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 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
The meeting then adjourned to the house of Jeremiah Hall, and under the fourth article it was voted to "give M." Jacob Bacon ye Sum of one Hundred & fifty pounds (in Bills of Credit of ye Old Tenor) Settlement Provided he accept ye Call of ye Proprietors to Settle in ye Ministry among them."
47
THE MASSACHUSETTS GRANT.
It was also voted under the same article to "Give Mr Jacob Bacon one Hundred & Thirty pounds of ye Old tenor according to ye present value of it, for his Yearly Salary for ye Space of Ten Years and then to add Ten pounds to his Salary so Long as he Shall be their Minister."
Jeremiah Hall, David Foster, Isaac Clark, Josiah Fisher and Ebenezer Nims were chosen a committee to lay these proposals before Mr. Bacon, "& if he accepts of ye Pro- posals, to appoint ye Day for his ordination, & to call in Suitable Help to Carry on ye work of ye Day, & to make Suitable Provision for his ordination upon ye Proprietors Cost."
The committee laid the proposals before Mr. Bacon, and after a prolonged consideration of the matter, on the 5th of August he sent in his letter of acceptance, "with this amendment or consideration yt you send to me a yearly supply of fire wood at my Door, and yt from time to time as my need shall require."
On the 2d of October, upon the request of six proprie- tors, a meeting was held at the meetinghouse in "ye Up- per Township on Ashuelot River (so-called)" under the war- rant of Mr. Bacon as proprietors' clerk -David Foster, moderator-at which it was:
"Voted To add ye sum of Ten pounds, to Mr Bacon's Salary at ye End of Ten years from his Settling among them, & thereby raise his Salary to ye sum of one Hun- dred and fifty pounds money of ye present Currency.
"Voted To find ye Worthy Mr Bacon so much Good fire wood yearly as he shall need for his fire ready Drawn to his Door, & yt from time to time and at all times so Long as he shall Continue to be ye Minister."
Under the third article, we have the first record of roads accepted as laid out by the committee, viz .: "a Road from ye Line Between ye Lower and Upper Ashuelots Eight rods wide by ye Heads of ye House Lots Laid out on a plain called ye Nine Lot Plain, & so over sd Plain till it comes to ye Northeast corner of Meadow Lot No (20) & ya on ye North side of sd Lot, Three rods wide until it comes to Meadow Lot No (18) & from Meadow Lot (20) to ye Meeting House hill Two rods wide, & yn Through ye Town Plat Eight rods wide Between ye Heads of ye House Lots & so on to ye Saw-mil Eight rods wide, where it
48
HISTORY OF KEENE.
now goeth, a's also a road or way two rods wide from ye Meeting House to ye River in ye most Convenient place Be- tween House Lot No (54) and Meadow Lot No (12) & from thence Between sd House Lot and ye Meadow Lot Drawn by John Burge No (35) -running Westwardly to ye Ash Swamp, also another road or way from ye Town street three rods wide Between House Lot No (13 & 14) to ye East Beach Hill, and another from sd Street West- wardly Between House Lots No (41) & (42) toward the Ash Swamp Three rods wide-"
From the descriptions, it is evident that the first road ran from Swanzey line to Keene very nearly as it does now, passing the house lots on "Nine Lot Plain" eight rods wide. Descending to the meadows, it was reduced to three rods in width, and in crossing the South Branch and the low lands by the present pottery, where it was difficult to make a road, it was but two rods wide. The rise from the low ground to the lower end of Main street was called "Meeting House Hill." Then "Through ye Town Plat"-the present Main street-it was laid eight rods wide, and continued so to the saw-mill. But that does not account for the generous breadth of Washington street, for that first road to the saw mill, "where it now Goeth," ran much farther east, from the present railroad crossing, entering our present Washington street in the vicinity of Burdett's mills.
The second road, two rods wide, ran "from ye Meet- ing House" along the south side of the south house lot on the west side of Main street, between that and the burying ground, which was southwest of the meeting house, to the river and on to Ash Swamp. On that bluff around the meeting house and the burying ground there was an open common, as later records show.
