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 9
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1781.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY. 101
headed "Lord's Proprietors," in which these lands were included.
June 27th, 1780. At the town meeting "Voted, To raise four men towards completing the battalions of this State, in the continental army, and that the selectmen hire the men on the town's cost. Appointed Abijah Allen, Capt. Joseph Barrett and James Scripture a committee to procure our pro- portion of beef, for the army."
" The selectmen of Mason, being called upon to raise and send forward soldiers immediately, into the public service, without loss of time, immediately notified the town's people, to meet at the meeting house on July 3d, 1780."
This is the record in the book, instead of the ordinary record of the warrant for a town meeting. The record goes on to say, "Met, and chose a committee to hire six men for the term of six months, into the public service, and two, to go to Coos, for six months."
July 11th, 1780. "Voted, to reserve six acres for the meeting house and common, the form to be square, and the house near the centre ; and to sell all of the lot east of the road, and appointed a committee to make the sale, and give the deed."
October 31st, 1780. "Voted, To allow creditors 90 for one in the war rate. Voted, To fence the burying ground, and chose Ens. John Wood, Lt. Swallow and Capt. Benj. Mann a committee for that purpose." This was the burying ground on the road from the meeting house, to Townsend. See p. 65.
February 6th, 1781. "Voted to raise four men towards completing the continental army."
May 7th, 1781. Chose Benjamin Mann to represent the town in the convention at Concord, to form a constitution.
June 9, 1781. It appears from orders given, that Jonathan Foster, Joseph Wilson, son of Edward Wilson, and Abijah Eaton, were soldiers.
August 14, 1781. "Voted, To hire preaching, and to raise
14
102
HISTORY OF MASON.
twenty pounds silver for that purpose, and adjourned to the 21st. Then Voted, To reconsider the vote to hire preaching, and adjourned to the 28th. Then Voted, To hire preaching and to raise £20, hard money. Voted, To leave it to Mr. Abijah Allen to pay or not, as he pleases, and chose Deacon Hall, Joseph Merriam and Ens. John Wood, committee to hire preaching."
September 13th, 1781. "Voted to raise £40 silver, for the purpose of clearing and fencing the school lot, that the meeting house stands on," and a committee was chosen to lay out the money. It was to be paid in labor, if the payer chose. " Voted that man's labor be 3s. 4d., and ox labor 2s. a day."
November 1st, 1781. "The selectmen made a rate of £18 1s. 2d. 0q. L. mo. silver, for the purpose of purchasing sixty- three and a half gallons of West India Rum for the use of the Continential army."
November 15, 1781. Benjamin Mann was chosen to repre- sent Mason and Raby, at Exeter.
January 2, 1782. "Voted, To direct the committee to hire preaching, to apply to Mr. Kimball to supply the pulpit for some further time. Voted, to engage him for three months. Voted, Not to allow seats for the singers to sit together. Voted, To choose another querister to assist in setting the Psalm, and chose Amos Dakin, Jr."
February 12, 1782. Voted, That the selectmen "strain on the Treasurer amediately."
By orders, given in February and March, 1782, it appears that Joshua Richardson and Simon Fish were soldiers for the town in 1779 and 1780; Zebulon Dodge, in 1779, and Jacob Weatherbee, in 1780.
March 11, 1782. Annual meeting. "Voted, To hear Mr. Kimball six Sabbaths after the time he is now engaged for. Voted, to seat the meeting house, and that the committee have reference to age, and the last year's invoice, in seating the meeting house."
103
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1782.
By orders, given in March and April, it appears that Joseph Herrick, Benjamin Mann, Ephraim Nutting, Ebenezer Blood, Jr., Asa Blood and Reuben Hosmer, were soldiers in the service for the town.
April 30, 1782. A meeting was called, "To see whether the town will concur with the church in giving Mr. True Kimball an invite to settle in this town as a gospel minister." At the meeting, " It was put to the town by the moderator, whether any person had any objection to the town proceeding in concurrence with the church, to give Mr. True Kimball an invite to settle in this town for their gospel minister .- Voted, To give Mr. Kimball an invite as above. Accord- ingly, the moderator called for the votes to be brought in, yeas or nays ; the votes being called, not one negative vote appeared." It was also "Voted, To exempt Mr. William Dodge for his poll paying any tax to the minister rate. Voted, To give Mr. True Kimball one hundred and eighty pounds L. mo. as settlement, and to be two years in paying said settlement. Voted £66 13s. 4d. to be paid yearly, as salary. William Eliot and Abijah Allen dissented in the face of the meeting, against the two above votes of settlement and salary, as a town. Reason, because to go on by way of a town, and to use coercive measures, obliges persons to help support a man, that the major part of the people, in any town, shall see fit to hold as their minister; whereas, the said Eliot and Allen think the gospel is free, and every person has a right to hear, where he can be best edified; if so, then to choose his own teacher, and to support him and no other." A committee, Ens. John Wood, Capt. Benjamin Mann and Capt. Joseph Barrett, were appointed to wait upon Mr. Kim- ball, with a copy of the above vote; and the meeting was dissolved.
