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 22
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(Annals, pages 54, 55.)
The winter of 1779-80 was the most severe that had ever been known in this country. "Chesapeake Bay is covered with solid ice from its head to the mouth of the Potomac. At Annapolis the ice is five to seven inches
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thick, so that loaded teams pass over it." (Jefferson's notes.) "Snow was so deep in all New England that all roads were closed for some weeks." "People travelled only on snow-shoes." "Travel has not been so much obstructed for forty years." (Boston Chronicle, Jan. 28, 1780.)
The annual town meeting in 1780 voted to instruct the selectmen to adjust Mr. Hall's salary with him, in con- sequence of the depreciation of the currency, the equivalent sum to be ascertained in the month of September. (In October of that year the ratio of paper money to specie was 67 to 1.) Two thousand pounds were raised for the support of schools, the selectmen to act as school com- mittee.
"Voted the Sum of Five Thousand pounds to be assessed on the pools and Estates for mending the roads in said Town said sum to be paid by the Inhabitance in Labour on said Roads at four Dollars for Each hours La- bour per man and for Oxen and other utensils Equivalent as usual."
The article to reimburse the Continental soldiers for the depreciation of the currency was dismissed.
"Voted that the Singing in publick worship be per- formed without Reading Line by Line as they sing."
The 19th of May was remarkable for a thick darkness that extended over all New England, and adjacent parts of New York and Canada. Candles were lighted and fowls went to roost in the middle of the day. The cause was believed to be the smoke of extensive forest fires mingled with the vapors of a rainy morning.
In June, 1780, upon a requisition for more troops for the Continental service, the legislature ordered a draft, if found necessary, from the militia, and designated the quotas of the several regiments and towns. The quota of Keene was five men; and Peter Wilder, Daniel Day, Oliver Osgood and Nehemiah Town, 1 volunteered, and John Curtis was hired as a recruit from out of town. The term was for six months, and the town voted them a bounty of fifty dol- lars each, in currency "as it is valued and stipulated in the act of Court." The three first, and probably all, went into Lt. Col. Dearborn's corps of light infantry.
1 Josiah Reed of "Chickaby in Springfield" went as substitute for Nehemiah Town.
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The legislature also called upon the towns "to furnish their respective proportions of the Quantity of Beef required by Congress for the supply of the army; That the Com- mittee of Safety be directed to purchase such quantities of Rum as they shall see necessary from time to time, for the supply of the army; That each Town & place within this state be called upon to supply the Board of War their several quotas of clothing (especially shirts, stocks & stockings) for the supply of the army," etc. The people of the Connecticut valley were requested by the committee of safety not to sell their wheat and flour, but to hold them for sale to the state authorities.
A town meeting on the 20th of July, 1780, "voted to raise 11,309 lbs. Weight of Beef each person to have Liberty to pay his equal Proportion thereof in Beef or to pay so · much money in Lieu thereof as he was taxed in the Last state and continental Tax."
A pressing call was also made in June for immediate reinforcements for the army, to serve three months. Two regiments were raised and sent forward via Worcester and Springfield. One of these was commanded by the veteran Col. Moses Nichols, of Amherst, in which was a company from Winchester, under Capt. Nehemiah Houghton. In that company, Joshua Durant was ensign, and Elijah Blake, Walter Wheeler and Joseph Brown were privates, all of Keene. The regiment was designed especially for the protection of West Point and joined Arnold's army at that post. Col. Nichols, with his regiment, encamped near Ar- nold's headquarters at the Robinson House, on the 10th of August, and were there at the time of his treason. Those troops were discharged on the 21st of October.
The legislature also ordered two companies of sixty men each to be raised for the protection of the western frontier of the state. Capt. Ephraim Stone of Westmore- land, commanded one of the companies, and Ebenezer Bill- ings of Keene was a sergeant in his company.
About the middle of October, a party of 300 British and Indians under Lieut. Horton made a raid on Royal- ton, Vt., and towns in that vicinity, killed a number of the inhabitants, took twenty-five prisoners, burnt buildings and
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plundered and destroyed property. The alarm spread rap- idly, and that evening several hundred men collected at Royalton and organized, and pursued the enemy so hotly that they abandoned their plunder, but retained their cap- tives. The alarm continued to spread-exaggerated in in some cases until it became a panic-and volunteers ral- lied in all the towns in the Connecticut valley, and even in the central and eastern parts of the state. Col. Timothy Ellis went from Keene with two companies, under Captains John Houghton and Josiah Richardson, and marched as far as Haverhill. Nearly every town sent a company, and several of the larger ones sent two. But the marauders escaped with their prisoners and took them to Canada. One died, but the rest were exchanged and reached their homes the next summer.
