USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Mason > History of the town of Mason, N. H. from the first grant in 1749, to the year 1858 > Part 7
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"3dly. As a refusal to come into this or a similar agree- ment, which promises deliverance of our Country from the Calamities it now feels, and which, like a torrent, are rushing upon it, with increasing violence, must, in our opinion, evidence a disposition enimical to, or criminally negligent of the common safety, it is agreed that all such ought to be con- sidered, and shall by us be esteemed, as encouragers of con- tumacious importers.
" 4thly. We hereby further engage that we will use every reasonable meathord to encourage and promote the produc- tion of manufactures among ourselves, that this covenant and engagement may be as little detrimental to ourselves and fellow countrymen as possible.
" Lastly, we allow ourselves liberty to comply with the result of the General Congress. Also we agree to make such alterations as shall be thought suitable by the majority of the Signers, after [being] notified in a public manner by a com- mittee chosen for that purpose, eight days before said meet- ing."
No names are recorded as being signed to this document. It is without date, except of the year. The original has not been found, nor any list of the names. Immediately follow- ing the above record, is a notice of a meeting to be held November 7th, 1774. " To make such alterations in the said covenant, &c., as shall be thought proper." In the record of the meeting, it is set forth that "the signers, &c., met and agreed on the following articles to be exempted that the above signers may have liberty to purchase, Viz : Arms and ammunition, also steel sewing needles, pins and awls, and Doctors drugs that cannot be purchased in this country of equal value. Voted, That those persons that have not signed the Covenant of Non-Importation are to do it within a fort- night, or else have their names returned to the other towns. BENJAMIN MANN, Town Clerk."
At a meeting, November 21, 1774, it was "Voted, to sell to Stephen Lawrence, the ministry lot of land that he now
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY. 77
lives on, being lot No. 7, Range 8, for £53 6s. 8d.," and the Rev. Jonathan Searle was to be paid sixteen shillings yearly for it, which he agreed to take during his ministry, and a committee was chosen to make the conveyance and take the acquittance of Mr. Searle. This subject had been before the town at former times. It seems that it was not settled by this vote of the town, for a meeting was called January 2nd, 1775, " To see if the town will make further enquiry relative to the ministerial lands" &c., and to see whether the privilege of improving said lands belongs to the Rev. Jonathan Scarle, or to the town. Also to see what enquiry should be made, and whether at the expense of the town." At the meeting, it was, voted " to make the enquiry, at the expense of the town, and that David Blodgett, Benjamin Mann and Samuel Smith, be a committee to draw up articles to send to Squr Varnum, in order for advice relative to said ministry lands." What advice was obtained of "Squr Varnum" is not on record.
A meeting of the signers of the covenant, &c., was called January 12th, 1775, at which it was "Voted, To adopt the resolves of the Continential Congress." Also, Voted, To send one committee man to meet at Exeter, January 25, in order to choose a committee to "joyn the Congress at Phila- delphia," &c. Joseph Barrett was chosen. The committee chosen October 24th, was continued, and two more added to the number, to wit: Reuben Barrett and Samuel Smith. " Voted, That the aforesaid committee, viz: Messrs Amos Dakin, Samuel Brown, Abijah Allen, David Blodgett, Lieut. Obadiah Parker, Reuben Barrett and Samuel Smith," be a committee of inspection to see that "the Resolves of the Continential Congress is Duely observed."
March 9th, 1775. Order "To pay Amos Dakin 19s. 6d. for finding hors and expenses to go to Exeter in ye year 1774."
At the annual meeting March 17th, 1775, it was, " Voted To pass over the 5th article of the warrant, of discontinuing the Rode that leads from the widow Powerses up by James
11
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HISTORY OF MASON.
Scriptures and his fathers, which was a request of Ebenezer Muzzy and others in the warrant, For which James Scripture declared in the meeting that he would [give] said Ebenezer Muzzy Free Liberty to Pass and Repass threw His Land to said Muzzy Land, with said Muzzy's Being Injenias and keep- ing up the bars." It was also, "voted to draw ont of the Treasury" [that is for the town to pay] the town's propor- tion of " the charge of the Continental Congress ye present year, which sum is €2 8s. Od. 0q." Amos Dakin was chosen a "Deputy to send to Exeter."