The vote under date of June 9th, 1781, to leave Abijah Allen to pay or not as he pleases, and this dissent of Wil- liam Eliot and Abijah Allen, are the first indications, upon the records of the town, of the prevalence of baptist senti-
104
HISTORY OF MASON.
ments in the town. Mr. Eliot was the first minister or elder of the Baptist church, soon after formed in the town.
"On August ye 18th, 1782, Mr. True Kimball gave his answer to ye town of Mason (to their calling him to settle with them in the ministry) in the negative.
" Attest : WM. ELIOT, Town Clerk."
August 28, 1782. Town meeting. Sixth article. "To see if the town will allow those men that served in the conti- mental army three years, the sum of money that was taken out of their wages, and the town is now credited for, or do what the town think proper in the affair." The town "Voted, To allow Mr. David Fuller the sum of money that was taken out of his son Ezra's wages, by the court, and the town is now credited for in the State tax."
December 3, 1782. "Proceeded to take under considera- tion the bill of rights and plan of government. Chose a committee to revise the abovesaid constitution, and make what remarks they think proper, and make report to the town at some future day. Chose Deacon Amos Dakin, David Blodgett, William Eliot, Ens. John Wood, Joseph Merriam, Samuel Smith, Joseph Barrett, Abijah Allen and Timothy Wheeler, for said committee. Voted, to ratify the north west corner of Mason, according to the agreement of the selectmen with the selectmen of the other towns. Voted, To take that part of the State tax, which is over paying the State treasurer (by reason of a certificate that came from the State treasurer, on account of the town's paying soldiers' bounty and wages), to defray town charges. Adj'd to the 16th. Then Voted, To dismiss William Eliot as clerk, and chose David Blodgett, town clerk, P. T."
" Voted, Not to accept of the constitution as it now stands. Voted, To accept of the bill of rights, with the amendment of the 28th article. Voted, To accept the constitution with the following amendment, and then the meeting was dis- solved." No paper or record has been found which shows what these several proposed amendments were.
105
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1783.
The perambulation of the west line of the town is recorded as follows :
"On October the 28th, A. D. 1782, the selectmen and com- mittee of the town of New Ipswich and the selectmen of the town of Mason, met at the north west corner of said Mason, and after establishing said corner, proceeded to perambulate the line between said towns, and agreed that the stake and stones south of Mr. Edmund Town's, about 25 rods, to be a bound between said towns. Also, that a maple tree is a bound ; said tree stands south of the road, that leads from Dea. Dakin's to New Ipswich, from thence to a heap of stones in Lt. Stratton's pasture, and so on to a heap of stones south of the road that leads from said Stratton's to said Mason, then to a stake and stones on the north side of the great road below Mr. Pierce's, from thence to the road that leads from Col. Hale's to Prospect, a heap of stones on the south side of said road, and from thence to the corner of said towns, viz : the south west corner of Mason and the south east corner of New Ipswich. Said corner is a heap of stones on the Province line, with a large hemlock tree marked, fell down on said stones.
JOSEPH PARKER, Committee for
BENJAMIN HOAR,
PAUL PRITCHARD, New Ipswich.
WILLIAM ELIOT, Selectmen
SAMUEL SMITH, of
JOSEPH MERRIAM, Mason.
A true entry, per me,
WM. ELIOT, Town Clerk."
To this perambulation reference is had in the vote "to ratify the north west corner of Mason," passed December 3, 1782.
March 10, 1783. Annual meeting. "Chose Mr. David Blodgett and Benj. Mann, Esq., to take care of what was blown off the meeting house, namely : boards, shingles, nails, &c. Voted, To mend the meeting house, and chose Jacob Blodgett,
106
HISTORY OF MASON.
James Wood and Thomas Robbins, a committee to mend the meeting house. Voted, To double board the part that the wind blew the roof of from."