During this season, the more active scenes of the war were in the South. The New Hampshire Continental troops were stationed in New Jersey, and upon the discovery of Arnold's treason, they were immediately ordered to West Point to defend that stronghold. Capt. William Ellis had resigned on the first of January, and, in July, Lieut. Ben- jamin Ellis was promoted to fill his place. Upon the ap- proach of winter, the troops again built log-huts for quarters, at a place called Soldier's Fortune, on the Hud- son river, and spent the winter there. The camp was called "New Hampshire Village."
Capt. Benjamin Ellis was at home that winter, on re- cruiting service, stationed at Charlestown. Col. Timothy Ellis was the muster-master here, and Keene was still a rendezvous for recruits and a depot of supplies. In Janu- ary, the legislature had apportioned among the towns the number of recruits called for by congress for the Conti- nental army, the towns to receive a bounty of twenty dollars for each recruit mustered into the service. At a meeting on the 7th of February, 1781, the town voted to raise its quota of twelve men at once; and chose a com- mittee to divide the ratable inhabitants of the town into. twelve classes, each class to furnish one man "upon their own charge" as soon as may be. That committee con- sisted of Capt. Josiah Richardson, Ichabod Fisher, Lieut.
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Dan Guild, Lieut. Reuben Partridge, Major Davis Howlett and Silas Cook. Naboth Bettison and James Eddy, Keene men, who had already served one term of three years in Capt. Ellis's company, besides performing other service in 1775 and 1776, reënlisted for three years or the war, Eddy on the quota of Westmoreland. Silas Porter, sixteen years old, and John Morehouse, both of Charlestown, were hired and enlisted for the war, on the quota of Keene.
The annual town meeting in 1781 voted Mr. Hall's salary in the same way as the previous year; and raised eight thousand pounds for highways, "in Bills of old Con- tinental Currency," to be paid in labor at the same rates as in the year before; and four thousand pounds in the same currency for schools. At an adjournment of that meeting in May, another quota of beef was voted to be raised for the army. On the same day, May 30, at a meet- ing warned for the purpose, Daniel Newcomb was chosen a delegate to the convention which met at Concord in June, "to form a constitution and plan of government for this state."1 The same meeting nominated Thomas Baker for justice of the peace, and he was appointed and served as a magistrate for many years.
Again, in the spring of this year, the militia of the Con- necticut valley was called upon for two companies of sixty- five men each, in addition to Whitcomb's battalion already in the field, to protect the western frontier of the state. Col. Ellis's quota was one captain, one lieutenant, one en- sign and forty-four enlisted men, to serve till November. The rolls of those companies have not been preserved.
In June, upon the earnest solicitation of Washington, the legislature ordered another regiment of 650 men to be raised for the Continental army-to march to West Point. Keene was called upon for five men, and the names of those enlisted were Peter Rice, Zenas Lebourveau, Caleb Balch, Cyrus Balch and Asa Brittain. Rice died in the service, Nov. 20. The others were discharged Dec. 21. The regi- ment was commanded by Lt. Col. Daniel Reynolds (or Runnels), and had marched as far as Springfield, Mass.,
1 That convention continued for more than two years and held nine sessions. (Belknap's History of New Hampshire.) Daniel Newcomb was the delegate from Keene during the convention.
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when it was ordered to Charlestown, N. H., for the pro- tection of the interests of New Hampshire in her contro- versy concerning the "New Hampshire Grants."
At that June session of the legislature was authorized the first public mail route in this part of the state, upon the proposition of John Balch of Keene; and on the 27th of July, it was established by the committee of safety. Mr. Balch was appointed post-rider, and he was to "set out from Portsmouth on Saturday morning & to ride to Hav- erhill by the way of Concord & Plymouth, and thence down the River to Charlestown, Keene and to Portsmouth again, which Tour is to be punctually performed once in each & every fourteen days."
"The said Balch is to Convey all public Acts, Letters & Dispatches free of Charge-For which Service he shall receive from this State seventy hard Dollars or paper money equivalent. -
M. Weare Prest"
"I, John Balch do hereby agree to the foregoing pro- posals and engage punctually to perform the duty of Post- rider agreably thereto.