The third road, three rods wide, ran from Main street to "East Beach Hill."
The fourth road, three rods wide ran from the same point on Main street west, making four corners there- nearly in the same place as our present "Appian Way"- but it is probable that neither of these last two roads was built, for they do not appear on the map of the vil- lage in 1750, while one further north, where Water street is now, is shown.
RESIDENCE OF DR. CHARLES G. ADAMS. SITE OF THE OLD FORT.
49
THE MASSACHUSETTS GRANT.
Joseph Ellis and Beriah Maccaney (McKenny) were chosen "Surveyors of High ways to take care and mend them, and y" Voted y.t ye Meeting be adjourned to ye House of Joseph Guild, to meet Immediately, and y" met-&- "Upon ye 6th Article Voted, To finish ye Fort we is already Begun in sd Township, & y.t Every one y.t works or has workt at sd Fort, should bring in his or yr accompt to ye surveyors of High ways, & to be allowed to him or y" as so much Done in mending or Clearing High ways or roads.
"Voted To assess and raise ye sum of one Hundred and Eighty pounds to Build ye Fort and to Clear and mend High ways &c." David Nims, Josiah Fisher and Timo- thy Puffer were chosen assessors, and Solomon Richardson collector.
It was also voted that plans of the divisions of land be recorded by the proprietors' clerk, "Excepting of ye House Lots and of ye 4th or Thirty acre Division, and them to be fastened into the Proptors Book in a General Plan and all this to be at ye Proptors cost and charge."
A committee was also chosen to "Lay out Equivalent Land to those whose land had been taken for roads."
"This fort was situated on a small eminence, a few rods North of the house of Dr. Adams.1 When completed, it was about 90 feet square; there were two ovens, and two wells in the inclosure. It was built of hewn logs. In the interior, next to the walls, were twenty barracks, each having one room. On the outside, it was two stories high, in the inside, but one, the roof over the barracks sloping inwards. In the space above the barracks, were loop-holes to fire from with muskets. There were two watch-houses, one at the south-east corner, and one on the western side, each erected on four high posts set up- right in the earth. And for greater safety, the whole was surrounded by pickets."
(Annals, page 13.)
"At a Council Held at ye Upper Ashuelot Township in , ye Province of ye Massachusetts &c for ye Gathering of a Church & ye Ordination of ye Revd Mr Jacob Bacon Pastor, present by y" pastors & Delegates ye churches of Wrentham, Sunderland, Northfield & Medway, October 18. A D: 1738- Then Ordained ye Revd M." Jacob Bacon Pastor of ye Church of Christ then Gathered in ye sd Ashuelot (ye ad- vice of ye Neighboring Ministers of Christ being first had
1"On the spot where now (1850) stands the new house of Dr. Charles G. Adams." [Now Mr. Lemuel Hayward's, 1903.]
50
HISTORY OF KEENE.
according to Law) according to ye rules of ye Gospel, as- "Attest-Benj" Doolittle1 Moderator of sd Council in y.e Name and by order of ye sd-Council-
"A true Coppy Examd
Pr Jacob Bacon
Proptors Clerk." (Proprietors' Records, page 34.)
The members of the church "gathered" at that time were:
"Jeremiah Hall Joseph Fisher David Nims
David Foster
John Bullard Benjamin Guild
William Smeed
Joseph Ellis Edward Dale
Seth Heaton Joseph Richardson Solomon Richardson
Nathan Blake
Ebenezer Nims Abner Ellis
Josiah Fisher Joseph Guild
Ebenezer Day
Obadiah Blake." (Church Records.)
Soon afterwards the church was organized by the choice of David Foster and Josiah Fisher, deacons.