May 26, 1783. Order "To pay Capt. Wm. Chambers 4s. L. mo., it being for two mugs of Philp, that the arbitrators had, that set on the dispute that the town had with Ensign Joseph Ball, and for two mugs that the Selectmen had when they vendued the shingles and nails that blew from the meeting house."
December 9. 1783. Chose Benjamin Mann, Esq., to repre- sent Mason and Raby.
November 3. [No year.] Town meeting. "Voted, To raise £32 11s. 4d., to pay the cost of building the bridge by Mr. John Stevens' saw mill." This is probably the mill near Frederic Jones'.
March, 1784. Annual meeting. "Voted, That £40 be added to what was raised to hire preaching the ensuing year, in order to pay the ministers that the town oweth, and that the selectmen be directed to assess the same as soon as pos- sible, and it shall be called the ministers' rate, and that the constables be ordered not to take any order for said rates, but what shall be given by the ministers ; and shall be ordered to pay the same to the treasurer."
Benjamin Mann was chosen to represent Mason and Raby. July 19, 1784. Town meeting. The second article was, " To see what measures the town will pursue to find a candi- date to supply the pulpit, inasmuch as the committee have not been so happy as to find any. This article was inserted by request of Enosh Lawrence and others. The town voted to pass it over, probably thinking the committee competent to their duty.
At this meeting, it was "Voted, To make up to Mr. Samuel Abbott, for his son Ebenezer's bounty, as good as the State would [have] paid him if the town had not been credited for the same; in State notes, on interest, or other pay, as we may agree."
107
1784. MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
August 19th, 1784. An order "to pay Capt. W. Chambers for keeping Mr. Bailey and Mr. Emerson, three Sabbaths."
October 5, 1784. "Voted, To build a meeting house for the use of said town. Voted, To set the house on Captain Chambers' hill, above his orchard, if the town and he, the said Chambers, can agree to exchange lands for that purpose. Voted, To choose a committee of three men to agree on the aforesaid exchange. David Blodgett, Benjamin Mann, Esq., and Dea. Amos Dakin, were chosen for the aforesaid commit- tee. Then the meeting was adjourned to Monday, the 18th instant. At the adjournment, Voted, That the meeting house shall be raised sometime in the month of June, 1786. Voted, That the said house shall be fifty five feet long and forty five broad, the height to be in proportion to the bigness. Voted, To provide boards, shingles, nails and glass, window frames, and all materials for finishing the outside of said house, by the time affixed for the raising. Voted, To accept the report of the committee that was chosen to exchange lands with Captain Chambers, which was to exchange six or seven acres off the south west corner of the school lot, for the same quantity of acres on the top of said Chambers' hill. Voted, To choose a committee to compute the quantity of stuff it will take to finish the outside of the house, and the cost of the same. Chose William Hosmer, Jacob Blodgett, David Blodgett, Joseph Woods and Benjamin Mann, for said com- mittee." Adjourned to November 10, at which time neither the moderator nor the warrant could be found, and nothing more was done.
The site selected for the house, at this meeting, was one commanding a view hardly to be surpassed in New England, embracing a great portion of the counties of Middlesex and Worcester, and including the whole valley of the Nashua river and its branches. On the north west the Grand Monadnock, on the south west Watatook and Wachuset, and on the north the Jo English hill in New Boston, and on the east a long sweep of the valley of the Merrimack river, formed portions
108
HISTORY OF MASON.
of a landscape worthy of admiration. But it seems difficul- ties arose, and objections were made to the site, and it was eventually abandoned. At a subsequent meeting, December 16, 1784, it was "Voted, To build a meeting house, and to set it about twenty feet north of the old one." This was not satisfactory, for the record proceeds to reconsider that vote with a proviso, "That there be an article inserted in the next warrant for the annual meeting, for the town to deter- mine where it shall stand. Chose a committee to provide stuff for the window frames and sashes; Benjamin Mann, David Blodgett, and Samuel Smith."
November 1, 1784. An order to pay Capt. Chambers for entertaining ministers, namely : Messrs. Langdon, Whitman, Bruce and Dix.
In the History of New Hampshire Churches, it is stated that Mr. Bruce, who was settled at Mont Vernon, received a call to settle at Mason. No evidence of that fact appears upon the records of the town or church. This order shows that he was employed by the town as a preacher.
March 15, 1785. An order "to pay Capt. Thomas Tarbell £1 2s., it being for boarding Mr. Bruse and his horse three weeks in October, 1784. Also, March 21, for monies paid to Phinehas Wright."