John Balch."
The first term was for three months, but Mr. Balch continued to ride for two years, and then Timothy Balch, of Keene, took the contract and rode two years, and was reappointed in 1785. The journey was made on horseback except in winter. The route remained substantially the same for several years. No appointment of a postmaster in Keene at this time has been found.
In August and September, 1781, Washington quickly transferred his army from around New York to Yorktown, Va., and on the 19th of October, Cornwallis surrendered. The war was virtually ended, and joy and exultation filled the hearts of the people.
Whether our soldiers from Keene were present at the surrender is not certainly known, but some of the New Hampshire troops1 were in that movement. Upon their return, one regiment under Lt. Col. Henry Dearborn went into winter quarters at Saratoga, the other under Lt. Col. George Reid, on the Mohawk river, both in a department
1 "A majority of the American army that captured Cornwallis was composed of New England troops." (Daniel Webster-speech in United States senate.)
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commanded by Gen. Stark, the three New Hampshire regi- ments having been consolidated into two.
A town meeting in November, 1781, chose Dea. Daniel Kingsbury representative for the ensuing year.
A meeting on the 11th of December, discussed the plan of government sent out by the convention for examination by the people, and though objecting to one paragraph, voted to accept it as it stood, rather than reject it. But that plan was rejected by the people of the state.
During the winter many officers and soldiers came home, as there was no call for their services. Most of them were destitute of money, and the state had no funds with which to pay them. In January, 1782, the legislature voted them one month's pay in beef and rum. The poverty of the nation and of the people was distressing. Congress had no power to impose taxes or collect duties-had no revenue whatever-and its paper promises to pay had con- stantly depreciated in value, until they were practically worthless. The nation, the states, and the towns were all deeply in debt.
In a letter to Col. Samuel Hunt, commissary at Charlestown, dated July 28, 1781, Mesech Weare, chair- man of the committee of safety and acting governor of the state, had said :
"The Difficulty respecting the money is truly alarming -as for hard money, we have none, nor can it be procured on any terms. The Comtee have sent you, by Mr Balch who is employed as a Post Rider three hundred pounds of the continental new Emission and will furnish you with more as necessity may require, if this will answer, and if the Continental Currency will not answer we have it not in our power to furnish any other."
The country was still almost wholly covered with for- est, and the people had been too poor to make roads, build bridges, or, except in a few cases, erect any but the cheapest dwellings. Specie was so scarce that trade was carried on chiefly by barter. The people were mostly farmers and sub- sisted on what they could raise, or obtain by exchanges, and clothed themselves with their own manufactures; while the few mechanics, merchants and professional men bartered their skill, their labor, or their goods for the
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products of the soil and the skill and labor of others. The people, always inclined to expect too much from political measures, were disappointed at the results of their scheme of national independence, and some of them "longed for the flesh pots of Egypt." In some places they became re- fractory and mutinous.
In December of this year, a strong petition of Cheshire county men was sent to the general assembly representing :
"That your Petitioners together with Other Inhabitants of this State Labour under great and almost Intolerable Grievances for want of Currency; there being among us not One fourth part of hard money for a medium of Trade. Our Distance from the Seaports and our Situation in many Respects such that it is impossible for us to Obtain hard money in a way of trade-the consequence is that Law- suits are Daily increasing and Lawyers (tho often Neces- sary) take Exorbitant fees by means of the Laws being imperfect (in that Respect) all which Grievances have a tendency to stir up mobs, Riots, Anarchy & Confusion- We therefore humbly pray that your honours in your Wis- dom will Devise means by which said Grievances may be Redressed by making State Securities Live Stock and Country Produce of all Kinds a Lawfull Tender to an- swer all Executions Levied on Debtors-said Securities Computed at their Nominal value and Country produce to be appraised by Substantial men; * we * * * * therefore pray your honours to take the same under your wise Consideration and grant us. Such Relief therein as you shall think best and we as in Duty bound shall Ever pray-
"Decem" 16 1782."
The names of citizens of Keene on that petition were: "Stephen Griswold John Griggs Josiah Willard
Sam'l Daniels Benja Hall Jonas Prescott
Thaddeus Metcalf Caleb Tucker David Nims Jr.
Michal Metcalf Benja" Willis
Ebenezer Carpenter
Jesse Clark Ezra Harvey
Timothy Ellis Jr.
