USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Mont Vernon > History of the town of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire > Part 2
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
"That notwithstanding the said Memorial and Remonstrance. the Council thought fit to ordain, and did accordingly ordain the said Mr. Barnard. In consequence whereof for the reasons aforesaid. and also because the said Mr. Barnard and his party carry the Advantage they have gained in manner as before set forth, with a high hand, your Petitioners cannot in conscience resort to the now place of Public Worship in Amherst, nor can they join in prayer. nor in communi- cation with the said Mr. Barnard, nor reap any benefit from his discourses. so that they wholly absent themselves and may be said to be without any settled minister. Moreover. under all these difficulties and hardships which they labor under, your Petitioners are liable to be rated with their equal proportion of rates toward the support of the said Mr. Barnard. and as under the foregoing circumstances your Petitioners think hard of paying them : it seems to open a door of Contention and Lawsuit. which they would avoid.
"That your humble petitioners in Expectation of Being sett off as a separate parish. did some time ago at their own proper charge. build a commodious Meeting-Ilouse at the said northwest part of said Amherst. and have hired preaching for some time past, hoping at the same time to have enjoyed the privilege of a minister of their own choosing. our local situation being such as required the same. But
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
that not being granted by the then Hon'ble Assembly, your Petitioners now have recourse to your Honors, praying that you should take their most unhappy cases into your Serious Consideration, and that they may be at liberty to bring in a bill whereby they may be severed from the said New Meeting-House and Minister. and from any future min- ister there, and from paying any rates for the repairs of the said meeting-house. or support of the new minister of the same, and that your Petitioners may be invested with the power of assessing, levying. and raising money for keeping their said meeting-house in Repair. when the same shall be in want thereof, and for settling and con- stantly maintaining a Gospel Ministry in said Northwest Meeting- House, and that it may and shall be lawful for any now minor children or servants of your Pet'rs. as soon as they shall come of age, to poll off. if they see fit. and join such future Minister or Ministers of the Gospel at the said Northwest Meeting-House. and may be in like manner declared Independent of said Mr. Barnard's Meeting-House, and separate therefrom. & from all rates whatsoever incident to the support of that meeting-house or minister, provided that such child or children. servant or servants, so coming of age do signifiy to the Town Clk of Amherst in writing his. her, or their desire of joining and becoming members of the said Society of the Northwest Parish. or that your Hon's will grant your Pet'rs Relief in such other manner as you in your great wisdom shall deem most meet. And your Peti- tioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray."
This was signed by John Averill and fifty-one others. With the foregoing petition we have the following record :
"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
"In the House of Representatives, June 20.1781. Upon read- ing and considering the foregoing petition : Voted that the prayer thereof be granted, and that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a bill accordingly.
"Sent up for Concurrence. "Jons LANGDON. Speaker.
".In Council June 21. 1781. Read and Coneurred.
"E. ThoMpsos. Sec'y."
The act for the incorporation of the Second or Northwest Parish is as follows :
"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
" In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty- one.
"An act to enable sundry inhabitants of the Town of Amherst to
10
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
erect a new parish in the northwest part of said town for trans- acting ministerial affairs only.
