up a half peck of arrow and spearheads, all in one pocket. They were carelessly left on a stump and lost years ago. Some twenty Indian fire-places have been ploughed up here. These were simply circles in the middle of the wigwam, paved with stones from the river. The Swanzey Anti- quarian Society should have a drawing of this dam show- ing the two eastern wings and the boulder."
The Indian was too proud and too lazy to labor with his hands or perform any menial service unless it was in building fortifications or wigwams, or preparing for war or the chase, or otherwise procuring food, as in building the salmon dam, mentioned above. But he willingly sub- mitted to the necessity of carrying heavy burdens in war. The equipment of Raimbault's party of eight savages that went with him to Northfield in 1748, after he had been exchanged, as given by the Canadian authorities who pro- vided them, was: "80 muskets; 80 breechclouts; 80 pairs mittens; 100 deerskins; 8 lbs. vermillion; 80 woodcutters'
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knives; 80 lbs. powder; 80 lbs. ball; 80 lbs. lead shot; 80 collars for carrying; 80 awls; 80 tomahawks; 400 flints; 80 powder horns; 100 needles; 3 lbs. thread; 80 war clubs; 8 axes; 4 pairs scissors; 80 lbs. tobacco; 8 iron cooking pots; 8 canoes, and 13 days' provisions. This force made directly for the Connecticut valley; and took position on the highlands to the eastward of Fort Dummer." This was the party that had the fight with Sergt. Taylor on the 14th of July near Fort Dummer.
The squaws planted, gathered and preserved the crops, prepared the food, and with the above exceptions, bore the burdens and performed all the drudgery of life. But the rights of women were recognized in many ways. They could hold property by descent, and lands in the Connecti- cut valley were sold to the whites, and deeds given, by women who owned those lands by inheritance. In some cases their sachems were females, and in such cases their bands were led by their most powerful warriors. One of the tribes in eastern Massachusetts had a squaw for chief, the widow of Nanepashemet who lived near Lake Mystic in Medford. In some tribes squaws of recognized position were admitted to their councils. Awashauks, the power- ful squaw of Sogkonate, and the unfortunate Queen Wee- tamoo, have already been mentioned. The latter was a sister-in-law and confederate of King Philip, and attended his court here in the Connecticut valley; was "squaw sachem of Pocasset and was counted as potent a prince as any round about her." She married Wamsutta, and at his death, Quinnapin, a powerful chief of the royal blood of the Narragansetts. She had two maids, one of whom was Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, the captive wife of the min- ister of Lancaster. She was proud and severe and spent as much time each day in dressing as any of the gentry, powdered her hair, painted her face, and wore ear-rings, necklaces, bracelets, girdles, red stockings and white shoes.
The Indians of these valleys not only accorded rights to women, but often treated them with a rude gallantry, especially white women, and in the early days "a white woman in captivity was never known to be insulted by an Indian."
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When they captured the Johnson family at No. 4, in August, 1754-taking Mr. Johnson, his wife, three children, Miss Merriam Willard and two men-the surprise was complete, but no one was harmed. The next day Mrs. Johnson was delivered of a daughter, who, from the cir- .cumstances of her birth, was named Captive. The Indians halted one day on the mother's account, and the next day resumed their march, carrying her on a litter, which they made for the purpose, and afterward put her on horseback. "On their march they were distressed for provisions; and killed the horse for food; the infant was nourished, by sucking pieces of its flesh."1 There was a similar case of birth the second day out, and of carrying mother and child on a litter, at the capture of Fort Massachusetts in 1746, when Sergt. John Hawks of Upper Ashuelot was in command.
The ferocity of the Indians towards the whites was caused chiefly, without doubt, by the barbarous and per- fidious manner in which they were treated from the first by the English. The Dutch settlers along the Hudson, and the French in Canada, treated them with kindness and lived with them in peace; and the Indians generally were friendly until they had learned to distrust the whites. The great chiefs Massasoit in Massachusetts and Passaconaway in New Hampshire were strong and faithful friends of the whites.