Josiah Ellis Aaron Willson
Abijah Metcalf."
Abijah Wilder Thomas Fisher
Ichabod Fisher Elisha Briggs
The controversy concerning the New Hampshire Grants threatened serious consequences. The western frontier of the state was still in danger from incursions of Indians and Canadians, and the state continued to maintain troops along that border. But negotiations were in progress for
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a permanent peace, and the people looked forward eagerly and hopefully for better times.
The annual town meeting in 1782 voted eighty pounds for Rev. Mr. Hall's salary, and "one Hundred and Fifty Pounds for mending the Highways to be paid in Labour allowing to Each man four pence pr hour for Every hours faithfull Labour and Two pence pr hour for Each yoke of oxen and for other Utensils the price common among Neighbours." The paper currency had become so nearly worthless that the people had gone back to specie in their reckoning of values, although there was very little of it in the country. Fifty pounds was voted for schools and a bounty of forty shillings for every grown wolf "killed within this or any of the circumjacent towns and twenty shillings for a Wolfs whelp as aforesaid."
April 16, the town chose Ichabod Fisher, Capt. Josiah Richardson, Thomas Baker, Esq., Dea. Daniel Kingsbury and Lieut. Dan Guild' a committee "to make an account of the Service Each man has Done in the present war and make an avaridge so that Each man may have credit for what he has already done in said Service, and also Divide or class the Inhabitance of said Town into Twelve Equal classes (credit for what Each man has Done to be given him) and Each class to provide or hire a man for the Space of three years or During the war upon their own cost (said classes to be so made that Each class pay Equal Taxes)." Four of the classes furnished men - Caleb Fitch, Levi Goodenough, Moses M. Howe and Archelaus Temple- who were mustered by Capt. Benjamin Ellis. It is not known whether more than one of them, Levi Good- enough, were residents of the town. The town had now advanced £135 9: 5d to her soldiers in the Continental army, which sum was afterwards allowed on her account for depreciation.
The plan of government was again discussed, and a new draft sent out by the convention was acted on in November, but all those first drafts were killed, with amendments proposed by the towns.
The legislature met at Concord in June. About 500 Indians, Iroquois, Ottawas and Chippewas, had appeared
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at Chamblee on the St. John river, with the intention of making incursions into New York and New England. Two companies of fifty men each were ordered to be raised and sent forward immediately, to reinforce the troops already on the upper Connecticut for the protection of the north- western frontier. Col. Ellis was called upon for one cap- tain and fourteen men from his regiment, and he sent Capt. Jonathan Smith of Surry. Elijah Blake and Abijah Hall- son of Jesse Hall, twenty-two years old-both of Keene, enlisted in that company. The Indians were dissuaded by Sir Guy Carleton, then in command of the British forces in America, from making raids; and this was the last men- ace of the enemy in the war of the Revolution.
A town meeting, on the 13th of September, 1782, chose Nathan Blake, Jr., Abijah Wilder and Elisha Briggs a com- mittee "to oversee the Business of Building the Revd Mr. Hall's house and to agree with proper workmen for Car- rying on the Same." The house, two stories high, front- ing on Pleasant street, with an L running north, and a barn beyond, was built on the lot now occupied by the Keene Public Library. It stood a little nearer the street and a little farther east than the present edifice,1 and had a large garden on the west which was highly and artisti- cally cultivated by Mr. Hall, and after his death by Judge Joel Parker.
A town meeting on the 5th of November re-elected Dea. Daniel Kingsbury representative and chose Lieut. Benjamin Hall, Daniel Newcomb, Esq., and Thomas Baker, Esq., a committee "to give Instructions to said Represen- tative."
Although the state had confiscated the real estate of obnoxious tories for its own benefit-in the cause of the patriots-it permitted the towns in which the property lay to tax it, the sums assessed being paid out of the state treasury or allowed in the settlement of the accounts of those towns, for state taxes, or for money raised to hire Continental soldiers. Certificates of the payment of
1 The lot was bought in 1864, by Henry Colony, of Julia E. Hall, a grand- daughter of Rev. Aaron. In 1869 Mr. Colony built his house-now occupied by the public library - and to give place for it, the main part of the old parson- age was taken down but the L was removed by John Ahern, and is now the L of his present residence, 63 Castle street. The timbers of the main part were also used in the construction of his dwelling.
