USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Richmond > History of the town of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, from its first settlement, to 1882 > Part 3
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RENEWAL OF THE CHARTER.
PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
GEORGE THE SECOND,
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRE- LAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c.
To all Persons to whom these Presents shall come,
GREETING.
" Richmond
Charter Lengthened out."
WHEREAS WE, of our Special Grace & mere motion for the due encouragement and settleing a new Plantation within our Province of New-Hampshire by our Letters Patent or Charter under the seal of our said Province, dated the 28th Day of Feb'ry in the twenty- fifth year of our reign. Grantin a tract of Land Equal to six miles square, bounded as therein expressed, to a Number of our Loyal Subjects, whose names are entered on the same, to hold to them,
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
their Heirs and assigns on the conditions therein declared. To be a town Corporate by the Name of Richmond as by reference to the said Charter may more fully appear -and whereas the said Grantees have represented, by the Intervention of an Indian Warr, since the said Grants it has been impracticable to comply with and fulfill the Conditions aforesaid & Humbly Supplycated us not to take advantage of the Breach of said Conditions, but to Lengthen out & grant them some reasonable Term for Performance thereof, after the said impediment shall cease- Now Know Ye that We being Willing to Promote the end Proposed have of our further grace & favor, suspended our claims of the forfeiture the said Grantees may have incurred and by these Presents, do grant unto the said Grantees their Heirs and Assigns, the term of one year for Performing & fulfilling the conditions, matters and things by them to be done. Which Term is to be renewed annually until his Majesty's Plenary Instructions shall be received relative to the Incident that has Prevented a compliance with the Charter accord- ing to the true Intent and meaning thereof.
In testimony whereof We have caused the seal of our said Prov- ince to be hereunto affixed. Witness BENNING WENTWORTH, Esq., our Governor & Commander-in-Chief, the 11th day of June in thirty-third year of our reign, Anno Domini, 1760.
B. WENTWORTH.
By his Excellency's Comand with advice of Council
THEODORE ATKINSON, Secty.
PROV. OF NEW HAMPr
Recorded according to the original under the Province Seal the 12th day of June, 1760. THEODORE ATKINSON, Secty.
By the renewal of the charter the proprietors and the grantees under them were made secure in their titles, as by allowing them one year for performing and fulfilling the conditions, and a renewal of the term, annually, until his " Majesty's Plenary Instruc- tions " should be received in relation to the matter, was equivalent to a final confirmation of these grants.
By examination of the plan of the town, according to the original grant, it embraced what is now the
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HISTORY OF THE
east part of Swansey - a triangular piece of land seven miles in extent on the west side, extending as far north as the southern boundary of Keene, and over six miles on the east line, was annexed to Swan- sey in 1762. As this occurred before the town was organized for the transaction of town business, no remonstrance against the project, as a town, could have been had. The people did, indeed, some years after attempt to revive the matter of re-annexing this territory, but were unsuccessful in the effort. At a glance it will be seen that the people living on this tract could be better convened in their new relation- ship.
SECTIONAL PLAN.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
The following is a copy of the act annexing a part of Richmond to Swansey : -
PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
GEORGE THE THIRD,
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRE- LAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c.
To all Persons to whom these Presents shall come,
GREETING.
WHEREAS, our Loyall Subjects, Inhabiting the town of Rich- mond & Swansey, within our Province of New Hampshire, have humbly represented to us that it will be of advantage and utility to them the said Inhabitants to have a part of said town of Richmond taken off and annexed to Swansey aforesaid Without making any alteration in the Private Property of either communities. - And Praying that the dividing line of said Towns be altered in the fol- lowing manner Viz : Beginning at the North West corner of Lott No. 23 in the seventh Range of Lotts in said Richmond, Then running due east to the easterly line of the same town, then run- ning on the East line of said Richmond to the North East corner of the said town of Swansey.
Know Yee therefore that We having taken the Matter of said Petition into our consideration & it appearing Conducive to the ease and good order of both Communities, as well as forwarding the Cultivation of the Lands there, Have by and with the advice of our trusty and well beloved Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Cap- tain General, Governor & Commander in Chief, of our Council for said Province of New Hampshire, And by these Presents, Do alter the dividing line, between the said towns of Richmond & Swansey agreeable to the said Petition, and in manner as before set forth & also agreeable to the Plan hereunto annexed.