Warrant for the annual meeting, March, 1785. Article 4. "To see if the town will supersede a vote of a late town meeting, for setting a meeting house upon Capt. Chambers' hill, and determine where said meeting house shall stand.
At the meeting, it was "Voted to supersede a vote of a late town meeting, which was to set a meeting house upon Capt. Chambers' hill. Voted, To set the meeting house 16 or 20 feet north of the old one. Voted, To waive the building of a meeting house till we can agree better." The record states, that at this meeting, "37 votes for Mr. George Atkinson, for a president of the State," were given. The meeting adjourned to March 21, at which time it was "Voted, To withdraw the vote for senators and proceed to a new
109
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1786.
choice. There were 61 votes for John Preston, Esq., 60 for Benjamin Mann, Esq., and one for Matthew Thornton. Voted, To withdraw the vote for a President and begin again. There were 44 votes for George Atkinson, Esq., for Presi- dent." Also, "Voted to take the above vote respecting a meeting house under consideration for debating. Voted, The above vote for setting the meeting house 16 or 20 feet north of the old one, shall not stand. Voted, The proposed meeting house stand about four or five rods south or west of south [of the present place.] Then, Voted, To raise &£300 to build a meeting house with. Voted, To build a bridge over the brook near Mr. John Stephens' saw mill. Chose Jonas Fay, Stephen Lawrence and William Hosmer a committee to build it ;" and thereupon, this somewhat extraordinary meet- ing was adjourned. It would be considered, in these days, a great stretch of power, for a town to vote to supersede ballotings, which had taken place at a former meeting, for governor and senators, and try it over again, which seems to have been done in this instance, without objection. The result was, to increase the vote for governor, (then styled president.) How the original vote stood for senators, is not recorded ; nor is any clue left for even a conjecture, as to the reasons of this anomalous proceeding.
June 10th, 1785. An order "to pay Abijah Allen £1 for boarding Mr. David Daniels, while preaching in town."
October 1st, 1785. An order "to pay Jonathan Chandler 10s. in full, for going to Concord after Mr. Whipple, to supply the pulpit."
September 3d, 1785. At a town meeting, the town "Voted, that the town will take good merchantable rye, in Leu of the town and minister tax, to be delivered at Dea. Amos Dakin's, at any time from the first of November, to the last of December. Dea. Dakin to take it, at 4s. per bushel, and give receipts."
March, 1786. Annual meeting. Benjamin Mann chosen to represent Mason and Raby.
15
110
HISTORY OF MASON.
November 2, 1786. Town meeting. Article 2. "To see if the town will accept the plan proposed to make paper money, or point out any other method for the same, as they shall think proper." On this article, the town "Voted, Not to make any paper money." The vote so laconically recorded, would seem to be conclusive of the wishes of the town, but it was not so, for,
December 4, 1786, another towu meeting was called about paper money. The action of the town is recorded as follows :
"Voted, Not to have paper money on the plan proposed by the court, No. 17; none appearing for said plan. No. 11; not for paper money on any plan. No. 3; for said money on some plan."
The meeting house controversy comes back again. At a town meeting May 28th, 1787, it was "Voted, to build a meeting house. Voted to set it just back of the old meeting house. Then voted to reconsider the last vote, and to choose a committee to say where it shall stand, chose Maj. Abiel Abbott, Timothy Farrar and Daniel Emerson, Esqs., and chose a committee of five to wait on the committee, and chose for that purpose, the selectmen, Benjamin Mann, Esq. and Samuel Smith."
September 4th, 1787. At a town meeting "Voted, to accept the report of the committee, on the place for the meeting house. Voted, that the selectmen assess the money raised for that purpose."
"Voted, that the selectmen assess one hundred and fifty of the three hundred pounds raised heretofore, for the pur- pose of building the meeting house, and chose Benjamin Mann, Esq., Lt. James Scripture, Mr. H. Russell, Elias Eliot and Joseph Woods a committee to affect the purpose of build- ing a meeting house in the town." The selectmen were ordered "to furnish the committee a copy of the assessment, and that the receipt of a majority of the committee, or of the chairman, shall be sufficient to discount with the consta- bles for each ones tax."
111
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1789.
March 30th, 1788. Chose Obadiah Parker to represent Mason and Raby. It appears by the record of the warrant for this meeting, that it was issued by the selectmen of Mason, alone. The record shows their warrant, directed to "the freeholders, and other inhabitants paying taxes in the town of Raby, to meet at the meeting house in Mason, for the choice of a representative."
June 16th, 1788. "Voted to build the meeting house on the plan proposed by the committee.
