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 19
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On the 3d of July the legislature had voted to raise 1,500 men to reinforce the northern army, and apportioned the quotas to be furnished by each militia regiment in the colony, that of Col. Ashley's being 100 men. From those recruits a regiment of eight companies was organized in July and August and sent forward to Ticonderoga, to serve five months. Joshua Wingate of Stratham was appointed colonel, and the rendezvous was at Charlestown. In Capt. Humphrey's company of that regiment were Benjamin Ellis, sergeant, and Naboth Bettison, Daniel Willson, Henry Ellis, Abraham Griffin and Joseph Thatcher, privates, all of Keene. Thatcher appears to have been transferred to Wyman's regiment.
1 Lieut. Burton's Diary.
1
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On the 4th of July the Declaration of Independence was signed and "Within fourteen days it was published by beat of drums in all the shire towns of New Hampshire." (Belk- nap's History of New Hampshire, vol. 2, page 405.) It was received by the army, the legislatures and the people with great rejoicing. That declaration brought great en- couragement to the patriots, gave them a more definite object for carrying on the war, and united them in a com- mon cause. That object had now come to be the estab- lishment of a nation of their own under democratic rule; the dreaded alternative was the fate of conquered rebels. There could be no more powerful incentive to fight; no sharper spur to endure hardship and privation.
When the news of the signing of the Declaration reached Keene, steps were at once taken to celebrate the occasion; and the following story in connection is told by Col. Rush C. Hawkins of New York in his biographical sketch of Rev. Aaron Hutchinson, a very learned and accomplished divine of that period. Mr. Hutchinson had preached in both Graf- ton, Mass., and Pomfret, Vt., and while on a journey from the former to the latter place, "when the family arrived at Keene, the citizens of that town had just heard of the signing of the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia and were assembled in an open lot (doubtless on the 'Green') for a celebration of that patriotic event. They had erected a liberty pole for which a flag had been pro- vided, but as they had no halyards there was no way of fastening it to the top of the pole except by climbing, and a Spanish silver piece then in use, of the present value of twenty-five cents, was offered to any one brave enough to undertake the perilous act. Greatly to the surprise of those assembled, a little stripling of a boy, only nine years old, came forward and said he would like to try. At first no one was willing to allow such a puny specimen of a child to run the risk he proposed, but upon the assurance of Mr. Hutchinson that his 'little Alec' was a cool-headed boy and could be trusted, he was allowed to make the at- tempt to carry the flag as near the top as possible. He succeeded in taking it to a point where the pole was so slender that it bent under his weight, but the courage and
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coolness of the boy averted a pending danger and crowned his bold effort with success. He descended amid the plau- dits of the multitude and received the promised compensa- tion."
A town meeting on the 2d of August chose Capt. Eliph- alet Briggs, of the committee of safety of Keene, a delegate to a convention of the committees of safety in the county to be held at Walpole on the 6th, "To Consult and agree upon such Methods as shall then be thought Necessary for the General Good and Our Mutual Defence and Safety."
The legislature had adjourned from the 6th of July to the 4th of September. On the 10th, the Declaration of In- dependence, which had been received during the recess, was read in the house, and the following resolution was imme- diately passed :
"Voted and Resolved, That this Colony Assume and take upon themselves the NAME & STILE of NEW HAMP- SHIRE, and that all Communications, Writs, Processes & all Law Proceedings which heretofore were made & issued in the Name & Stile of the Province of New Hampshire, or the Name & Stile of the Colony of New Hampshire, shall henceforth be made & issued in the Name & Stile of the STATE of NEW HAMPSHIRE, and not otherwise." And the council concurred.