"Whereas sundry inhabitants of Amherst in the county of Hillsborough have petitioned the General Assembly, setting forth (among other things) that in humble expectation of being sett off from the Society and Meeting-House whereof the Rev. Jeremiah Barnard is now minister in said town. they had at their own proper charge built a commodions meeting-house in the northwest part of said town. and hired preaching for some time past and praying tha} they might be severed from said Mr. Barnard's church in future by an especial act. and be exempt in future from paying any rates towards the repairs of the said Mr. Barnard's meeting-house, or the support of him or any future minister of the same. upon which petition, the Agents of said town having been heard and the prayer appearing reasonable. Therefore be it enacted and it is hereby in Council and House of Representatives in general assembly convened and by the authority of the same petition above referred to, viz. : Nathaniel Heywood. Oliver Carlton. Amos Stickney, John Cole, John Mills, Jo- seph Farnum. Daniel Wilkins. Joseph Langdell. JJosiah Dodge, William Lamson. Abijah Wilkins. James Smith, Jacob Smith, John Averill, Joseph Lovejoy. Nathan Jones, Joshua and Eli Elkins, Joseph Tuck, Timothy Smith, jr., Nathan and Nathan Flint, jr .. Daniel Simonds, Peter Woodbury, William Bradford, jr., Daniel Smith, Isaac Smith, Samuel Winchester. Andrew Leavitt. Knight Nichols. James Wood- bury. Thomas Carlton. JJoseph Perkins. JJoseph Duncklee, John Duneklee. Allen Goodrich, Richard Gould, Thomas Town, jr., Nathan Cole. Richard Ward. JJeremiah Burnham, Samuel Sterns, JJohn Har- wood. Enos Upton. Ezekiel Upton, Hannah Peabody, Win. Wilkins, James Hopkins. Daniel Goukl. Robert Parker, Joseph Steel, and Timothy Smith be and they hereby are separated, exonerated, and discharged from paying any taxes towards the support of the Gospel Ministry and Public worship, in said town of Amherst, from and hereafter the day of the date hereof excepting in the Parish hereby erected, together with all the polls belonging to their respective fami- lies, and all the estates which they do now or shall hereafter own, being in said town, and the said persons, polls and estates be and they hereby are erected and incorporated into a new parish, and in- vested with the privileges and authorities of a parish. separate and distinct from the other parts of said town. and the parishioners of the said new parish are hereby enabled to raise money as there shall be occasion. on the polls and estates thereto belonging for the main- tenance of the Minister of the Gospel, and the repairs of their meeting-house when necessary, and the support of Public Worship amongst themselves, and assess any necessary taxes on the said polls and estates for that end. and to levy and collect the same in the same manner that town taxes are levied and collected, and for that purpose to choose any number of suitable persons belonging to said parish in the month of March annually. for assessors or a collector or collectors
11
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
thereof, who shall have the same power to levy and collect such taxes, and in default of the due discharge of said office to be subject to the same pains and penalties as the constables of Towns in this state are liable by law, and also choose any other persons to such offices and trusts as the said parishioners shall judge proper, and they are hereby authorized to act accordingly.
"And be it further enacted that any minor children of said pa- rishioners, any persons who may hereafter come and settle in said town and inhabit the town, and their minor children, who shall in time to come be desirous of belonging to the new perish, who shall within six months after such new settler coming into said town, and after such minor children attaining the age of 21 years giving their names and signifying their desire and design in writing to the clerk of said town, for the time being, which being done. such future settlers and minors shall be entitled to every privilege in this act with said parishioners. otherwise to be precluded therefrom, and the parishioners of the said new parish are hereby authorized to meet and to choose all necessary officers for the service of said parish for the current vear, and until their next meeting in March next. and at any time in the month of July next, and Nathaniel Heywood is authorized to call the same. Provided nevertheless that nothing in this act shall be construed to exempt any of said parishioners, their polls or estates, from paying their just proportion of all ministerial charges arising in said town of Amherst, nor from the future support of Rev. Daniel Wilkins, the late minister of said town. and now living according to contract."
"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
"In the House of Representatives. JJune 28th, 1781.
"The foregoing bill having been read a third time. Voted that it pass to be enacted.
"Sent up for Concurrence.
"JOHN LANGDON, Speaker."
"In Council. June 30th, 1781. This bill was read a third time and voted it should be enacted. M. Weare, president. Copy ex- amined by E. Thompson. Sed'y."
Of the names found in the act of incorporation, some are inter- esting as being the progenitors of present active residents of at least the fourth generation.
"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
.. HILLSBOROUGH, SS.
Inly 11. 1781.
"To the Inhabitants of the Second Parish in Amherst. Greeting :
"Whereas the Honorable Council and House of Representatives
12
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
of this state have ordered .- That the inhabitants of this parish should meet some time in this month to choose parish officers, and have all- thorized me to call said meeting ; therefore I, the subscriber, by virtue of said authority. hereby warn all the freeholders and other inhabi- tants belonging to the said second parish of Amherst who are qualified to act in such parish meetings to meet at the meeting-honse in said parish on Tuesday, the 24th day of July, at three o'clock in the afternoon, for the following purposes, viz. :
"1st. To choose a Moderator for said meeting.
"2d. To choose a parish clerk and other parish officers.
"3d. To choose a committee to hire preaching in said parish. "4th. To transact such other business as may appear needful."