In testimony Whereof, We have caused the seal of our said Prov- ince to be hereunto affixed. Witness BENNING WENTWORTH, Esq., our aforesaid Governor & Commander-in-Chief in & over our said Province of New Hampshire, the 11th Day of December in the Third year of our Reign. Annoque Domini, 1762.
B. WENTWORTH. By his Excellency's Comand
1 with advice of Council
T. ATKINSON Jun' Secty.
PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPS.
Decmr 13th, 1762. Recorded according to the original under the Province Seal. T. ATKINSON Jun" Secty.
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HISTORY OF THE
No event of special importance occurred after this division of the territory until the spring of 1765, when the first town meeting was held. In the inter- mediate time all matters relating to the town as such, had been under the control and management of the proprietors. As these proprietors lived in the east part of the State, it is quite probable that their meet- ings were held in that section, most likely at Col. Blanchard's in Dunstable, from which place the town received the books containing their official acts and the records of their deeds of conveyance, some years after. There is no evidence extant that the proprietors ever made any improvement in town, such as the making of roads and bridges, erecting mills or building meeting-houses, as an inducement for people to settle herein. The lands were rapidly taken up after the close of the old French and Indian war at prices varying from 25 to 75 cents per acre. With two hundred dollars a young man could make a start in life, buy his farm and with the assistance of neigh- bors, who usually turned out for the purpose, erect his log house and provide himself with some stock, farming implements, and household furniture. The requirements were neither numerous or expensive, but good enough to make a beginning with.
We now come, in the course of events, to the spring of 1765, when Col. Josiah Willard, or High Sheriff Willard of Winchester, as he was sometimes called, issued his warrant for the first town meeting. By the charter, this duty devolved on Col. Jos. Blanchard, but as Blanchard was dead, Willard was authorized to perform this service. As this Col. Josiah Willard was a large land owner, and his name frequently occurs in the early history of the town, it seems
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
proper that particular mention should be made of his name, character, and lineage. He was the son of Col. Josiah Willard of Lunenberg, a native of Lan- caster, who was the commandant of Fort Dummer, of Brattleboro', during the last French and Indian war. Josiah Willard, Jr., settled in the lower Ashue- lot, or Winchester, became a prominent man among the early settlers, and was finally promoted to the office of high sheriff of Cheshire county.
The first settlers drew their supplies of provisions at first mostly from Northfield. The old road leading from Northfield to Lunenberg, and thence to Boston, was used as the most convenient way to any of the older settlements. Before sufficient harvests were obtained from their farms, many of those settled in the west part made it a practice to go to Northfield on foot, and there thrash grain and return with a bushel of rye on their backs. In some cases it is related that this feat was daily performed. The travel itself might justly be considered a good day's work, minus the thrashing. Among the names of those that performed such herculean tasks are remem- bered those of Deacon John Cass, Reuben Parker, some of the Cumstocks, and others.
THE FIRST TOWN MEETING.
WARRANT.
Province of New Hampshire. 3
March ye 20th, A. D. 1765.
These are to notify Inhabitants of the Town of Richmond in ye Province that the Annual town-meeting for choice of town officers is to be held on the last Wednesday of March annually By Charter and on Wednesday the 27th day of March instant is the day appointed By Charter for the choosing the officers to serve in ye town for the year A. D. 1765. The freehold-
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HISTORY OF THE
ers and other Inhabitants of ye town of Richmond are hereby noti- fied and warned to meet at the House of Mr. John Cass, Innholder in ye town, at ten of the clock in ye forenoon on ye day for the choice of such officers.
JOSIAH WILLARD.
At a Legal meeting of ye free Holders and other Inhabitants of the town of Richmond in the Province of New Hampshire Being Held at the house of John Cass Innholder in ye Town on ye 27th day of March A. D. 1765 Agreeable to the Charter of ye town Ap- pointing the Last Wednesday of March to be the day for choosing town officers for the annual meeting.
Then voted and chose John Cass Moderator for this meeting.
Then voted that all free holders in ye town should have Liberty to vote in the choice of town officers.
Then voted and chose Daniel Cass town Clerk.
Then voted and chose John Cass. Daniel Cass, John Martin, Se- lectmen and assessors for this present year.
Then voted and chose Timothy Thompson, Constable.
Then voted and chose John Cass, Town Treasurer.
Then voted and chose John Dandley, Tithingman.
Then voted and chose Jonathan Gaskill, Surveyor of highways. Then voted and chose Joseph Cass Surveyor of highways.
Then voted to dismiss this meeting.
JOHN CASS, Moderator.