On the 4th of December, a meeting of the proprietors was opened at the meeting house, and after choosing Capt. Jeremiah Hall moderator, immediately adjourned to his house on the opposite side of Main street. Two hundred and eighty pounds were voted "for ye Revd Mr Bacon's Settlement and Salary for ye present year," and in addition, the sum of twenty-four pounds for his fire wood.
A vote was passed setting apart the common land around the meeting house "for a Training Ground and such publick use or uses," and a tract on the road leading west from the meeting house over the river to Ash Swamp, "for ye use and Benefit of Digging Clay and making Brick."
"Upon ye Sixth article, Voted, To finish ye Meeting House on ye out Side, workman Like (viz) to cover it with Good Sawed Clabbords, well plained, Good Window frames; -well Glazed, and handsomely to case ye Doors; and so far to finish ye Inside as to Lay ye Lower Floor and Build ye Body of Seats, 2 the Pulpit, one Pew, ye Table and Dea- cons Seat, all Compleatly Workman Like-
"Voted, That Capt Jeremiah Hall, Ebenezer Force, Serj:t Josiah Fisher be a Comtee to have ye oversight (of ye work in finishing ye Meeting House agreable to ye Proptors vote) in y.t affair.
1 Rev. Benjamin Doolittle, surgeon and physician, author of "Doolittle's Narrative," was pastor at Northfield for nearly twenty years.
2 The men had seats on one side of the house, the women on the other.
51
THE MASSACHUSETTS GRANT.
"Voted, To assess ye Sum of two Hundred pounds on ye Propriety to pay for finishing ye Meeting House as before voted to be done."
"Serj:t Joseph Fisher, Serj:t William Smeed, Leu:t Seth Heaton" were chosen assessors, and Joseph Ellis collector. Evidently there were rumors of war. They were building forts and giving men military titles.
At a meeting held on the 17th of February, 1739, William Smeed, moderator, Joseph Ellis, Beriah Maccaney, Isaac Clark, Ebenezer Force and Nathan Blake were chosen a committee to finish the fort, repair roads, and build bridges.
"About this time, John Andrews came from Boxford, . to settle in Upper Ashuelot. He sent back Ephraim Dor- man and Joseph Ellis, with a team of eight oxen and a horse to bring up his furniture. The route they came, which was probably then the best, if not the only one, led through Concord, Worcester, Brookfield, Belchertown, Hadley, Hatfield, Deerfield, Northfield, Winchester, Swan- zey and on the bank of the Ashuelot to the house lots. When they passed through Swanzey, it rained hard, and they did not reach the station until night. As it con- tinued to rain, was very dark, and as the water, which already covered the meadows, rose rapidly, they, appre- hensive of being drowned, unyoked their oxen, chained their cart to a tree, and hastened to the settlement, then a mile distant. As soon as daylight appeared, the next morning, a boat was despatched in search of the cattle and furniture. When passing over Bullard's Island, a man cried to them for help. It was Mark Ferry, the hermit .- Wearied with the noise and bustle of the settlement, he had retired to a cave, which he had dug into the bank of the river, where he constantly resided. The water had now driven him from his dwelling, and compelled him to seek refuge on a stump, where he then sat, with a calf in his arms, over which he had drawn a shirt. The boatman answered, 'we must take care of the neat cattle first,' and passed on. They soon came to the cart, which was afloat. Proceeding further and guided by the sound of the bells, which the cattle as usual wore, they found them on several little hillocks, some with only their heads out of water. They forced them into the water, and guided them, swimming to high land, where they left them until the flood subsided. Hearing cries for help below them, they proceeded to Crissen's house, in the borders of Swan- zey, to the chamber and to the top of which the family
52
HISTORY OF KEENE.
had been driven. These they took off, and, on their re- turn home, took Ferry and his calf into the canoe. This, which was known by the name of Andrews' flood, was the highest ever known in the township. The water came within a few feet of the street, North of Capt. Blake's old house.
"Mr. Andrews was the father of ten children, nine of whom he brought with him. Between September, 1744, and September, 1745, every one of the nine died of the throat distemper, and he then returned disconsolate to his former residence." 1
(Annals, pages 13 and 14.)