The first parish meeting was held 24th July, 1781. Nathaniel Heywood was chosen moderator ; Eli Wilkins, clerk : Peter Woodbury, Nathaniel Heywood, and Abijah Wilkins, assessors ; James Wood- bury, treasurer; Nathan Flint, collector: Oliver Carlton, Richard Gonld. and Wm. Bradford a committee to hire preaching. Lieut. James Woodbury, Ensign Thomas Stickney, and Abijah Wilkins were chosen a committee to lay the lower floor and sell the pew-ground in the meeting-house at public vendue. JJuly 4, 1782. It was voted to hire preachers on probation "and that the committee apply to such gentlemen to preach as they think proper." August 29, 1782. Voted to hire Mr. Powers to preach in said parish. At the same meeting a proposition to unite with the Southwest Parish in hiring preaching at Mr. Abner Hutchinson's was rejected.
January 13. 1783. John Mills, moderator. Voted to hire Mr. Allen to preach four Sundays if his services can be procured.
March 4. 1783. At the annual meeting chose Peter Woodbury. Nathaniel Heywood, Abijah Wilkins assessors. Richard Gould, Tim- othy Smith, Richard Ward a committee to hire preaching. Voted €50 to defray parish expenses.
September 9. 1783. Capt. J. Mills, moderator. Voted not to hire Mr. Allen any longer. Voted not to send to Dartmouth College for a preacher.
December 9, 1783. Voted to concur with the church in giving Mr. Samuel Sargent a call to settle in the gospel ministry in said parish. The effort to settle Mr. Sargent failed. for on the 29th of December. 1784. they voted to concur with the church in giving Mr. John Bruce a call to settle in the gospel ministry of this parish. Voted to give Mr. Bruce £120 lawful money as a settlement and £60
13
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
lawful money and twenty cords of wood yearly as long as he supplies the pulpit, and £30 and 20 cords of wood during life, after he had ceased to supply the pulpit. Voted Nath'l Heywood. Dea. Oliver Carlton, and Lient. Wm. Bradford a committee to treat with him relative to his settlement. Voted Capt. John Mills, Joseph Langdell. Daniel Smith to be a committee to take a deed from Lieut. Wood- bury of the ground on which the meeting-house stands. Mr. Bruce accepted the call after some delay, and was ordained the 3d of November. 1785. He continued pastor of the parish and town until his death, which took place the 12th of March. 1809.
An aet defining the boundaries of the Second Parish in Amherst was passed by the legislature the 24th of January, 1789.
January 7. 1790. The First Parish having petitioned for the re- peal of the act establishing the boundaries of the Second Parish. William Lamson. Henry Campbell. Capt. William Bradford were appointed a committee to appear before the General Court and show cause why the prayer of this petition should not be granted.
June 4. 1790, Capt. William Bradford and Henry Campbell were appointed a committee to go to Concord to hear the report of a com- mittee appointed by the General Court respecting the alteration of the boundary bines between Mr. Bruce's and Mr. Barnard's parishes.
April 26. 1790. The meeting-house still remaining unfinished. the parish chose a committee to finish the same. as was voted. the committee to return any overplus that might arise from the sale of the pews to the treasurer.
October 15. 1790. Voted that the committee for the time being furnish the ministerial pew on the spot reserved for that purpose.
January 25. 1791. Another act establishing the boundaries of the Second parish was passed by the legislature, changing them somewhat from those fixed by the former act.
March 21. 1791. Voted to accept a strip of land lying in the easterly part of Lyndeborough, with the inhabitants living thereon. as a part of the parish, provided the consent of Lyndeborough is obtained.
1792. Voted J. Mills 9 shillings for sweeping the meeting-house. March, 1792. Dea. Oliver Carlton and others chosen a com- mittee to complete the meeting-house were instructed to finish the whole of the joiner work inside, not already let out.
May 24. 1792. Eli Wilkins being the only Justice of the Peace in the Northwest parish, at a town meeting on that date it was voted
14
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
that "John Conant. of Beverly, Massachusetts Bay. is a person most suitable to be recommended" for a commission of Justice of the Peace.
May 25, 1792. Voted to build a wall by the highway against the burying-ground. Voted that the bass-viol be not carried into the meeting-house in time of exercise. Voted that £6 be paid to the minister, instead of 20 cords of wood, annually. "if he agrees to accept the change." Andrew Leavitt built the graveyard gate, and John Mills made the hinges and bolts.
October 25, 1792. It was voted to allow the bill of the com- mittee for building the gate in front of the burying-ground amounting to £4. 19s. 5d.
Voted to build another piece of wall by the side of the burying- ground.
March 18, 1793. Voted a pew in the gallery of the meeting- house to the use of the singers.