On the 14th a convention of both houses voted to raise 1,000 men to reinforce the army at New York under Wash- ington, to be divided into two regiments of eight com- panies each. The colonelcy of one of those regiments was given to Thomas Tash of Durham, that of the other to "Dea." Nahum Baldwin of Amherst. The men were enlisted for three months and were paid a bounty of $20. The two regiments were promptly raised and marched via Hart- ford, New Haven, and Stamford, Ct. Baldwin's regiment joined the main army and took part in the battle of White Plains, Oct. 28. Capt. John Houghton, of Keene, com- manded the 6th company in that regiment, and the enlisted men from Keene were Samuel Bassett, Caleb Ellis, John Lebourveau, Obadiah Blake, Jr., James Eddy, Samuel Hall, John Dickson and Ziba Hall. The regiment was mustered out early in December.
The alarm for the safety of Ticonderoga continued, and
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in October, Cols. Ashley and Bellows marched from Chesh- ire county to reinforce Gen. Gates, each with six companies of his regiment of militia. Col. Chase, of Cornish, also marched with two companies of his regiment, and Col. Enoch Hale of Rindge sent two of his companies, under Lt. Col. Thomas Heald. The men from Keene in that cam- paign were Stephen Griswold, 1 lieutenant, and Thomas Morse, private, in the company of Capt. Isaac Davis; Michael Metcalf, lieutenant, Timothy Ellis, Jr., sergeant, David Wilson, corporal, and Cephas Clark, John Balch, Jacob Town, Michael Sprout, 2 Aaron Gray, Silas French, Thomas Field, Adin Holbrook, Reuben Partridge, Robert Spencer, Abraham Wheeler, and Jonathan Wheeler, privates in the company of Capt. Joseph Whitcomb of Swanzey; and Ephraim Witherell and Daniel Snow, Jr., in the com- pany of Capt. Joseph Burt; all in Col. Ashley's regiment.
No record of the particular movements of those troops has been found, but at the close of the campaign the fol- lowing letter of thanks was received from Gen. Gates:
"Ticonderoga Nov. 9th 1776.
"GENTLEMEN-I return you, and the officers & soldiers of the Regiments under your command, my sincere thanks for the Spirit and Expedition both you & they have shewn in marching upon the first alarm, upwards of one hundred & fifty miles, to the support of this important pass, when threatened with an immediate attack from the Enemy's Army. I now dismiss you with the Honour you have so well deserved. I further Certify, that neither you nor any under your command, have received any pay or reward from me for your services upon this occasion; that I leave to be settled by the General Congress with the Convention of your State. With great respect,
"I am, Gentlemen your most obedt
Humbl Servt Horatio Gates.
"To Colonel Ashley & Colonel Bellows commanding the Regiments of Militia from the County of Cheshire, in the State of New Hampshire."
In September, congress voted to raise eighty-eight bat- talions of troops, by enlistments and reenlistments, to serve
1 Stephen Griswold's name appears on the records for a long term of years as a citizen of Keene-moderator of town meetings, and holding other town offices. He was at one time a selectman of Gilsum.
2 Michael Sprout belonged in Packersfield, but enlisted from Keene.
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through the war. New Hampshire's quota was three bat- talions. The government offered a bounty of $20 in money and a grant of 100 acres of land to each enlisted man; with an increase in land to officers according to rank, a captain to receive 300 acres, a colonel 500. The three New Hampshire regiments of Stark, Poor and Reed (now Scam- mel) were reorganized, many of the officers and men re- ënlisted, and recruiting offices were soon afterward opened to complete their numbers.
The legislature met in November, and voted to raise another reinforcement of 1,000 men for Washington's army, 500 men to be drafted at once from the militia regiments, organized into a regiment of eight companies under Col. David Gilman, of Pembroke, and sent forward immediately. In that legislature, Major Timothy Ellis of Keene served on several important committees, and when he returned home he brought a large sum of money to the recruiting officers in this part of the state. Capt. Francis Towne, of Rindge, with Samuel Wright of Swanzey, first lieutenant, raised a company of Cheshire county men. Zadock Wheeler, of Keene, was a sergeant and Samuel Heaton, of Keene, a corporal in that company. The regiment was mustered Dec. 5, went immediately to the front, was in the battles of Trenton and Princeton and remained in the service be- yond its term-with the other New Hampshire regiments, all re-enlisting for six weeks, at the earnest solicitation of Washington-until the 12th of March.
