USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Rye > History of the town of Rye, New Hampshire, from its discovery and settlement to December 31, 1903 > Part 15
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The undersigned represent that there is a public necessity for the estab- lishment of a new public cemetery in said town, and that a parcel of land bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point five chains and ninety-six links northeasterly from the highway and the westerly part of a field belonging to John O. Locke, and running southerly by said Locke's land five chains and sixty links to a passway, thence southeasterly by said passway three rods and ninety-two links to land belonging to L. B. Parsons, thence running northeasterly by said Parsons' land seven chains and ten links, thence northerly and westerly by land of A. M. Walker seven chains and fourteen links, thence turning and running southwesterly by land of Horace Locke six chains and seventy links to the point begun at-is a suit- able place and the most suitable place for such cemetery. Wherefore your petitioners pray that said parcel, or so much thereof as in your judgment is necessary, be laid out for such a cemetery : and in case said land cannot be obtained at a reasonable figure or price by contract with the owner, that you appraise the damage to him as provided by law.
Rye, N. H., Oct. 1, 1890. L. B. Parsons Charles D. Garland
W. C. Walker Blake H. Rand
H. A. Locke William R. Mace
L. E. Walker William J. Walker
S. A. Marden Albert M. Walker F. J. Locke Edwin B. Walker
On this petition the selectmen appointed a hearing to be held on the 30th of October in that year ; and at a subsequent town meeting, called to consider and act upon the matter, it was " Voted that the selectmen provide a Public Cemetery." And at the annual town meeting in March, 1891, it was voted
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HISTORY OF RYE.
"That the care of the new Public Cemetery which was pur- chased of John O. Locke, Feb. 25, 1891, be left with the selectmen for the ensuing year," and " That the selectmen lay the cemetery out in lots and sell the same."
There are about six acres in the lot purchased, for which the town paid $140 an acre. Most of the land was laid out in blocks, each block containing four lots of sixteen by twenty feet each, there being some 304 lots in all.
At the annual town meeting in March, 1892, a board of trus- tees to have charge of the new cemetery was chosen, and at a special town meeting, on the 18th of April following, by-laws as follows were submitted and approved :
By-Laws Central Cemetery. Article I.
The location selected and purchased by the selectmen under the authority of the town of Rye shall be designated and known as Central Cemetery.
Article II.
The cemetery shall be in charge of a board of three trustees, to be chosen for a term of three years, one to be chosen at each annual town meet- ing in March. Said trustees shall have full power to fill any vacancy in their body from any cause until the next annual March meeting, when the town shall elect to fill the vacancy.
Article III.
Said cemetery shall be under the direction, management and control of said trustees and successors, and it shall be their duty to establish prices for the sale of lots, to make regulations concerning interments, and all neces- sary improvements, and superintend the same in and about the cemetery.
Article IV.
Said trustees shall choose one of their body for clerk and treasurer ; he shall record all deeds of lots and all transfers of lots, and receive from the town thirty cents for each original deed, and for each transfer thirty cents from the person procuring the same. The clerk shall keep a record of all sales, and a plan of said cemetery for the inspection of all citizens of the town of Rye; and all original conveyances of said lots shall be by deed of the town of Rye, signed by a majority of the trustees, and such deed acknowledged by them shall be a valid conveyance thereof from the town of Rye.
Article V.
All payments for the sale of lots shall be made to the clerk, who shall keep a correct account thereof, as also a correct account of all money's ex-
CENTRAL CEMETERY.
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HISTORY OF RYE.
pended on account of said cemetery : and all moneys furnished by said town, as well as all sums realized from the sale of lots, shall be appropriated by said trustees to defray the expenses incurred in the care and improvement of said cemetery; and said trustees shall annually make a report of their doings at said cemetery, which report shall be printed in connection with the town report.
Article VI.
No persons excepting proprietors of lots, or their families, or strangers accompanied by them, shall be admitted into the cemetery in vehicles or on horseback, and no riding or driving will be permitted in any part of the grounds, except upon the avenues, nor at a rate faster than a walk. All per- sons will be permitted to walk through the grounds, but will be required to confine themselves to the avenues and paths.
Article VII.
No horse shall be kept on the grounds, except in care of a suitable keeper, and no animals shall be allowed to go at large in the cemetery. No person shall gather any flowers, wild or cultivated, or cut or mark any tree or structure of any kind in the cemetery, except under the direction of the cemetery trustees. No person shall discharge firearms in the cemetery, or destroy or capture any birds therein.
Article VIII.