At this period of time, the habits of the people were such as to render them independent, in a great measure, for the comfortable supply of the wants of life, of articles not pro- duced in the town. Tea was prohibited by the non-impor- tation agreement. For sugar and molasses, the rock maple was a reliable resource. Every common article of food and clothing was produced in the town, or at least in the neigh- borhood. The clothing was made of wool and flax of domes- tic growth, spun and woven by the kitchen fire, by the busy and industrious hands of the mother and daughters. Native woods and plants furnished coloring matters suitable and sat- isfactory to their simple tastes and unostentatious habits. Economy, thrift, and a happy contentment with their lot were characteristics of the times and people. In point of real inde- pendence, the comparison of their condition with that of their successors would be much in their favor. But there was one important article of which there seems to have been very vivid apprehensions that the supply, by reason of the war, might fail. That article was salt. This, they had no means of producing, nor had they any substitute to take its place. The subject was of so much consequence that it was taken up as a town matter. At a town meeting, held May 12, 1775, It was, "Voted, To purchase 30 hogsheads of salt as a town stock upon the town credit. Voted, That Dea. Amos Dakin, Lieut. Obadiah Parker, Lt. Eprhraim Sattwell, be a commit- tee to agree with any person or persons who shall appear to
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1775.
bring up the salt, and upon what terms. Voted, That Mr. David Blodgett should go to Salem to procure said salt, and to allow him six shillings for his trouble. Voted, To give two shillings per bushel for bringing up said salt.
"Voted, That there be two companies in said town, and that the alarm company he separate from the military com- pany. Voted, To choose officers for each company."
This is the first notice of the military affairs of the town. Who were chosen officers is not stated. The alarm com- pany, or "alarm list." or "elerum list," as it is sometimes called, was an important institution. It was a body of able men, practiced in the use of arms, ready to assemble at any time, on the "alarm " at the heat of the drum, or other signal, at the shortest possible notice, in battle array, prepared with arms and equipments, to march to meet the enemy and repel invasion. This institution of the alarm list was kept up long after the occasion-the war of the Revolution-that gave rise to it, was passed. Even within the recollection of the writer, it was usual, at the annual May training, for the vet- erans, the alarm list, to turn out and assemble with the arms and equipments that had seen service at Bunker Hill, at Sara- toga, at Ticonderoga, at White Plains, at Rhode Island, and various other battle fields of the Revolution, and parade in due form under their old officers, to show the "boys" how the thing was done. After marching and counter marching, displaying various intricate evolutions, winding up with that most wonderful performance, whipping the snake, it was customary, on retiring from the active duties of the day, to indulge, often times too freely, with an article then known and used in the form of toddy and flip, which had much better be let entirely alone. In happy contrast with those times, it may now be said that no decent body meddles with the poison.
In May, 1775, a convention of delegates met at Exeter, for the purpose, in fact, of taking from the hands of the Pro- vincial authorities, the government of the State, and devising
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HISTORY OF MASON.
a new mode of carrying it on. It continued in session, with little interruption, till late in November. One hundred and two towns were represented by one hundred and thirty three members. Governor Wentworth, after a fruitless effort to repress the spirit of liberty in the body of the people and in their representatives, had adjourned the assembly to the 28th of September. But this body met no more. Alarmed by some demonstrations of popular feeling, he retired to the Isles of Shoals, and there issued a proclamation, ordering a further adjournment to the next April. This was the closing act of his administration. He soon after withdrew to the British territories, leaving the government of the State in the hands of the patriots.
The convention appointed a committee of safety, which exercised the authority of a supreme executive. Theodore Atkinson, the former secretary, by order of the convention, delivered up the Province records to a committee, which was sent to receive them. Ebenezer Thompson was appointed in his place. George Jaffrey, the former treasurer, delivered up the public money in his hands, and Nicholas Gilman was ap- pointed in his place. The convention was chosen for six months only. They made provision to call a representation of the people, who should be empowered by their constituents to assume the government, and continue it one year. Every elector was required to have an estate of twenty pounds value, and every representative an estate of three hundred pounds value. Each town of one hundred families was to have one representative, and one more for cach additional hundred families. Towns with a less number were to be classed. An enumeration of the people in each county had been ordered, and it was determined that the number of the representatives should correspond with that of the people, as follows :
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1775.
CENSUS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Counties.
Population.
Representatives.