Our sympathies are naturally aroused for the brave pioneers and their families who suffered so much in their frightful experiences, and feelings of horror are excited at the barbarous treatment they received from the Indians. But we must not forget that that treatment was chiefly in retaliation for the cruel and perfidious manner in which some of the whites had treated those untaught, wild men of the forest. In his uncorrupted state the Indian knew nothing of duplicity, except his natural, animal instinct of wiliness in war. He was taught that by the whites. "The very words that signify lying, treachery, dissimula- tion, avarice, detraction and pardon were never heard of." (Buchanan's North American Indians.) Those are the terms
1 Belknap's History of New Hampshire, vol. 2, pages 288-9.
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and vices of civilization. With all their naturally warlike disposition, their cunning in strategy, and even their reveng- ful proclivities, the Indians in their natural state were governed largely by instinctive feelings of honor and justice.
"Over the track of the Concord and Northern railroad are daily seen running (1853) three Powerful engines, named Passaconaway, Wonalanset and Tohanto-names of three noble chiefs of the Pennacooks-tried friends of the English in prosperity and in adversity-one of them a bold advocate of temperance, against lawless traffickers in Rum." (Bouton's History of Concord.)
In the old French war: "A single instance of modera- tion deserves remembrance. An Indian had surprised a man at Ashuelot; the man asked for quarter, and it was granted; whilst the Indian was preparing to bind him, he seized the Indian's gun, and shot him in one arm. The Indian, however, secured him; but took no other revenge than, with a kick, to say, 'You dog, how could you treat me so.' The gentleman from whom this information came, has frequently heard the story both from the captive and the captor." (Belknap's History of New Hampshire, vol. 2, page 255.)
The same author tells us that "the universal testimony of the captives in that war who survived and returned was in favor of the humanity of their captors. When feeble, they assisted them in traveling; and in cases of dis- tress from want of provisions, they shared with them an equal proportion."
"The Indian never makes a show of civility except when prompted by genuine feeling. It is not the custom of any uncorrupted Indian to repeat a request, or an offer of civility or courtesy. If declined, they believe it is done in perfect sincerity and good faith, and that it would be rudeness to ask them to change their determination. They are seldom guilty of duplicity. They never interrupt those who are conversing with them, but wait till they have finished." (Buchanan's North American Indians, page 14.)
We must remember also that the Indians had the prior right to this country by occupancy, and in that sense were the owners of the land; and that the whites were intruders who persistently forced them back and away from their familiar haunts-"the hunting grounds of their fathers"-those hills and valleys and streams for which they had the natural feeling of love for one's home and country. In most cases in New England the whites did
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not buy the lands of them, or if they did, it was at such ridiculously low prices that the red man soon discovered that he had been cheated and was naturally exasperated. Five thousand acres of that fine intervale land at West Springfield, Mass., was bought of the Indians by a tailor who sold the same tract to a carpenter for a wheel- barrow.
The motive for the attack on No. 4, in August, 1754, was, as stated by the Indians to their captive, James Johnson, "because the English had settled down upon lands there which they had not purchased; and that they intended next spring to drive the English on Connecticut river so far as Deerfield." (Johnson's Declaration, Provin- cial Papers, vol. 6, page 330.)
The Indians had an indefinite belief in a future exist- ence, and buried with their dead the arms and implements of war or of the chase, and such provisions as they sup- posed would be needed on the journey to the "happy hunting grounds." Sometimes the bodies were placed on scaffolds of the branches of trees, but were more usually buried, and the grave was often surrounded with a light stockade; and for six months the women would go there three times a day to weep. "If a mother lost her babe, she would cover it with bark, and envelop it anxiously in the softest beaver-skins; at the burial place, she would put by its side its cradle, its beads, and its rattles; and as a last service of maternal love, would draw milk from her bosom in a cup of bark, and burn it in the fire, that her infant might still find nourishment on its solitary journey to the land of shades." (Bancroft's History of The United States, vol. 2, page 442.)