Up to about this time, the town had been called "the upper Township on Ashuelot River," but people began to shorten it to "Upper Ashuelot," and on the 6th of October Rev. Mr. Bacon issued his warrant as proprietors' clerk, upon the request of eight of the proprietors, for a meeting to be held on the 22d at the meetinghouse in "Upper Ashuelot (so called);" and by that name the town was known until it was changed to Keene in 1753.
That meeting was opened at the meetinghouse and ad- journed to the house of Capt. Jeremiah Hall, Nathan Blake, moderator. Sergt. Joseph Fisher was chosen treasurer. An- other division of five acres of meadow land was voted to each proprietor, with instructions to the committee to equalize the lots by adding in quantity what any might lack in quality.
Joseph Priest, Beriah Maccaney, Samuel Smith, Amos Foster and Timothy Puffer were chosen a committee "to go around ye Town & run Every Line agreable to ye plan, Employing a Surveyor to take & run ye points of Compass Given in sd Plan."
" Voted to Build a pound in ye most convenient place at ye Proptors Cost, Fifty feet Square, Seven feet posts, and yt Isaac Clark, Eben" Force, Josiah Fisher, be a Comtee to take care and Build ye same.
(Signed) "Nathan Blake, Moderator."
On the 7th of January, 1740, the proprietors met at the meetinghouse, chose Jeremiah Hall moderator, and imme- diately adjourned to his house. The 4th article in the war- rant was: "To make such grant or grants of land to such
1 A virulent throat distemper had swept over New Hampshire in 1735, car- rying off more than a thousand victims. This year it attacked Upper Ashuelot, and many died.
:
53
THE MASSACHUSETTS GRANT.
person or persons as they shall think deserve the same, for hazarding their lives and estates by living here to bring forward the settling of the place." After passing the usual votes for raising money for Mr. Bacon's salary and fire wood :
"Upon the 4th article
" Voted-To Grant y.e Sum or quantity of Ten acres of Upland to Each of ye Persons hereafter Named, viz. Jacob Bacon, Clerk, Josiah Fisher, Joseph Fisher, Nathan Blake, William Smeed, Seth Heaton, Joseph Ellis, Ebn." Nims, Jo- seph Guilde, Joseph Richardson, Isaac Clark, Edward Dale, Jeremiah Hall, Eben." Force, Daniel Haws, Amos Foster, Ebn." Day, Beriah Maccaney, Jabez Hill, Obed Blake, Jer : Hall Jun', David Nims, Timothy Puffer, Eben." Daniels, Na- than Fairbanks, John Bullard, David Foster, Solomon Rich- ardson, Abner Ellis, Benjn Guilde, Asa Richardson, Ebn Hill, Same Fisher, Ephraim Dorman, Timothy Sparhawk, Jona Underwood, Joh Andrews, Samel Smith, Same Dan- iels, [39] and to such other Persons, having an Interest here, who from ye first of next March to March 1742, Shall make up ye quantity or space of Two years in Living here and Building a Legal Dwelling House, to ye Number of Sixty, Including those in ye Number fore mentioned by Name -. "
Doubtless that list contains the names of nearly all the men who were living here at that time.
Isaac Clark, William Smeed, Joseph Fisher, Edward Dale and Joseph Ellis were chosen the committee with in- structions to "Lay out [the land] to each person in order as they are Named the first first and so on as they are Named."
On the 8th of February seven of the proprietors joined in a request to the clerk for a meeting to consider the question of "Building of Forts or fortications for ye present and future safety of ye place and Inhabitants under ye present rumours of wars," and other matters re- lating to the same subject.
The meeting was held on the 25th, at the house of Ebenezer Nims, William Smeed, moderator, and voted to build two forts or fortifications, "one about ye House of Joseph Ellis in sd Township and another about William Smeeds House, at ye Proptors cost, and y.t they shall be Built when seven of ye Proptors or Inhabitants shall apply
54
HISTORY OF KEENE.
themselves to ye Comtee we shall be appointed to have ye oversight in Building sd Forts." William Smeed, Ephraim Dorman and Joseph Guild were placed on that committee.