Voted to let out the west part of the school lot, to Dea. Amos Dakin for fifteen years, [for] his clearing and fencing the same with stone wall, 4 ft. 4 inches high." This contract was not carried out. Dea. Dakin died April 28, 1789.
May 4th, 1789. "Voted, that the Selectmen stake out the spot for the meeting house. Voted to set the front according to the three north stakes, set up by the Selectmen.
" Voted to postpone the building of the meeting house, till the first day of August, providing Mr. Kendall's business will submit to it."
Mr. Kendall was of Ashby, was a celebrated master builder, a faithful and a good workman. It seems his busi- ness would not submit to the postponement, for it appears by the following letter, which is inserted as illustrating the times and characteristics of the people, that early in Septem- ber of that year, the meeting house was raised. The letter is directed to Sr. - Hill, Preacher in Ashby. The title, Sir, was once commonly given to graduates of universities. It seems to have been the English equivalent of the Latin Domi- nus, or Magister ; but was, perhaps, exclusively bestowed on the clergy ; [See the Odorherty Papers.] To return to the letter. The original is in the hand writing of Jonathan Searle, Esq., and is as follows :
" Much respected Sr. Hill,
We in the Capacity of a Town's Com- mittee for building a meeting House in Mason, take this method to wait upon you with our sincere Regards for your Person
112
HISTORY OF MASON.
and Wellfare, and with our earnest Desire (as we expect with the Leave of Providence, next Week on Wednesday to begin raising the meeting House in this Town) that you would give us the Pleasure of waiting on you in town next week on Tuesday at farthest, since it is agreed upon, you should lead in Prayer early the next Morning. Pray Sr. don't disappoint us of this our desire, as you will much oblidge your humb. Servts.
Chairman
BENJAMIN MANN, of Said Com'tee.
Mason, August ye 29th, 1789.
The above letter is copied verbatim from the original, pre- serving the orthography, punctuation, abbreviations, and use of capital letters. It was once a custom with English writers and printers, to commence every noun with a capital letter, which rule has, except in a few instances, been observed in this letter, and the common error of the illiterate, of com- mencing with capital letters other words than nouns, is sedu- lously avoided. The service requested, it is reported, was performed, in an appropriate manner and with due solemnity. This letter further brings to mind a distinguishing character- istic of our fathers, a feeling, and a ready public acknowl- edgment of, their dependence on the divine blessing in all their ways. The letter is one of the earliest documentary evidences that has been found of the connection of Mr. Hill with the affairs and interests of the people and town. It was not, however, his first appearance on public service in the town, where he preached four or more Sabbaths, com- mencing in April, 1789, but was, at the date of this letter, preaching in Ashby.
The raising of a meeting house in a country town was a matter of no small moment. As the records of Mason have preserved no details of the preparations for and of the pro- ceedings on this occasion, resort will be had, as in former instances, with much profit, for interesting details of vari- rious matters and proceedings, to the records of Townsend.
113
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
1789.
At a town meeting in that town, on May 28, 1770, it was "Voted, That the commite chosen to take cair for the raising of the new meeting house, be directed to provid jins and roaps necessary for the same, and also to choose such hands to raise the same as they think proper, and make suitable provision for their entertainment as they think proper at their discretion ; and also to provide some person that can splise roaps if they break, all at the town's cost, except their services in town."
The next proceeding of the town of Mason on record, has an intimate connection with the subject of the preceding page.
At a meeting, called October 15, 1789, and adjourned to October 19, the record states as follows: Then the town did concur with the church, in giving Mr. Ebenr. Hill a call into the work of the ministry. No negative. Voted, To reserve "the ministry rite of land in the town, for the use of the town."
Voted, one hundred and fifty pounds settlement to Mr. Hill, provided he should accept the call of the church and town ; one half of the above to be paid in money, the other half in neat stock and farm produce, one half in one year after his settlement, and the other half in the next year following.
Voted sixty six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence yearly, as salary during his ministry with us. Chose Jona- than Searle, Esq., Lt. Obadiah Parker and Capt. Isaac Brown, a committee "to wait on Mr. Hill, with the above proceed- ings."
In the meantime, without waiting for the result of this action, the business of building the meeting house went on. At a town meeting, December 14, 1789, " Voted, To accept a plan of the body pews, drawn by Lt. Kendall, and of the wall pews, by Lt. James Wood, and to sell the pews by vendue ; that the purchaser of a pew below, should pay twelve shillings, and of a pew in the gallery, six shillings, as a for-
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