No fence of any kind will be allowed in the cemetery, and all heavy struc- tures and curbing shall have foundations as low as the bottom of the graves, to be built of such material and in such manner as may be required by the cemetery trustees. All graves shall be dug at least four and one half feet in depth from the surface of the lot.
Article IX.
If any monument, object, or structure, or any inscription be placed upon any lot which shall be determined by a majority of the cemetery trustees to be offensive or improper, said trustees shall have the right to enter upon said lot and remove the same.
Article X.
Owners of lots will be required to cut the grass on their respective lots at least once a year, and weeds and other refuse growth shall be cut as often as the cemetery trustees may require. And said grass and weeds shall not be left in the avenues or paths, but taken from the cemetery. When said owners neglect or refuse to comply with this article, the cemetery trustees shall enter upon said lot and remove the same, at the expense of the owner of said lot.
Article XI.
The trustees shall cause all persons who violate the regulations and by- laws of the cemetery to be at their discretion prosecuted, and they are also
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
empowered to offer suitable rewards for information respecting any offence committed in the cemetery.
Article XII.
These by-laws (excepting the form of deeds of lots) may be altered or amended upon the recommendation of the trustees at any annual town meet- ing, by having an article inserted in the warrant for the call of said meeting relating to the alteration or amendment.
The town paid for the land for the cemetery about $800; for fencing it, $620, and for the stone and iron work at the entrance, $258. The number of lots sold up to December 31, 1903, was 210, at $20 each; and the total number of inter- ments and reburials up to that time was about 400.
RECEIVING VAULT.
In 1893 the town by vote in town meeting instructed the cemetery trustees to build a substantial receiving vault, and ap- propriated $600 for the same; and a large and enduring vault of stone was built in the northeasterly part of the cemetery.
HEARSE AND HEARSE HOUSE.
The town being without a hearse, it was voted at the town meeting in 1893 that the town purchase one, and an appropria- tion was made for the same; and the cemetery trustees were instructed " to purchase a lot of land on which to build a hearse house, and build a hearse house upon it." The hearse was bought, and a lot of land on which a hearse house was erected was purchased of Deacon Jonathan Locke on Washing- ton road at the Center.
PUBLIC LOTTERIE'S.
The lottery is now generally regarded as one of the most objectionable and demoralizing forms of gambling, and is under the ban of the national laws, and of the laws of many, if not all, of the states. The transmission of lottery tickets, circulars, or other matter pertaining to lotteries through the United States mails is forbidden, and even newspapers containing lottery ad- vertisements are excluded from mail privileges under the national law, and are liable to heavy penalties under the laws of some states. So rigidly drawn is the national law in this
200
HISTORY OF RYE.
respect that the publication in a newspaper of the list of prize winners at a local fair or entertainment of any kind would justify the local postmaster in refusing to receive at, and for- ward from, his office, the offending sheet.
But this antagonism to lotteries is of comparatively recent date. Up to the early part of the last century the public lot- tery, duly authorized by legislative action and managed by men of the highest standing in business and social circles, was regarded as a legitimate and eminently proper agency for the raising of funds for the effecting of important public improve- ments; and entries in the Provincial and State papers and various town records show that many towns, and among them Rye, at different times availed themselves of this method of procuring money for the prosecution of some work for which private subscriptions could not be obtained to a sufficient amount. The young man who played cards, though only for amusement, was regarded as moving rapidly along the highway to perdition ; but the deacon could invest in the tickets of a lottery, or even assist in conducting one, without detriment to his standing in church or community.
About a century and a half ago the creation of a harbor of refuge for small vessels at Rye was suggested, the needed funds to be raised by means of a lottery ; and the legislative record concerning this proposition is of interest, as showing what was proposed to be done, the class of men appointed by the gov- ernment to manage such affairs, and the magnitude of some of the " schemes."
Petition for Authority to raise Money by Lottery to drain a pond : . Addressed to the Assembly, Dec. 31, 1756.