"Voted yt Every man we works about sd Forts shall be allowed Eight shillings p.' Day, and four shillings pr Day for a yoke of oxen.
"Voted y.t ye sum of Seventy two pounds be assessed equally on y.e Proptors for to Defray y.e charge In Building sd Forts-
(Signed) " William Smeed, Moderator."
Whether these fortifications were ever built is not known. The pioneers of those days were strangely lax in protecting themselves against the Indians, as was proved in many cases.
A meeting on the 18th of March, Seth Heaton, moder- ator, voted that all timber on the common and undivided lands should be free for the use of the proprietors, but no waste should be allowed.
It was in this year, 1740, that the decree was made by the king and council fixing the boundary line-surveyed and established in 1741-between Massachusetts and New Hampshire where it has ever since remained, giving to New Hampshire all the territory north of that line and the ju- risdiction over all those towns therein which had been granted by Massachusetts.
The acts of the stronger province in continuing to grant townships in the territory in dispute were felt to be grasping and overbearing, and in 1731 the colonial authorities of New Hampshire had determined to appeal to the home government to settle the controversy. They chose, as their agent for this purpose, John Rindge, a merchant of Portsmouth, a man of wealth and influence, a son-in-law of Lt. Gov. Wentworth and a strong opponent of Gov. Belcher, between whom there was a personal quarrel which entered forcibly into the question of the boundary. This appointment proved to be an exceedingly fortunate one. The agent was earnest and efficient, and advanced the necessary funds to carry on the suit. The case was prolonged for years, and when Mr. Rindge could no longer remain abroad he left it in the hands of Capt. John Tomlinson, a merchant of London, "who was well
.
55
THE MASSACHUSETTS GRANT.
known in New Hampshire, where he had frequently been in quality of a sea commander." (Belknap's History of New Hampshire, vol. 2, page 107.)
Tomlinson was also a strong friend of Wentworth and opponent of Belcher. After much delay and disappoint- ment, on the 9th of April, 1737, King George II, with the advice of his privy council, appointed a commission of fifteen members, prominent citizens of the neighboring provinces of Nova Scotia, Rhode Island and New Jersey, to adjust and settle the boundary line between the two contending provinces.
That commission met at Hampton, N. H., on the 1st of September of the same year, heard the arguments of both parties, and rendered a decision with which neither was satisfied, and from which both appealed. The case then went before the king in council. The agents of New Hampshire employed as their solicitor, "Fernando John Parris, a lawyer of much shrewdness and learning, who being well supplied with money was indefatigable in his attention." (Belknap's History of New Hampshire, vol. 2, page 107.) So ably was the case presented, that, on the 5th of August, 1740, the following judgment was rendered: "Ord.'d and adjudged That the Northern Boundary of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay are and be a Similar Curve Line pursuing the Course of the Merrimack River at three Miles Distance on the North side thereof beginning at the Atlantick Ocean and ending at a Point due North of a Place in the Plan returned by the Com- mis's called Pawtucket Falls [Lowell] and a Strait Line drawn from thence due West cross the said River till it meets with his Majestys other Governm'.ts"
By this decree New Hampshire gained a large tract of territory -"comprising about thirty towns"-more than she had ever claimed. It may have been a just and equi- table construction of the conflicting language of the several grants, but it has been suggested that as all the best pine trees, "suitable for masts," had been reserved to the crown in New Hampshire, while those in Massachusetts had not, the king and council ran the lines as far south as the charters would allow.
Gov. Belcher was instructed to see that the order of the court was executed, but his sympathy had been with the
56
HISTORY OF KEENE.
more important province all through this controversy, and he was so mortified at the decision of this court of final appeal that it was only after a second and peremptory com- mand that he laid the matter before the legislature of New Hampshire and forced that body to appropriate money for the whole expense of the survey, although the decree evi- dently intended that Massachusetts should bear her share.