Early in December another alarm spread through New England in consequence of the appearance of the British fleet off the coast, apparently with the intention of land- ing troops. On the 10th, the legislature "Voted, That Gen. Folsom be and hereby is Directed to order all the militia of this State instantly to prepare themselves with all nec- essary warlike accoutrements & six days Provisions-as an order for their marching may follow this in Twenty- four hours." But marching orders did not come at that time.
The army at this period was in a deplorable condition, and the outlook of public affairs was so gloomy that con- gress recommended all the states to appoint a "Day of
RUINS OF DWINNELL'S MILL, WEST KEENE. BUILT IN 1776. LATER KNOWN AS WILLSON'S MILL.
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Solemn Fasting and Humiliation." The New Hampshire legislature adopted the recommendation, and on the 13th of December "dissolved," with the invocation, "God save the United States of America."
The three New Hampshire regiments of Stark, Poor and Scammell had left the northern army on the 16th of November, marched down the Hudson river, crossed the country through New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and joined Washington on the 20th of December, in time to take a leading part in the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Though worn with fatigue and almost destitute of cloth- ing in that inclement season, they were counted by Wash- ington among the best troops of his army, and their arri- val gave him great satisfaction. At Trenton the main column of attack was commanded by Sullivan, and led by Stark with his New Hampshire men; and, according to Gen. Sullivan's account of the battle, the same New Hamp- shire regiments, with Gilman's added, saved the day at Princeton. Wingate's regiment left the northern army for home on the 20th of November; and Wyman's on the 22d, via Rutland and Cavendish, and were discharged on the 1st of December.
· Early in 1776, Mr. Ebenezer Day, who lived at the north part of the town, died, at the age of 66, and was the first to be buried in the north burying-ground, the land for which had been given by Capt. John Houghton-who lived on the west side of the river-from off his farm, deeded to him by his father, Israel Houghton.
During the year the small pox had prevailed, not only in the army but in many of the towns and settlements. There had been cases of it in this town in the previous year, and private hospitals had been established by some of the resident physicians. Inoculation was just then com- ing into practice, but the physicians, without experience, were not always successful in its use, and the people were generally opposed to it. This year the disease became epi- demic, largely in consequence, as was believed, of the im- proper management of those hospitals. The same condi- tions existed in other towns, particularly at Charlestown, the rendezvous of the troops enlisted for the army; and
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complaints came from those connected with that service of the inoculations at Keene. A town meeting was held on the 27th of September to consider the subject. Capt. Eliphalet Briggs was chosen moderator, and resolutions were passed and strict regulations adopted for the govern- ment of the hospitals in town.
In November, the following petition was sent to the legislature :
"To the Honorable Council and House of Representa- tives of the State of New Hampshire. The petition of us the Subscribers Freeholders of the Town of Keen in the County of Cheshire Humbly Sheweth -
"Whearas Sundry Persons have Set up houses in this Town for the purpose of Inoculating for the Small pox, by which Means the Small pox has been Spread and Still Continues to spread in this and other Towns, to the Great Determent of the publick Good-and a Number of Useful members of Society have lost their Lives thereby and the prosecution of mens Necessary Callings Rendered Dangerous-and the Repeated Endeavour of the Towns to lay Persons Concer'd under proper Restrictions and Regu- lations- have been inefectual We therefore your Petitioners humbly Pray that you would in Your wisdom So Inter- pose by Your Authority that a Speedy and an Effectual Stop may be put thereto for the present-as Your Peti- tioners in Duty Bound Shall Ever pray.
"Keene Novem" 22d 1776.