March 12, 1794. Voted Capt. Mills 12 shillings for sweeping the meeting-house 4 times, and caring for the same 1 year.
March 21, 1796. An article having been inserted in the warrant calling the meeting holden this day, asking for the consent of the parish that the bass-viol be used in the meeting-house on Sunday to assist the singers in time of public worship. failed of approval. Eben Fisk was sexton, and Dea. J. Carlton. parish clerk, 1799-1804.
CHAPTER II.
CONDITIONS PRELIMINARY TO THE SEPARA- TION FROM THE PARENT TOWN.
PUBLIC EVENTS-LOYALISTS-SKETCH OF JOSHUA ATHERTON-SKETCH OF CHARLES H. ATHERTON-SKETCH OF CHARLES G. ATHERTON -- SKETCH OF SAMUEL DANA-REV. JEREMIAH BARNARD-LOYAL- ISTS' INFLUENCE IN POLITICS-TROUBLOUS TIMES IN THE COUNTRY -ESTABLISHMENT OF CONSTITUTION-MR. ATHERTON'S OBJECTION TO CONSTITUTION-ORGANIZATION OF THIRD OR SOUTHWEST PARISH INCORPORATION OF MILFORD-DISSENSION BETWEEN PARISHES- PETITION OF FIRST PARISIE-POLITICAL PARTIES-EXTRACT FROM A TOWN MEETING-OR A TOUCH AT THE TIMES AT A T- MEETING BETWEEN BRADFORD AND AUTHOR OF POEM-FEELING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND PARISHES-SKETCH OF MAJOR WILLIAM BRADFORD-SKETCH OF DR. ROGERS SMITHI.
A GLANCE at public events of this period, and their effect in influencing local conditions, so as to require for the peace and order of both communities a complete severance of all corporate interests, will give to those interested a clear idea of the influence of the various causes which converted the northwest parish of Amherst into the town of Mont Vernon.
For several years prior to the War for Independence, and even after the breaking out of hostilities, while the majority of the colonists were bitterly hostile to King George and his ministry, and regarded his policy as so unjust and tyrannical as to justify revolt, and yet hoped for a reconciliation with the mother country, there was yet a considerable minority loyal to the royal government. They believed the attempt at independence would not succeed, that it was madness : that the trained troops sent over by the King would overpower the raw militia, and the result would be the ruin of the colonies. They were generally rich and prosperous, of aristocratic tendencies, but mostly men of moral worth. These loyalists were vulgarly called
16
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
tories, and were in excessive odium among the patriots. Many of them who did not flee, acquiesced in the order of things, but it was conformity without change of opinion. Those who were most un- compromising were exiles and their property was seized and confiseated during the war. The provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were their refuge, and among the valnable citizens of those provinces today are many descendants from the tory refugees of the United States. John Ilolland, a rank tory. nephew of Joshua Atherton, of Amherst, was seized and banished to New Brunswick, where he died.
When Gen. Gage evacuated Boston, in March, 1776, twelve hundred American loyalists went with him to Halifax. but few of whom returned. Prophetic were the words of the brave Dr. Warren who fell at Bunker Hill: "The contest may be severe, but the end will be glorious."
Joshua Atherton was at this time easily, in reputation, ability, and influence. the first man in Amherst. Born in Lancaster, Massa- chusetts, in 1737, after graduating at Harvard, he studied law and practised six years in Merrimack. In the summer of 1773 he moved from Merrimack to Amherst, and being an able lawyer, was soon busily employed in the practice of his profession. As the dispute between the mother country and her American colonies inereased in bitterness, he, being an open and avowed loyalist, became exceedingly unpopular.
September 20, 1774. some three hundred men from Bedford, Amherst, and vieinity, assembled at Amherst and chose a committee to wait upon Mr. Atherton and request him to come to the court- house, which he did, and sign a declaration and read it to the people, who accepted it. Notwithstanding this declaration, the persecution continued, but he was not cured of his loyalty.
In 1776 he refused to sign the Association Test Paper when it was presented to him. Finally he was arrested and placed in Exeter jail "as a person at large whose presence would be dangerous to the liberties of the country." He was afterwards transferred from Exeter to Amherst jail. He was ultimately liberated in June. 1778. At the January term of court, 1779, he took the oath of allegiance and attorney's oath, and was again admitted to practice. The good will of his fellow citizens began to return to him, and his business became lucrative. Ile was a warm friend of Mr. Barnard, and took an active part in his ordination in 1780. During the rest of his life he was Senator in the state legislature, and attorney-general of the state.