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CHAPTER VI. TOWN AFFAIRS. 1760-1774.
The warrants for town meetings at this period were headed "Province of New Hampshire," and issued "In His Majesty's Name;" and this form was used until 1771. One article in the warrant for a town meeting held December 31, 1760, was "To see if the Town will agree to give a gentleman a Call in order to settle in the min- istry among us." No record of that meeting has been found, or of any other until that of March 26, 1761, when it was "Voted to add Ten Pounds Sterling money of Great Brittain to the Worthy Mr. Clement Sumner to the sum that was voted to him February ye Sixteenth last past and also a Sixty fourth Part of this Township as mentioned in Our Royal Charter to the first Setled Gospel Minister Provided he shall settle among us."
From this it appears that Mr. Sumner had been called at a previous meeting in February and "His salary was fixed at thirty-five pounds sterling and his firewood, with an annual increase of one pound ten shillings sterling, until fifteen pounds should be added." (Annals, page 35.)
April 15, 1761, the town "Voted Ten Pounds Sterling Money of Great Brittain to be added To Mr. Clement Sumners Sallary and the Whole Sallary to be stated on Commodities as they be now and so from year to year in case that Mr. Sumner Should Except our call; Commodi- ties as they be now wheat at 3/21/2 pr Bushel sterling pork at 3ª pr pound Beef at 2ª pr pound Indian corn at 1/81 pence pr Bushel Rye at 2/6 per Bushel Labour in the Summer 2 / ster pr Day." This was rescinded in Novem- ber of the following year, upon the complaint of Mr. Sumner that the article of beef had been stated above the market price.2
1 One shilling, eight pence. The diagonal mark / stood for shillings.
2 The records of this meeting are signed by Ephraim Dorman, town clerk, showing that he must have been elected at the annual meeting in March.
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HISTORY OF KEENE.
Mr. Sumner accepted the call in a letter dated April 27, which is recorded in the town books, page 23, old records; and he was ordained on the 11th of June. The church was reorganized at that time, with fourteen male members-having been without a pastor for a year and eight months-and two years later Dr. Obadiah Blake was chosen one of the deacons.
Mr. Amos Foster, who died March 2, 1760, had be- queathed one-half his estate to the town. On the 31st of August, the town voted that Mr. Sumner's settlement and salary should be paid out of that legacy; but it was sev- eral years before the land could be sold and the money collected. The same meeting "Voted to give the Sum of Twelve Pounds Lawfull money of the Massachusetts Bay to Doct" Obadiah Blake and to Doct" Thomas Frink For their Trouble and Charge in Providing for the Council at Mr. Sumners Ordination." (Dr. Frink had recently come to town and was keeping tavern next below where Capt. Isaac Wyman built the next year.)
Sept. 28 the town "Voted to build a house for Sick Soldiers;" and "Voted Fifteen Pounds Sterling Toward Finishing the meeting House."
The selectmen this year laid out the road afterwards called Prison street, "beginning at the North end of the Street by the Causeway by the Crotch of the Roads that Lead to ash Swamp and up to the Old Saw mill then running by Mr. David Nims' to the North Side of David Morses 100 acres Eight Rods wide thence Four Rods wide up the Old Road through the Old mill yard," etc. The "causeway" at the north end of the original Main street was a little north of the present railroad tracks; David Nims lived where Charles Wright 2d now does; and the old road to the saw mill ran from the causeway much farther east, curving nearly to Beaver brook; and this new road entered it about opposite our present jail, form- ing our present Washington street.