Province of New Hampshire March ye 27th, A. D. 1765 the Persons Before named was sworn to the faithful discharge of their several offices According to Custom
JOSIAH WILLARD, Jus. Peace.
The above is a copy of the record of the first town meeting as recorded in " A Book of Records for the Town of Richmond made February ye 24th A.D. 1770." Previous to this time the doings of the town were kept in such temporary unbound books as might be improvised for the occasion, and were transferred into the above-named book at this date, and this from which we copy is not the original book, which had become much worn and torn by long usage, but a
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
copy which was made by Geo. Newell, in 1878, by order of the town, in which we regret to say some inaccuracies manifestly appear. This town meeting was the herald of a new life for the settlers. Many were anxious for the time when they were to assume the duties of freemen in the management of their municipal affairs. Many things were needed to be done for the common weal, which only united effort could accomplish. The most pressing was the need of better roads, and to this matter the newly-elected officers at once directed their attention, in the laying out of various roads in the paths already trod. Some of these will be traced out for the purpose of showing the true condition of affairs in relation to the relative position of the families to each other, their way of communication, and the most convenient centres of population ; but before we proceed to this, a few brief observations may not be out of place in relation to this first town meeting. The question arises, where was it held? The answer is "At the house of John Cass, Innholder." But where was this house? many will ask, as no house bearing that name has been known for a long time before. The last of this old historic inn was taken down by the owner some years ago. Without keeping the reader in suspense, we would say that the house last occupied by Jeremiah Amadon was a part of the original house. The old John Cass farm is now owned by Perley Amadon, and the original buildings were located about one fourth of a mile S. W. of Mr. Amadon's present resi- dence. Timothy Cole and Simeon Cook lived here before the Amadons bought the premises. The old hotel was located on the main thoroughfare through town, and was of ample dimensions for the accom-
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HISTORY OF THE
modation of its guests no doubt, and answered quite well for meetings of the inhabitants. Town meetings
JOHN CASS' INN.
were held here for four years in succession ; this indi- cates a central point of the population, which undoubt- edly it was at the time of the holding of this meeting.
Before this renowned old inn and landmark was demolished, the lines of Longfellow, in "The Tales of a Wayside Inn ", would not be inappropriate :
As ancient is this hostlery As any in the land may be.
Built in the old colonial day
When men lived in a grander way,
With ample hospitality ; A kind of old Hobgoblin Hall
Now somewhat fallen to decay,
With weather stains upon the wall
And stairways worn, and crazy doors,
And creaking and uneven floors, And chimneys huge and tiled and tall.
A region of repose it seems A place of slumber and of dreams Remote among the wooded hills !
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
LIST OF VOTERS AT THE FIRST TOWN MEETING.
JONATHAN ATHERTON, SOLOMON ATHERTON,
MOSES ALLEN,
EZRA ALLEN,
JAMES KINGSLEY,
EDWARD AINSWORTH,
STEPHEN KEMPTON,
ABRAHAM BARRUS,
JACOB BUMP,
JOHN MARTIN, GIDEON MAN,
OLIVER MASON,
ELIJAH MEADER,
REUBEN PARKER, ISRAEL PHILLIPS,
DAVID RUSSELL, ABRAHAM RANDALL, JOSEPH RAZEE, JOHN ROBINSON, TIMOTHY ROBINSON,
DANIEL READ, DAVID READ,
JOHN SCOTT, JONATHAN SWEET, JOHN SPRAGUE,
/
JONATHAN GASKILL, SILAS GASKILL,
SYLVANUS HARRIS, URIAH HARRIS, ANTHONY HARRIS, EPHRAIM HIX, PETER HOLBROOK, HENRY INGALLS,
EDMUND INGALLS,
WILLIAM JOSSLYN, THOMAS JOSSLYN,
CONSTANT BARNEY,
DAVID BARNEY, JOSEPH BARNEY,
JEDEDIAH BUFFUM, JONATHAN BUFFUM,
DANIEL CASS, DEACON JOHN CASS, JOSEPH CASS, THOMAS CRANE, AZARIAH CUMSTOCK,
AZARIAH CUMSTOCK, JR.,
MOSES CUMSTOCK,
AARON CUMSTOCK, ABNER CUMSTOCK,
JOHN DANDLEY,
TIMOTHY THOMPSON, JEREMIAH THAYER, ALLES THAYER,
NEHEMIAH THAYER,
NATHANIEL TAFT, SILAS TAFT, JONATHAN THURBER, THOS. WOOLEY,
JOHN WOOLEY.