Humbly Sheweth Joses Philbrook of the Parish of rye that there is a Pond in said Parish called the Little boars-head Pond scituate about forty rods from Sea Shore which by Cutting a Canal from the Sea at or near Fox Hill so called to the Pond would open a Communication with the Sea & the said Canal being Secured with rocks (which is feezable) would open a retreat for any small Vessells where they might anchor with Safety & would be of Great Service to Coasters & fisherman-Especialy such as should be catched in the Bay with an Easterly Wind-
That your Memorialist has attempted the opening such a Canal in the Place afore Said with out any asstance but finding it would be too Expen-
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
sive to be at the Charge of Compleating the Whole Without some Aid Desisted Imagining a Thing of such Publick advantage would meet with Publick Encouragement-Wherefore he humbly prays that he may so far have the Countenance of the Government as to be Indulged with the Liberty of raising (by way of Lottery) such a sum as will Enable him to Perfect the said Work the said Lottery to be under such rules and directions as Your Excellency & Hon's Shall think Proper-Your Petitioner is humby of Op- pinion that he could (upon being admitted) give Your Excellency & Honrs Convincing Arguments to prove not only the great advantage such an Inlet would be to the Publick but also the feezableness of its being mad passable & Durable this granted Your Petitioner as In Duty bound Shall ever Pray &c Joses Philbrick
In House of Rep Feb 18, 1757, the following Scheme was presented and Accepted, Hunking Wentworth and Elliot Vaughan were appointed Managers, to which the Council added William Knight and William Earle Treadwell ---
Lottery Scheme
A Scheme to Raise by way of Lottery the sum of Six Thousand Pounds old tenor agreeably to Vote of the Gen1 Assembly for Opening a Harbour at Rye-viz-
6000 Tickets a £6-
£36000
1500 Prizes
4500 Blanks
6000
Prizes Vizt
2 of £1000
£2000
2 -
750
1500
4 -
500
2000
6 -
250
1 500
10 -
100
1000
33
50
1
1650
100 -
30
3000
150
20
300
307
15650
1193
12
14316
1 500 Prizes
29966
Allowed Profit
6000
35966
Charges of Printing
34
£36000
The Above Calculation is three Blanks to one Prize & no Deduction .*
* N. H. State Papers.
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HISTORY OF RYE.
As to the further progress of this ambitious scheme, if fur- ther progress was made, no record has been found. The pond mentioned by Joses Philbrook is still where it was in his day, but no vessel, however small, could reach it from the ocean without making an overland trip; and as there is no connecting canal, or trace of one, existing, and no record or tradition that one ever did exist, it is reasonably safe assumption that the only work ever done toward constructing the Rye harbor of refuge was that done by Mr. Philbrook prior to his appeal to the general assembly.
In 1764 the people of Rye and of the southwest section of Portsmouth, realizing that it would be to their mutual advan- tage to secure better means of communication between the two places, petitioned the general assembly as follows :
Petition for a Lottery to build a road 1764
To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esqr Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief in & over his Majesty's Province of New Hamp- shire, the Honble his Majesty's Council & House of Representatives in Gen- eral Assembly Convend this 8 day of May 1764,-
The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Rye & of the Inhabits the South west ends of Portsmouth Humbly Sheweth-
That it would not only be very beneficial to them, but to all other Travellers who pass from Portsmo to Rye, or from Rye to Portsmouth, provided a Road might be had & obtained across the Woods from or near Mr. Thomas Cotton's Farm in Long Lane so called to the high way in Rye near to Mr Wallis Foss' which would make the travelling from Portsmouth to Rye or from Rye to Portsmº much more convenient, as it will save eight miles in travel to & from nearer than the road now goes, as there is no highways from said Rye to Portsmo except at the North East end or at the South West end of said Rye, both of said highways being at the extreame limits of said Parish of Rye & being five miles distant from each other, Which makes it difficult for your Petitioners to send their Wood &c to Market, Which road if obtained they think would be a general good & Your Petitioners humbly conceive it might be had & obtained at the Cost & charge of Seven hundred & fifty Pounds new tenor, but that your petitioners are not at pres- ent able in & of themselves to purchase said highway altho. so beneficial : Wherefore your Petitioners humbly prays Your Excellency & Honours, to Grant them leave to bring in a bill for a Lottery to enable them to effect the same & to be under such directions & Regulation as you in Your Great Wisdom may think proper, & if any overplus arises thereby, to be disposed
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
of as may be ordered by Your Excellency & honours & Your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c
Joseph Jenness Richard Locke
Job Foss
SamI Jenness
Samuel Wells
Joshua Weeks
Joseph Rand
Joshua Rand
Joseph Yeaton
Timothy Berry
Wallis Foss
Joseph Edmunds
Nathaniel Jennes
Ebenezar Marden
Bengmon Edmunds
Christ Gold
James Marden
Thomas Cotton
Jonathan Brown
Nathaniel Berry Jun
Elias Tarlton
Job Jennes John Seavey
Thomas Clark
Peter Johnson Jun
Nathaniel Cotton
Samuel Norton
Jonathan Fowl
John Edmonds
John Norton
Elijah Lock
Joseph Philbrick
Nathan Norton
Bickford Lang
Joseph Lock
Benjamin Tarlton
Noah Seavey
Nathan Goss
Thomas Marden
Thomas Cotton
Benja Garland
Isarel Marden
John Fumuel
Jonathan Locke Jun
Thomas Cotton Jun
John Tarlton
Stephen Marden
John Bennett
Richard Tarlton
Benja Marden
Stephen Bennett
James Tarlton
Reuben Molton
Elias Tarlton Sen
Elias Tarlton Jun
Sam1 Meservy
Joseph Langdon
Jeremiah Berry
Robered Sanders
In the House of Representatives May 10, 1764
The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Rye & Portsmouth pray- ing leave for a Lottery to enable them to purchase a highway thro' said Parish Voted That the Prayer thereof be granted & that the petitioners have leave to bring in a bill accordingly.