What was then called the new road to Westmoreland -now the "old road"-was also laid out that year: "beginning at Jesse Clarks [since known as the Ingersoll place at old West Keene] and running up past the Ellis
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and Foster farms." Previous to that the road to West- moreland was the old one that leaves the present Chester- field road just beyond the railroad arch. That was some- times called the glebe road, as it ran through or near the Westmoreland glebe.
A proprietors' meeting on the 23d of February was called at the meetinghouse, but adjourned to the house of Nathan Blake:
"Voted upon the Fourth article that that neck of Comon Land where Isaac Clark and Amos Foster were buried be appropriated and Set apart for a burying Place for this Town."1
"Voted on the 5th article that the Lots of Land Laid out to the Revd Mr Clement Sumner by a Comtee Chosen for that Purpose be Recorded and made Sure to him -viz House Lots Nº 28-29 eight acre Lot of Meadow Land (54) Thirty acre Lot (50) Ten acre Lot of Meadow Land (23) a Hundred acre Lot to House Lot (29) also a five acre Lot of Meadow to the same House Lot."
"Voted on the Sixth article that the Propr. will Lay out Sixty acres of Upland to Each Right in this Town- ship and that they will Proceed in the following manner viz that Each Propr shall have Liberty to lay out Ten acres or Less of the same joining their Lands which they have already Laid out where there are Strips of Common Land and that they may Lay the same in Several Pieces not hurting the Common Land or their Neighbours Privi- ledge and where there is Strips of Common Land Lying between two mens Land they Shall Divide the same according to their Interest in the Common Rights-and the Remainder of the above said Sixty acres which shall not be Laid out in Strips of Common Land they will Pro- ceed in the Following manner viz that they will Draw Lots for Choice and he who Draws the first Lot Shall make his Choice or Pitch on the first Day of September next Ensuing the Date hereof and he who Draws the Second Lot the Second Day and so Giving Every man his Day according to his Draught from the first of Sep- tember Next Until they shall go thro the whole Sabbath Days Excepted and that The Comtee appointed to Lay out said Land shall Proceed in the Following method Namely to Lay out the Lots in good Shape and Form and not Leave Slips of Land between Lot & Lot, and that they Leave
1 On a knoll north of the road leading to West mountain, near Ash Swamp brook, southwest of Henry O. Spaulding's house. The inscription on Mr. Fos- ter's gravestone is still legible, though nearly obliterated. This was the second burying-place used in town, the first being southwest of the first meetinghouse.
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Land for Roads in Every Lot-and if any man Shall not Lay out his Lot in his Day nor bring in his Pitch or Choice in writing to David Foster by the Day then he shall not Lay out his Lot till the time be Expired for Laying out Each mans Draught or Pitch in Said Division and if any man shall not Lay out his Lot in Six Days after he made his Pitch it Shall not be Laid out to hinder any other man of his Pitch. Chose Lieut Ephraim Dorman Joseph Ellis Joseph Blake Simeon Clark Benjn Hall David Foster and Nathan Blake a Comtee to Lay out said Lots."
The names of the original proprietors with the num- bers of their house lots in regular order, and the numbers of their pitches in this division then follows.
The annual town meeting in 1762 was opened at the meetinghouse, chose "Deacon David Foster Moderator" and immediately adjourned to the house (tavern) of Thomas Frink, Esq. A full list of town officers was elected, including Michael Metcalf, Jr., "Clark of the mar- ket,"1 and "Michael Metcalf and Dr. Obadiah Blake Deer Reifs."2 Thomas Rigs was chosen "Leather Sealer," and "Dan Guild to Dig the Graves in the Burying Place by the Town Street,"-at the south end, near the site of the first meetinghouse.
The first "merchant" in town was Ichabod Fisher, and at this time he used to go to Wrentham, his native town, once a year, on horseback, and bring back his saddle bags filled with calicos, ribbons, pins, needles, etc., which sup- plied the dry goods trade in Keene for a year. His store was in his house on "Poverty Lane," now West street, the small yellow house which stood nearly opposite School street until 1880.