Rockingham,
37,850
38
Strafford,
12,713
13
Hillsborough,
16,487
17
Cheshire,
11,089
15
Grafton,
4,101
6
82,200
89
This ratio would give one representative for about nine hundred and twenty three inhabitants. Under this arrange- ment, Mason and Raby, now Brookline, were classed for the choice of a representative, and these towns continued to be so classed until 1793, in which year Joseph Merriam was chosen to represent Mason alone, under a new classification. Brookline was afterwards classed with Milford. Benjamin Farley was chosen to represent Raby and Milford in 1796. The number of inhabitants in Mason, according to an enumer- ation made by the assessors October 30, 1775, was 501. Males under 16, 148; males from 16 to 50 not gone to the army, 86; all males above 50, 12; persons gone in the army, 27; all females, 227; negroes and slaves for life, 1. Total, 501. The number of guns, 48; pounds of powder, 143. " The number of those that have not guns is 49." This is the earliest census of the inhabitants of Mason. The enumer- ation was taken, by the assessors, in obedience to the Pro- vincial Congress. At this time, Portsmouth had 4590 inhab- itants ; Londonderry, 2590; Exeter, 1741; Dover 1666.
A meeting was called by warrant, dated November 1, 1775, article third was, "To see what the town will do in regard to the town stock of salt, wheather it shall remain preserved as a town stock any longer, or wheather it shall be Disbusted to every one according [as] he shall need the same, and also in what manner it shall be distributed to every one.
"4thly. To see what the town will do in regard to that cow that the town purchased for the benefit of Mr. Nathaniel Barrett's family this year, wheather the town will sell said cow or have her kept this winter."
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HISTORY OF MASON.
At the meeting, November 6, Samuel Brown was moderator.
"Voted, To pass over the third article." So it seems that the salt did not get "Disbusted" at this meeting. On the fourth article, the town directed the cow to be sold at public vendue. Also, on the fifth, "Voted, that Joseph Barrett be one of the committee of Inspection for the town in Mr. D. B-'s room."
The first warrant for choice of a representative, was issued by the selectmen, November 23, 1775. It was for a meeting of the frecholders, &c., of Mason to meet at the meeting house, on the 11th of December, "To choose a suitable per- son having real estate to the value of two hundred pounds, Lawful, to represent them in General Congress, to be held at Exeter the 21st of December next." A like warrant is recorded, issued by the selectmen of Mason, for a meeting of the frecholders, &c., of Raby, at the same time and place, and for the same purpose.
The record of the meeting is as follows :
"At a legal meeting, held in Mason, at the public mecting house in said town, December ye 11, 1775, the clectors of Mason and Raby, then present,
"Voted, To act upon the precept sent from the Provintial Congress to the selectmen of Mason, to notify the legal inhab- itants of the above said towns of Mason and Raby, to meet and choose a man to represent them at the Provintial Con- gress, to be held at Exeter, the warrant that was put up for the above said purpose, being blown away by the wind.
" Chose Mr. Samuel Brown moderator.
"Voted, To send one man to represent them, at the Pro- vintial Congress, the year ensuing.
"Voted, That those men that sent their votes, by Joseph Merriam, to the moderator of said meeting, have the privilege of putting in their votes, for the choice of the above said representative, namely : Obadiah Parker, Joseph Ball, Jonas Fay, Abel Shed, Thomas Robbins, Nathan Wheeler, Seth Robbins, John Lawrence.
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1776.
"Voted, That James Scripture and William and Elias Eliot have the liberty of putting in a vote for their fathers, accord- ing to their fathers' desire, their fathers being absent, whose votes were wrote after the meeting began.
"Voted, That the aforesaid Obadiah Parker, Joseph Ball, Jonas Fay, Abel Shed, Thomas Robbins, Nathan Wheeler, Seth Robbins and John Lawrence have their votes thrown out.
" The above said electors of Mason and Raby personally present, chose Amos Dakin, of Mason, to represent them the year ensuing.
Attest: JOSEPH BARRETT, Town Clerk, P. T.
The style of the heading of warrants for town meetings had been, up to February 26, 1776, "Province of New Hamp- shire, Hillsborough, ss."; but on August 19, 1776, it was changed to "Colony of New Hampshire, Hillsborough, ss." Probably the Patriots thought that to use the style of Prov- ince, &c., was, in some sort, to acknowledge the authority of the kingly government, under which the Province had been established, and so to avoid even the appearance of longer submission, they repudiated the name of Province. In the warrant for the next meeting, the Colony disappears, and the State assumes its place, the State government having been established.