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HISTORY OF THE
TOWN OFFICERS.
Most of the men chosen to fill these offices were connected with the town by large material interests - were land-holders, had large families mostly grown up, and were the older men of the town, and had been here as long as any, and hence these consider- ations, together with their ability for management, induced their townsmen to entrust them with the direction of town affairs. John Cass was honored with three important offices, viz., moderator, select- man, and town treasurer, and these would indicate the high appreciation in which he was held. Daniel Cass comes next on the list to share the honors of the day, having the offices of town clerk and selectman conferred upon him, the duties of which he appears to have been fully competent to discharge. John Martin, whose name figures largely in the first annals of the town, was chosen on the board of selectmen ; he was a large land-owner, a man of prominence in the early history of the town, and whose name has been handed down more numerously through his descendants than any other of the early settlers. Timothy Thompson was chosen constable. He lived next east of John Cass', on the main road, and at his house some of the town meetings were after- wards held, and his name is frequently mentioned in connection with various offices of the town.
TITHING-MAN.
In those times they had an officer termed " Tithing- man," whose duty it was, in part, to enforce such laws and regulations as then existed for a proper observ- ance of the sabbath, but more particularly his duty
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
was to exercise authority over unruly youngsters in attendance on meetings for public worship. John Dandley was selected to fill this office, and from the various public positions afterwards entrusted to him we infer he was well fitted for the place. His is one of the names that disappeared from the town after a few years. These tithing-men usually carried a cane or rod with which to rap or strap offenders, and often were a terror to the boys who might be coasting, skating, or engaged in other sports on Sunday. That no tithing-man has been chosen for the last fifty years must be evidence that the young are either improving in behavior or that the old are less atten- tive to morals.
Two highway surveyors were chosen in anticipa- tion of roads to be laid out by the newly-elected board of selectmen : Jonathan Gaskill, who settled on the farm owned now by Jesse Bolles, for the east part, and Joseph Cass for the west part of the town. This Joseph was a son of John Cass, and lived on the Dan. Buffum farm. Having given a brief account of the first town meeting and of the officers chosen for the first year, we will now present some of their doings, which consisted chiefly in
LAYING OUT THE FIRST ROADS.
The first work of the kind in hand was the laying- out of what must be considered the most important travelled way in town at that time, of which the fol- lowing is a copy of the return :
A Return of the Highway in the town of Richmond in New Hampshire Province in New England laid out by the selectmen of ye Town the 8th day of May A. D. 1765 Beginning at Winchester line at the path that leads through Richmond to Royalston, Run-
3
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HISTORY OF THE
ning with ye l'ath as it is now trod, By the House of Joseph Cass, Francis Norwood, John Dandley, John Cass, Timothy Thompson, Azariah Cumstock, Daniel Cass, and Jacob Bump, until it comes to the land of Silas Gaskill, to a Rock Maple marked with H. W. Then turning North to a Coblen Rock with stones on it, then North and by East to a Coblen Rock with stones on it, then North East and by East to a Beech tree marked H. W., then North not East to the South West corner of Israel Phillips' lot, then North to the South West corner of Jonathan Sweet's lot.
This is the first recorded action of the fathers of the town in laying out roads. How can the line of this highway be traced? As the description is mostly from one house to another, the problem can be solved by determining the location of the houses named. It is evident the path was followed the entire distance. The road or path followed was evidently the first made in town, and was part of the road leading from Northfield to Lunenburg, through Winchester, Rich- mond, Royalston, Winchendon, and other towns, made about 1735, under supervision of Col. Josiah Willard, senior, whose residence was at Lunenburg, but at the time was in command of Fort Dummer, at Brattleboro'. This old road, then, antedates the set- tlement of the town nearly thirty years, and was the way by which the first settlers entered town. The road was opened by direction of the authorities of Massachusetts about the time that the charter of Winchester was granted, which town, together with the territory embracing Richmond, Keene, and Char- lestown No. 4, was claimed as belonging to Massa- chusetts at that time.