17
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Many young men, afterwards distinguished, resorted to his office for instruction in their chosen profession. He died in 1809.
The name of Atherton among his descendants is now extinct. But among the Atherton female branch, those bearing the name of Spaulding, Gordon, Means, Bigelow, and others have achieved honor- able distinction.
His son, Charles Humphrey Atherton, born August, 1773, died January, 1853, was for many years one of the most prominent lawyer, of Hillsborough county, and as a probate lawyer had no superior in the state.
He was a high-toned Federalist. and in religious belief a Unitarian of the Channing type. He was Register of Probate three years, also representative three years, and many years on the superintending school committee. He had a great interest in historical and genealog- ical researches, and was a Master Mason. By close attention to money matters, he accumulated one of the largest estates ever left in Amherst.
His son, Hon. Charles Gordon Atherton, graduated at Harvard in 1822, and in 1825 entered upon the practice of law at Nashua, New Hampshire. He early engaged in politics, and being ambitious, identified himself with the Democratic, then the ruling party in the state, and likely to remain so for many years. He was five years rep- resentative in the state legislature, and four years speaker of the House. In 1837 he took his seat as a Representative in Congress, which he held four years December 10. 1838. he introduced into Congress what was famous as the "Gag." a rule which provided that all petitions for the abolition of slavery should be laid upon the table without further action. This was in force until 1845, but this, like all other measures to stay the anti-slavery agitation. increased it. In 1843 he was elected United States Senator, and served a full term of six years. In 1853, through the influence of the President-elect, Franklin Pierce, he was again returned to the Senate, to be the organ in that body for the incoming administration, but died suddenly while attending court at Manchester, November 14, 1853, aged 49. He was a man of acute and scholarly intellect, a fluent and polished speak- er, and ranked high as a counsellor and advocate. In temperament he was cold, distant, and aristocratic in bearing, and won no follow- ers by personal magnetism. He married the grand-daughter of the life-long personal and political friend of his immediate ancestor, Rev. Jeremiah Barnard, by whom he had no children.
18
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Another of these loyalists active in this community was Hon. Sam'l Dana. He was graduated early at Harvard College, fitted for the ministry, and was settled at Groton, Massachusetts, in 1761, and remained in office until May. 1775. when he resigned. Being a rank tory, the affections of a larger part of his people had been diverted from him by the course he pursued during the Revolution. In 1780 he became a law student at the office of his friend, Joshua Atherton. In the spring of 1781 he purchased a small tenement of Mr. Atherton and moved his family from Groton to Amherst. In the autumn following he was admitted to practice as an attorney. and soon acquired a large business. In 1782 he purchased a farm and buildings at the west end of the plain, and built the mansion that was afterwards for many years the homestead of Dr. Matthias Spalding, where he died April, 1798.
During his residence in Amherst. he was successively Register and Judge of Probate, and a member of the state Senate. He was the father of Benevolent Lodge of Amherst. and was its first Grand Master. In 1826 this institution was removed to Milford, where it now flourishes. His religion was liberal (Unitarian), and he was a close friend and supporter of Rev. Mr. Barnard. He exhibited talents as a lawyer above mediocrity. His daughter Mehitable married Sam'l Bell in 1807, and became the mother of Chief Justice Samuel Dana Bell of New Hampshire, and James Bell, United States Senator. A son of Samuel Dana Bell was Samuel N. Bell, a representative in Congress, who in 1874 declined the offer of appointment as Chief Jus- tice tendered him by Gov. James A. Weston.
Rev. Jeremiah Barnard settled in 1780 in Amherst, and died January 15, 1835, on his farm on Christian Hill. Amherst, aged 85. He was a man of more than ordinary abilities. His lot was cast in a stormy time. as religious and political divisions prevailed in the parish for the first thirty-five years of his ministry. But his will and energy enabled him to breast the storm, when a man of more peaceable and quiet disposition would have been overcome by the contending factions. Of religious differences he was very tolerant, but not so of political. He was warmly attached to the Federal school of polities, and de- nounced the opposition in and out of the pulpit with great zeal. He was most emphatically a fighting political parson, but his marked social qualities, his general good sense. warm attachment to friends, and kindness of heart enabled him to prosper through his long min- istry. These men of aristocratic predilections and others of like
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.