It seems that dissatisfaction was felt and manifested with the doings at the meeting of the electors of Mason and Raby, at which Amos Dakin was elected representative. Whether it was that the votes sent by Joseph Merriam were received, or because they were thrown out, or because certain worthy citizens, in dutiful obedience to the wishes of their absent fathers, were permitted to write and put in votes for them, does not appear and cannot now be known. If it arose from any dislike to the man of their choice, it seems not to have been of a deep or lasting nature; or, at least, not to have been wide spread nor permanent, for the same gentleman continued, by repeated elections, to represent the same con- stituency most of the time till his death, April 28th, 1789.
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HISTORY OF MASON.
The difficulty assumed so serious an attitude, that a town meeting was called, to be held March 7, 1776. In the war- rant, the second article was, "To see if the town will approve of the proceedings of the electors of this town, that were present at the last town meeting, that was called for the choice of a representative for this town and the town of Raby; and also to see if the town, after due deliberation on this matter, will approve of the representative then chosen to be chosen according to Liberty and Justice, or to be the free choice of the electors of the town. 3dly. If the town shall not approve of the above said representative as being legally chosen, to see what measures the town will take in regard to the matter."
At the meeting, it was, " Voted That the town look upon it that the meeting, &c., was not conducted according to Lib- erty and Justice, and that they do not approve of the same. Voted, to send a man to the General Court to present to the Hon'ble Court the proceedings of the town meeting held at Mason, ye 11 of December, 1775, which was called for the choice of a Representative, &c., and also the proceedings of the town meeting held at Mason, March 7, 1776, Samuel Low- el's vote being put by his saying that he never paid taxes in any place. Voted, To send Joseph Barrett to present the proceedings of both the above said town meetings to the General Court. Voted, That if the General Court do not approve of the proceedings of the town meeting held, &c., in the choice of a representative, that the above said Joseph Barrett pray the General Court to set them in some way agreeable to their pleasure for to the have privilege of repre- sentation." As nothing more appears upon the records, on this subject, it is probable that the general court did not con- sider these matters of grievance, if they were ever presented, as showing any valid objection to the right of the member elect to his seat.
And now the town's salt appears again. January 9, 1776. Order, "To pay twenty shillings to Joseph Merriam for
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1776.
money borrowed for the benefit of the teamsters in bringing up the town stock of salt," and same date, an order for the same sum, for the same purpose, to Joseph Barrett. Febru- ary 22. In several distinct orders, the treasurer was directed to pay
£ s. d. q. s. d. q.
Samuel Smith, 2 14 9 2 Samuel Brown, 2 360
James Scripture, 2 0 60 Nathan Hall, Jr., 2 270
Silas Bullard, 0 17 8 0 Obadiah Parker, 1 13 0 0 each, "for his bringing up a part of the town's stock of salt." Also, to John Larned 10s. 8d. and Jonathan Williams 10s. 8d. each, "for his oxen in bringing up the town stock of salt."
April 3, 1776. Like order to pay to,
£ s. d. q. £ s. d. q. Enosh Lawrence, Jr.1 13 6 0 Joseph Merriam, 1 18 0 0 Aaron Wheeler, 0 12 0 0 Stephen Lawrence, 2 8 0 0 cach, "for bringing up a part of the town's stock of salt," and John Swallow, for his oxen, twelve shillings.
The salt had arrived, and the salt troubles soon began. It must be paid for. How shall the money be come at? Some of the inhabitants will not pay; shall they have their share ? Some of the tax payers are non-residents ; shall they be compelled to pay for what they do not have, and do not want ? All these questions came up to trouble the fathers of the town. Such difficulties will always arise, when municipal bodies leave their legitimate duties, and undertake business for which they are not fitted.
March 11th, 1776. At a town meeting it was "Voted, that a proportion of the money for the salt be made directly, and the money be collected within four weeks from our annual meeting; and at the end of four weeks, the salt be awarded to every man according to his rate, and every one that shall neglect, or refuse to pay his proportion of rates by the said time, "Shall forfeit his Part of thee Salt."
In the warrant for a meeting May 6th, 1776, the second
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HISTORY OF MASON.
article is, " To see if the town will sell a part of the town's stock of salt at Public Vendue, or any other way to make up the Non-Residence part, or proportion which they were rated for, which sum is £2 11s. Od. 0q." At the meeting it was " Voted, to sell the Non-Residence part of salt, which they were rated for, and neglected to pay the money, and take the salt, which sum was £2 11s. Od. Oq. and sold ten bushels of salt for £2 12s. 6d. 0g." This would be nearly eighty seven cents per bushel.
"Voted to have the remainder of the salt divided by the rate.