"Jerh Stiles Wm Ellis
Isaac Esty
Aaron Gray
Ebenezer Nims
Aaron Gray Jun™
Reuben Partridge
Jesse Hall
Gideon Ellis Jun™
Ebenezer Newton
Robart Spencer
Abijah Metcalf
Jonathan Pond
Ryal Blake
Ebenezer Day Henry Elles
John Day Josiah Ellis
Jedediah Wellman
Timothy Ellis Jun™
Stephen Larrabe Elisha Briggs
Nathaniel Kingsbury
Nathaniel Briggs
Benj Archer Jun. Benja Balch
Jesse Clark Cephas Clark
Thomas Field
John Balch
William Goodenow Joseph Blake
Jonathan Archer Abner Ralston."
Before the close of the year several citizens died of that disease, among them Capt. Eliphalet Briggs, who had
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215
presided at the September meeting. He "was buried at the foot of the hill, on the road leading to Roxbury." Thomas Frink, Josiah Pomeroy, Gideon Tiffany and Obadiah Blake were the physicians in town at that time. Dr. Pomeroy had one of the hospitals complained of, and Dr. Tiffany another, on the east side of the town. The following spring, a pest house was built "at a secluded spot near the South end of Beech Hill, since known as pock pasture, for the inoculation of the small pox. A Doctor Pomeroy was the attending physician. He lived in the house afterwards occupied by General Reed, of revolu- tionary memory, which stood on the West side of Main street, nearly opposite but below the site of the fort. A large number were inoculated, of whom six died." (Annals, page 51.)
The residence of Dr. Pomeroy, the tory, afterwards confiscated by the state and leased to Gen. Reed, was on lots Nos. 44 and 45, next north of Col. Wyman's tavern, bought of Rev. Clement Sumner in 1773. Later the place came into possession of Daniel Newcomb, administrator of the estate of Dr. Pomeroy, appointed by the judge of pro- bate, same as in case of decease.
The September meeting elected Major Timothy Ellis representative to the legislature for one year, and chose Capt. Jeremiah Stiles, Silas Cooke, Thomas Baker, Capt. John Houghton and Daniel Kingsbury a "committee to prepare Instructions in Behalf of the Town to give the Representative."
In December, Capt. Jeremiah Stiles was chosen a mem- ber of the committee of safety of the town, in place of Capt. Eliphalet Briggs, deceased.
Very little had been accomplished in the town during the year, for public affairs and the carrying on of the war had absorbed the attention of everybody, and all efforts had been turned in that direction. The baneful effects of the war on the prosperity of the people were now seriously felt. The attempt to relieve the situation by issuing paper money-made by both the Continental congress and the state legislature- was a lamentable failure. Lack of faith in its stability caused continual depreciation of its value;
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or, in other words, the prices of commodities in that paper money increased enormously. The legislature attempted to control the laws of trade by fixing the prices of commod- ities, but the result was simply another illustration of the futility of all such legislation. Scarcely any goods were imported, and few were manufactured, except such as could be made by the people themselves in their log cabins from the products of their farms. The scarcity of firearms in- duced the people of Cheshire county to make a strong effort and to choose a committee to "Set up and Carry on the Manufactory of Fire Arms" within the county; but the scarcity of money prevented the success of the undertaking. Capt. Ephraim Dorman, Thomas Wells, Elijah Blake, Ben- jamin Archer, Eliphalet Briggs, Capt. Josiah Richardson, Capt. John Houghton, Thomas Baker, Lieut. Benjamin Hall, Israel Houghton, Daniel Kingsbury, and several other citizens of Keene, signed the petition of Joel Kilburn of Gilsum to the legislature for aid and encouragement in establishing the manufacture of wire, of which there was scarcely any to be had. There were few mechanics, and it was almost impossible to procure suitable tools and imple- ments, or to have existing ones repaired; and the work of the farm and the family had to be done with the rudest utensils and contrivances. So many of the men were in the army that it was with extreme difficulty that crops could be raised and gathered. Those were indeed "hard times."