On the 2d of September the town "Voted to Clabbord the meeting House Lay the Floors and Glaze the windows of sd House and make all the Doors and Brace the Meeting House as the Carpenter and Committee shall think Need- full-Choose Eben" Nims Michael Metcalf Elisha Briggs Eben" Clark and Josiah Willard to be a Committe To carry on said Business Relating to the meeting House."
There was delay in the settlement of the estate of Amos
1 This office was continued for twenty years before the "Haymarket" was established, but nothing is known concerning its duties.
2 It was the duty of deer reeves to enforce the law against killing deer in the spring and summer.
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Foster, and the town "Choose Thomas Frink, Esq." Agent to act in all affairs Relating To the Estate Given to the Town by Mr. Amos Foster Deas'd."
The annual town meeting in 1763 was opened at the meetinghouse, chose David Nims, moderator, and immedi- ately adjourned to "Capt Wymans" (tavern). A full com- plement of town officers was chosen, among them Capt. Wyman first selectman, Ebenezer Clark and Thomas Riggs, tythingmen.
On the 21st of June the town "Voted Thirteen Pounds Sterling to Pay for the Sashes and Window Frames of the meeting House and for Provideing Stone Boards &c for the meeting House."
On the 13th of September the proprietors met at the meetinghouse, chose David Nims moderator, and "ad- journed to the House of Sarah Harrington, Inn Holder." Many of the proprietors having neglected to make out their claims under the Massachusetts grant, it was voted that if they did not present their claims on or before the last day of May, 1764, "then their lands shall be free for any man to lay out." The time was afterwards extended to the last day of September, 1765.
The annual town meeting in 1764 was opened at the meetinghouse, chose Dr. Thomas Frink moderator, and adjourned to the house of Nathan Blake.
On the fifth article: "Voted Six Pound Sterling to Defray the Charges of a School." This is the first record of money appropriated by the town for schools.
On article 7: "Voted Fifty Pounds Sterling to Defray the Charge of mending the Highways and to allow Each man Two Shillings Sterling pr Day for Labour in mending the Highway from the month of May to September and One Shilling and Sixpence Sterling pr Day after Septem" Through the Season of working on the Roads."
A town meeting on the 27th of September, adjourned to the 18th of October-Dr. Thomas Frink, moderator- "Voted to Build a Pulpit in the meeting House and make the Seats in the Body of the meeting House and Set up the Pillars put in the Joyce of the Gallerys all to be Compleated by the First Day of Septem" Next." The sum of ten
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pounds, sterling, was raised for that purpose, and Lieut. Ephraim Dorman, Benjamin Hall and Simeon Clark were chosen a committee to carry on the work.
At the annual meeting in 1765, on article 7, "Voted the Sum of Sixty Pounds Sterling to make and mend the Highways and that Two Shillings and Six Pence be allowed pr Day to Each man untill the Last of Septem" and then Two Shillings pr Day for each man and one Shilling pr Day for a yoke of Oxen and Sixpence pr Day for a Cart."
On the 7th of May a legal meeting of the proprietors was held at the meetinghouse under a warrant from Benjamin Bellows of Walpole, "one of his Majestys Jus- tices of the Peace for said Province" of New Hampshire. Capt. Isaac Wyman was chosen moderator.
"Upon the Second article voted to Confirm all the former votes of the Propriety." A committee was chosen to sell the blacksmith's tools, and a vote passed that the money received for them should "be Laid out to Pay for finishing the meeting House."
"Upon the Fourth article Voted that the Propriety will Lay out Sixty acres of Land to Each Right in said Township."
This was the ninth division of the common land, and the method adopted was the same as that of February 23, 1762.
Twelve acres of land were voted to David Foster for his services as clerk in recording the charter; and "Thos Frink Esq." David Nims and Breed Batcheller"1 were appointed a committee to make an allowance out of the common lands to those who had had roads laid through their thirty acre lots.
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