"Voted, To choose a committee of Inspection for the Insuing year, Messrs. Joshua Davis, Amos Dakin, Abel Shead, Nathaniel Tarbell and Joseph Barrett was chosen for the purpose aforesaid."
August 19th, 1776, a town meeting was called. The second article was, "To see what instructions the town will give their Representative, previous to the choice of field officers, for the regiment we belong to. 3dly. To see if the town will have a town stock of powder, lead, flints and fire-arms provided for said town, or Ither of these necessary articles for our defence. 4thly. To see if the town will recommend any suitable person to the Great and General Court, for a Justice of the Peace." At the meeting it was "voted to refer the choice of field officers to the General Court, to raise £15 0s. Od. Oq. to be added to £12 0s. Od. Oq. already raised, ,
to purchase a town stock of powder, lead and flints for said town. Voted to pass over the 4th article." Probably so many thought themselves fit for the office, that it was difficult to find a majority for any one.
May 6th, 1776. An order "to pay Capt. Miles Ward £20 1s. Od. Oq., it being to pay Capt. Jonathan Peele for our town's stock of salt."
At the meeting September 2d, 1776, it was "Voted, That the bridge by Dea. Dakin's and that by Elias Eliot's [mills],
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MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1776.
and that between Nathaniel Hosmer's and Jonas Fay's, be maintained by the town."
At the meeting of the town of Mason and Raby, November 18th, 1776, for the choice of Representatives, Dea. Amos Dakin was chosen representative. It was "Voted, To send Mr. Samuel Brown to join with the committee of the State of Massachusetts, in order to Repel the exhorbitance of our trade, &c. What effect this effort had on the "exhorbitance of our trade" does not appear.
May 31st, 1776. Order " to pay Amos Dakin £1 1s. 4d. 1q., it being for his going to Exeter at the first Congress on service of the town."
In the warrant for the annual meeting in 1777, was an arti- cle " to see if the town will raise any sum of money to pur- chase any number of tickets in the Continental Lottery"; which the town declined to do. At the meeting, Obadiah Parker, Reuben Barrett, Samuel Brown, Abijah Allen and Benjamin Mann were chosen a committee of inspection. At an adjournment of this meeting it is recorded that "a peti- tion was laid before the town of a number of paragrafts. Voted, That the first paragraft be a matter of grievance Also, voted that the paragraft be a matter of grievance. Voted, To accept the prayer of said petition, all but the clause where it respects the forming and regulation of the militia in this State ; and where it respects the Courts send- ing writs to every town, to send a man to the convention therein mentioned. Voted Benjamin Mann, Capt. Tarbell and Lt. Obadiah Parker be the committee aforesaid."
What this petition so full of grievances was, the records do not show ; nor will posterity probably ever know, what "par- agraft" of the petition was, by the town, voted to be "the second matter of grievance," inasmuch as the clerk has inad- vertantly omitted the number of that unfortunate "paragraft." At the same meeting it was "voted, to choose a committee to procure a graveyard, for the use of the town. Dea. Hall,
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HISTORY OF MASON.
Benjamin Mann and Lt. Blodgett were chosen for the afore- said purpose."
"Voted, That Lt. Swallow and Mr. John Whitaker dig the graves that are reasonably needed in said town." What pro- vision should be or could be made for graves unreasonably needed ?
"Voted, To choose a committee to seat the meeting house. Mr. Samuel Brown, Capt. B. Barrett, Benjamin Mann, Lieut. Obadiah Parker and Mr. Abel Shead, were chosen the com- mittee aforcsaid. Voted, That the inhabitants are seated according to their age and pay. Voted, To sell the ministry lots of land. Voted, That the selectmen seat said meeting house."
The "piece de resistance," the standing, unconquerable difficulty of seating the meeting honse, like Mons. Tonson, is always "coming again," to plague the patriots, even in the midst of the alarms of war, of troubles of false brethren, to be looked after by the committee of "Inspection," as well as of sisters slyly taking a clandestine cup of tea, in violation of the articles of non-importation, of salt troubles, now happily at rest by the sale of ten bushels of salt, to raise the money which the wicked "non-residence " would not pay, and of the election of a representative made "not according to Liberty and Justice." How this seating difficulty will be settled, or, perhaps more properly said, be left unsettled by the grave committee of five, chosen for that purpose, but from whom, before they had time to act, by a vote "not according to Liberty and Justice," the subject, and their authority to act, was taken away, being referred to the select- men, remains to be seen, and will be faithfully reported, as soon as it shall appear.
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