The road in this town probably commenced on the Winchester line near where the Ashuelot turnpike afterward was laid, and running easterly by the house of Joseph Cass (located on the southerly side of Dan.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Buffum's farm), thence south-east to the adjoining lot by Francis Norwood's (the old cellar of the house may still be seen), thence north-east by John Dand- ley's (now Preston Freeman's), thence by John Cass' inn, thence easterly by Timothy Thompson's (the old house-spot may be seen on the south side of Geo. W. Randall's farm), thence by Azariah Cumstock's (which was near the west end of the road by Roscoe Weeks'), thence following this road by Weeks' to Daniel Cass' (this was where Jonas Wheeler now lives), thence diverging south-east, rounding Muddy pond (near which was located at this time Jacob Bump), thence through the Pond woods and over Devil-stair hill to the house of Silas Gaskill (this was the next place north of where Henry Ballou now lives), thence through the Boyce neighborhood to the north-east part of Royalston.
The selectmen in their laying out diverged north- wardly at Gaskill's and went to Israel Phillips' lot (known as the Daniel Cass place, and now owned by Mrs. Amos A. Flint), and finally continuing to Jon- athan Sweet's south-west corner (this was the lot of land on which the house now occupied by Joseph Whitcomb is situated) ; hence this road terminated near the top of Gaskill hill, so called, where Jonathan Sweet at that time had a log house. This highway at Silas Gaskill's connected with the road leading to Royalston, which was then in use, but not laid out as a lawful highway, and was located near the present travelled way through that part of the town.
We have been thus particular in giving such a de- scription of this old road as we hope will render the location clear to those who may not be familiar with the location of these old settlers. Many of the roads
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afterwards laid out extending north and south, con- necting with this, but long since discontinued, are of no special interest to the historian as they stand re- corded. Our space does not admit of giving to other roads laid out about this time the extended notice given to this, hence only a few more which were of special interest to the public will be considered.
1766. The carly settlers believed in rotation in office, as appears by the frequent changes in all town offices, except that of town clerk. In the second year of their municipal life, they made a clean sweep and elected all new officers, adding two to the board of selectmen and assessors, making five in all. The annual meeting was held again at the house of John Cass, innholder, or Deacon John Cass, as named elsewhere, and Abraham Randall was chosen mod- erator, and the five selectmen consisted of the follow- ing, viz. : David Thurber, David Barney, Edward Ainsworth, Abraham Randall, and John Scott. Henry Ingalls took the place of Daniel Cass, as town clerk, which office he continued to hold for more than twenty years insuccession ; John Dandley was chosen "Deer Reef." This officer was em- powered to enforce the law against the killing or destroying of young deer in the spring of the year, which office was annually filled, until there were no deer to be preserved.
Previous to 1767, the State had not been divided into counties, and questions relating to the forma- tion of a new county for this section of the Province began to be agitated. Edward Ainsworth was chosen a committee-man to act in the town's behalf concern- ing a new county ; the matter of the shire-town was important to all, and created a lively interest at the
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time. As no action of the town is recorded on an article in the warrant "To see if Keene would suit for a county-town," we infer that the matter was left for their committee-man, Ainsworth, whose views probably were known, to act as he might see fit.
We will briefly pass over 1768, in which no event of public interest occurred; the usual routine busi- ness was transacted, roads accepted, and officers chosen. In 1769 the town meeting was called "in the ninth year of His Majesty's reign," being the first refer- ence to his Majesty in the book, and voted that Henry Ingalls should keep the law book. This was evi- dently the book before mentioned, in which the doings of the town were recorded, bearing date Feb- ruary 24, 1770, when the entries were first made therein. For some reason unknown, in 1770 the form of calling the town meeting from the form before used, viz., "In the name of the people of the Province of New Hampshire," was changed to the words, "In His Majesty's name."
During this year, the first road was laid out by courses and distances, and was that part of the main highway leading from Royalston to Swansey, extend- ing from the State line north four miles and fifty rods, intersecting somewhere with the road before laid out from John Martin's to Swansey, on the west side of the valley by the Joseph Newell place. Abraham Randall was chosen "Vendue Master," the first offi- cer of the kind chosen.
RAISING MONEY.
Prior to 1771, there is no record of any town grants for any purpose, but at the annual meeting this year,
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HISTORY OF THE
fourteen pounds was raised for schooling, and schools were to be held in six several places. This was the first effort made to establish public schools. Prob- ably some may have combined in neighborhoods for schooling purposes, and others taught their children at home in the rudiments of learning. The board of selectmen, hitherto chosen, had been elected as assessors, but at the March meeting this year the town chose Daniel Cass, Wm. Goddard, and Silas Gaskill, assessors. The selectmen afterwards gen- erally were the assessors. John Dandley was chosen "Captain," or " Master of the Fair," the first officer of the kind named in the records ; what the duties of this officer were, are not fully understood at present. By
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