On the 14th of January, 1777, the town voted twenty pounds for the support of preaching and sixteen pounds for ammunition. The number of the committee of safety was increased to seven and Capt. Jeremiah Stiles, Jesse Clark, Ebenezer Cook, Capt. John Houghton, Reuben Partridge, Simeon Clark and Peter Hobart were chosen for that committee. Capt. Stiles was nominated by vote of the town for justice of the peace. His appointment was delayed, but was finally made upon a petition of several citizens of the town.
Most of the troops having been withdrawn from Ticonderoga, and Lake Champlain being frozen over, there was great alarm lest the British, who lay at St. Johns,
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should advance on the ice and capture that fortress; and troops were hastened forward for its protection. In Feb- ruary, Col. Pierce Lang's regiment marched from New- castle through Keene and Charlestown towards that destination. More soldiers were needed, particularly for the Continental service, but the hardships and privations of the people were intensified in the case of the soldiers in the field, and it was hard to induce men to enlist for the long term of three years or the war, as required in the Continental service. The legislature offered a bounty of twenty pounds to each man who would enlist in that ser- vice, in addition to the large bounties in land and money offered by congress-to be paid four years after enlistment, with interest. The militia laws were made more effective for raising troops, provision was made for drafting in case volunteering failed, and heavy penalties were laid on those who refused or neglected to serve after enrollment. The colonels of the New Hampshire regiments were at home that winter recruiting and forwarding the men to the rendezvous at Charlestown.
In January, Lieut. John Gregg (or Griggs), of Keene, was appointed captain of the Third company of Scammel's regiment, with Ebenezer Fletcher of Chesterfield-soon suc- ceeded by William Ellis of Keene-first lieutenant, and Ben- jamin Ellis, of Keene, second lieutenant. Capt. Gregg had 300 pounds, sterling money, sent him by the state com- mittee of safety for recruiting purposes, and he opened an office here and proceeded to raise a company. On the 2d of May, however, he resigned on account of sickness, and William Ellis was promoted to captain, with Benjamin Ellis first lieutenant. While waiting for the acceptance of his resignation Capt. Gregg sent out the following adver- tisement :
"Deserted from Capt John Griggs Company in Cor1 Scammills Rigt Epraim Hall 24 years of age Six feet high Dark hair Blew Eyes Light Colered Cloths formerly be- longed to Lyn: Whosoever will take up Sd Deserter and Return him to his Company at Keen or Nº 4: in the State of New Hampshire shall have a harnsom Reward and all Nesesary Charges Paid by me
Keene May ye 5th 1777."
John Griggs Capt
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He also advertised for one Nathan Gale, "21 yers of age 6 feet Hi Well Set Dark hair."
Col. Scammel himself came to Keene in May to super- intend the recruiting, as will be seen by the following ex- tract from a letter to the committee of safety :
"Keen, May 9th 1777.
"GENTLEMEN- The backwardness of the men to engage in this Quarter & the fewness of men in Capt. Ellis's Com- pany render it necessary that a full complement of Officers should be immediately employ'd in filling it. Many of the towns in the vicinity of this place have rais'd but very few men, * * *
"As many of my Officers are not commissioned should esteem it a particular favor to have them forwarded to Ticonderoga as soon as conveniency permit. * * * *
"I am, with the greatest respect, yr Honors most obedt & very humble Servt. Alex" Scammell."
The Keene men who enlisted in Capt. Ellis's company were Naboth Bettison, James Eddy, Daniel Snow, Jr., John Balch, Jr., Ziba Hall, Benjamin Thatcher, William Farley, 1 Nathaniel Briggs, Timothy Crossfield, and John Daniels. 2 All enlisted for three years except Daniels, who joined for eight months. Ezra Turner of Keene enlisted in Capt. Hutchin's company, Cilley's regiment, and Reuben Colster of Keene, in the company of Capt. Elijah Clayes of Fitzwil- liam, in Col. Nathan Hale's regiment.