In the meantime, even after New Hampshire had ap- pealed to the home government, and while the question was still undecided, Massachusetts continued to grant townships in the disputed territory. Besides the two Ash- uelots and Winchester, Boscawen and Bedford had been granted in 1733; Hopkinton, Henniker, Warner, Chester- field, Westmoreland, Walpole, Charlestown, New Ipswich and Rindge (as Rowley Canada) in 1736; Peterboro in 1738, and Hillsboro, Lyndeboro and several others previ- ous to 1740.
Having secured the appropriation from New Hampshire, Gov. Belcher claimed the right to run the line. In March, 1741, he appointed George Mitchell surveyor of the east end, from the ocean to the point designated above Pawtucket Falls, and Richard Hazen of the west end-the "Strait Line due West" from that point. Mr. Hazen began his work at once, and completed it on the 16th of April, run- ning to the Hudson river. He was instructed by the gov- ernor to run due west, but to allow 10° variation north while the actual variation of the needle at that time was between seven and eight degrees. By that arbitrary dicta- tion, Massachusetts secured a strip about three miles wide at the Connecticut river, running to a point above Paw- tucket Falls, which did not belong to her according to the king's decree. But New Hampshire had won her case, had been very well treated by the king and council, and was loath to reopen the controversy. Soon afterwards the dis- traction of Indian wars, followed by that of the Revolu- tion, drew attention away from that subject, and the line was finally established only a few years since. Identical acts were passed by the Massachusetts legislature in 1899 and the New Hampshire legislature in 1901, defining the boundary.
57
THE MASSACHUSETTS GRANT.
Later, in 1764, the king declared the west bank of the Connecticut river to be the boundary line between New Hampshire and Vermont; and now, on the west shore of that river at low water, a little to the south of the passenger station at South Vernon, may be seen a monu- ment of dark Windsor granite, standing six feet above the surface, which marks the southwest corner of New Hamp- shire, the southeast corner of Vermont, and the north line of Massachusetts.
The inhabitants of Upper Ashuelot were greatly dis- appointed, as were those of all the towns affected, to find themselves shut out from Massachusetts. They felt that the province of Massachusetts Bay was the one to which they belonged. There were the homes of their childhood, and all their patriotism centered there. It was like clos- ing the doors of a father's house against them. They had no connection or intercourse with the people of New Hampshire; and above all, they feared that the title to their lands might not now be valid.
On the 3d of October, 1740, the proprietors held a meet- ing-David Foster, moderator-and placed the following upon their records :
"The Proptors being Informed y.t by ye Determination of his Majesty In Councill Respecting the Controverted Bounds Between ye Province of ye Massachusetts & New Hampshire they are Excluded from ye Province of ye Mas- sachusetts Bay to we they alwayes Supposed themselves to Belong, -
"Therefore Unanimously Voted that a Petition be preferred to the Kings most Excellent Majesty Setting forth our Distrest Estate & Praying we may be annexed to ye sd Massachusetts Province. 1
"Also Unanimously Voted yt Thomas Hutchinson 2 Esq be Impowered to Present the sd Petition to his Majesty and to appear & fully to act for and In Behalf of This Town Respecting the Subject Matter of sd Petition, according to his Best Discretion."
1 The proprietors of nearly all the towns in the disputed territory which had been granted by Massachusetts sent petitions. (State Papers, vol. 19, page 476.) 2 Thomas Hutchinson was afterwards governor of Massachusetts and still later author of a "History of Massachusetts." He was the agent in London of that province in this controversy concerning the boundary and spent some years in London on his mission, but had no success against the agents of New Hampshire. He was also agent for the towns that petitioned in 1740. A copy of his petition is published in New Hampshire State Papers, vol. 19, page 511. He was evidently so chagrined at the failure of his agency that he does not even mention it in his History of Massachusetts.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.