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those taxes by the state, which continued for several years, may be found in New Hampshire State Papers, vol. 12, pages 320-2. There were two assessments in Keene in 1782, one for the state tax, the assessment being on "Elijah Williams' land 1 .. 8 .. 9 £ 8 đ Josiah Pomeroy's land 10 .. 14 .. 11/2;"
and one "for raising continental men £ 8
Elijah Williams' land 1 .. 10 .. 10 d
Josiah Pomeroy's land 11 .. 10 .. 9 "The above are true extracts from the Original assess- ments Attest assessors
Ichabod Fisher for the
Reuben Partridge S year 1782.
"Feb. ye 4th 1785-
Rd an order on the Treasty in behalf of the Selectmen for the Above Benjamin Hall"
The resignation of Timothy Ellis as colonel of the militia regiment in this part of the county was accepted by the legislature in February.
The annual town meeting in 1783 voted sixty pounds for schools, the districts to "provide their own masters and regulate their own affairs."
Peace having been declared, and the independence of the United States acknowledged, on the 19th of April-the eighth anniversary of the beginning of the war at Lexing- ton- Washington issued a proclamation to the army an- nouncing the cessation of hostilities. The troops were dis- missed on furlough, but were not disbanded till October.
Upon the recommendation of congress, the several states "set apart the second Thursday in December as a day of public Thanksgiving;" and the day was religiously ob- served throughout the country.
Keene had furnished 2251 enlistments for the war-217 of them by 134 citizens of the town, some volunteering more than once; and eight men hired from out of town.
A town meeting, June 19, 1783, "Voted unanimously that the Representative be instructed to Use his Influence that all absentees who have absented themselves from any
1 Probably these figures are too small, for the names of some volunteers were never entered on the rolls-as was the case with the Nelsons, father and son- and many rolls have been destroyed.
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of the United States of America and Joined with or put themselves under the protection of the Enemies of the United States of America be utterly Debared from Resid- ing within this state."
In October a petition was presented to the legislature by the "Gaoler" and others of Keene who "humbly shew that they conceive it would be very beneficial not only to the Public but to the Town of Keene in general, and the Poor Prisoners in Gaol here in particular, that ye Limits of the Yard of the Prison here might be extended beyond what it now is by law, sixty feet, so as to take in a Barn and Shop that would be very convenient for them to labour in and thereby Earn something for their Support during their being obliged to remain in said Gaol until they can sware out; * * And as in duty bound will ever pray
Dan Guild, Gaoler
Abner Sanger
Thos Baker Nathan Blake jur
N: Cooke Thomas Field
Benja Hall Israel Houghton " Jer Stiles
We also find the following:
"State of New Hampshire: In Committee of Safety, Exeter, Nov 21, 1783.
"Pursuant to an order of the General Court, the Excise on Spirituous Liquors will be farmed at Public Vendue for the term of one year from the first day of October last by Committees appointed for that purpose, and at the times and places hereafter mentioned, viz.
* *
"For the County of Cheshire at the House of Mr. Aaron Eames, 1 Innholder in Keene, on Thursday the 22d day of January next at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. * * *
M. Weare, Presidt.
"By order of the Comtec "
The committee for the sale of said excise in Keene was "Mr. Daniel Kingsbury & Capt. Josiah Richardson or either of them for Cheshire."
In the distress of the times a convention met at Peter- boro, in October, to consult upon grievances with a view
1 Aaron Eames was keeping the Ralston tavern in 1786. (Deed to Wm. Todd, grantee.)
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to laying them before the legislature, and Major Davis Howlett was sent as a delegate from Keene; but nothing came of that movement. On the 31st of October, the state convention at Concord adopted a constitution which was accepted by the people and became the fundamental law of the state.
The number of ratable polls in town this year, as re- turned by the selectmen to the general assembly in Decem- ber, was 228.
CHAPTER X. THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS. 1741-1782.
When the south boundary line of New Hampshire was established, in 1741, it was supposed that that line ex- tended the same distance west as the north line of Massa- chusetts, and New Hampshire claimed what is now Ver- mont as a part of her territory. In 1749, Gov. Benning Wentworth granted the town of Bennington, naming it for himself, and not long afterwards he granted other townships, as his commission from the king authorized and commanded him to do. After the last French and Indian war, 1755-1760, the demand for those lands was so great that, in 1764, he had granted 138 townships west of the Connecticut river; and that territory was called the New Hampshire Grants.
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