The annual town meeting this year chose Capt. Jere- miah Stiles, Capt. John Houghton, Simeon Clark, Jesse Clark and Ebenezer Cooke committee of safety. Ten pounds were voted for preaching and a Mr. Mansfield and a Mr. Samuel Whitman preached as candidates. The article in relation to granting money for schools was dismissed. The town having been called upon for its quota of men for the Continental army, to serve three years or during the war, on the 31st of March, it voted a bounty of thirty pounds to each man provided "a Sufficient Number would Turn out, but as not any offered the meeting was dismissed." In June following, however, the same bounty was offered, in addition to that voted by the state, and a committee was
1 Farley belonged in Packersfield, but enlisted as from Keene.
2 Daniels is on the roll as from Chesterfield, but was a citizen of Keene, a member of the company here in 1773, and signed the Association Test in 1776.
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appointed to adjust the time and pay of those who had previously enlisted.
Pressing appeals continued to come from Gen. Schuyler, Gen. Wayne and others to hasten forward troops to save Ticonderoga. On the 3d of May, the state committee of safety sent orders to each of the three colonels of militia in Cheshire county, "to raise as many of your Militia as possible and march them to Ticonderoga." Col. Ashley marched from Keene on the 7th, from Westmoreland on the 8th, with 109 men; Col. Bellows marched on the same day with 112; Col. Chase of Cornish with 159; and Capt. Brown with fifty-four men from Col. Enoch Hale's regi- ment. Timothy Ellis of Keene was major of Ashley's regi- ment and marched with the troops. Capt. Davis Howlett of Keene commanded the first company, of fifty men, with Elisha Mack of Gilsum, lieutenant, and the enlisted men from Keene in that company were Jotham Metcalf, sergeant; David Willson and Obadiah Blake, corporals; and Benja- min Archer, Samuel Bassett, Simeon Clark, Jesse Dassance, Ebenezer Day, Simeon Ellis, David Foster, Silas French and Tilly Howe, privates. Ephraim Witherell was in the com- pany of Capt. Waitstill Scott in the same regiment. The regiment marched to Ticonderoga, but the alarm had sub- sided and it returned, and the men were discharged, June 17th to the 24th.
Gen. Burgoyne now commanded the British army of the north, 10,000 strong-7,000 of them "choice troops sent from England, with the finest train of brass artillery (42 pieces), that had ever been seen in America "1- besides thousands of Indians employed as allies "to use as instru- ments of terror."1 Exaggerated reports of the strength of his army and the rapidity of his advance reached the states and caused great alarm throughout New England, for it was feared that these eastern states were to be invaded by an irresistible force of regular troops and savages.
Again the militia was ordered to the front, and turned out in larger numbers than before. Col. Ashley marched on the 29th of June, with about 400 men, taking Lt. Col. Joseph Hammond, of Swanzey, with him, and leaving Major
1 Bancroft's History of the United States, vol. 5, pages 579 and 587.
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Ellis in command of the regiment at home. Dr. Thomas Frink of Keene went as regimental surgeon, and was allowed two horses to carry his baggage and medicines. Capt. Davis Howlett, with Daniel Kingsbury as his second lieutenant, raised another company of eighty men. The enlisted men from Keene were Asahel Blake and Dan Guild, sergeants, Timothy Ellis, Jr., corporal, and Nathan Blake, Robert Spencer, Jonathan Heaton, Tilly Howe, Benjamin Nurse, Aaron Wilson, Samuel Osgood, Royal Blake, 1 Jesse Hall, Ebenezer Carpenter, Joseph Thatcher, Zadock Nims, Abraham Wheeler, Jonathan Wheeler, Ebenezer Newton, Benjamin Balch, Aaron Gray, Thomas Dwinnell, Joseph Blake, Samuel Woods, Gideon Ellis, John Daniels, Nathaniel Kingsbury, John Day, Reuben Partridge, Wil- liam Woods, Isaac Griswold, John Le Bourveau, John Balch, Benjamin Archer, and Israel Houghton, privates; and in the company of Capt. Elisha Mack, of Gilsum, were Charles Rice, Thomas Morse and Joseph Ellis; and Ephraim Witherell was in that of Capt. John Cole, of Westmoreland.
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