Bill for a Lottery for a Road through Rye passd May 25, 1765.
The " Long lane " of this petition is nearly identical with the present Lafayette road, although the "lane" ended in Portsmouth at what was then known throughout its entire length as Rye road, some little distance westerly from the Gov. John Langdon place; Long lane having been extended so as to meet Middle street in Portsmouth in 1824-'25, and named Lafayette road in the latter year in honor of General Lafayette, who passed over it on his visit to Portsmouth and places farther eastward that year. The road sought for was built, but not until nineteen years later, in 1784 (and then not from the pro- ceeds of the lottery, which probably was never drawn, the expense of laying out and building the road being by the court
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HISTORY OF RYE.
of general sessions charged to the towns of Rye and Ports- mouth), and is called on the maps of Rye and Portsmouth, made one hundred years ago, " the new road." It is the road which, starting from a point about one hundred rods northeast- ward from Rye meeting houses, runs in a practically straight line to Lafayette road; and which, until the opening of Saga- more road and bridge in 1850, was the principal route of traffic and travel between the two towns. It is now " Portsmouth road."
In 1789 there was another petition from inhabitants of Rye for leave to conduct a lottery, which is recorded in the State Papers as follows :
Petition from Inhabitants of Rye to raise money by Lottery to build a Bridge 1789
State of New Hampshire
To the Honbl The Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Portsmouth on the 23 day of December-Instant
The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Rye Humbly Sheweth That the Ancent Town of New Castle has been greatly disstressed and Im- provished by means of the late War and the Bridge a cross Little Harbour which connected them to the main, has been demolished and the Inhabi- tants thereof are by no means Able to Rebuild said Bridge without the aid of the Public which we apprehend will not only be Beneficial to the Inhabi- tants of said town, but to the Country in General as thereby a Communica- tion will be opened with the only place Conveniently Situated for Carrying on the Fishery in this State, the necessity of said Bridge must be obvious to all as it will open a free Communication from the Country to the only Fortress in the State-Wherefore your Petitioners Humbly Pray that Your Honors would grant Liberty to Raise the sum of fifteen hundred Pounds lawful money, by a Lottery, for the Purpose of Building a Bridge a cross Little Harbour in New Castle aforesaid-And Your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray-
Rye December, 1789-
Simon Jenness
Francis Jenness
Richard Berry
Isaac Dow
Thomas Jenness
Abraham Libbee
Richard Jenness Levi Jenness
James hobbs
Benjamin Jenness Rand
John Garland
John Jenness Jacob Berry
Bickford Lang
John Lang
Reuben Philbrick
Peter Garland
Nicholas Dolbur
Reuben Moulton
John Garland
INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
205
Jonathan Brown
Simon Lamper
Levi Garland
Job Jenness
Simon Lampere Jr
Jonathan Garland
Jonathan Woodman
Samuel Elkins
Peter Garland Junr
John Brown
Isaac Jenness
Simon Garland
James Perkins
Jonathan Jenness
Joseph Garland
John Perkins
John Brown
John Garland Nathan Knowls
Joseph Perkins
John Marston
Thomas Collier
Samuel Knowles
John Knowls
Samuel Jenness
Trustham Sleeper
Peter Johnson Junr
Peter Jenness
Thomas Sleeper
Edmund Johnson
John Lock
David Smith
Nathaniel Beary
Joseph Jenness Jr
Stephen Marden
Peter Mitchell
Wm Davidson
Joses Philbrick
Simon Johnson
Josiah Davidson
Joseph Rand
Thomas Goss
Mikel Dalton
Nathan Goss
Elijah Lock
Samuel Wells
John F. Williams
Nathaniel Marden
Simon Wells
Joses Philbrick
Ebenezar Seavey
James Goss
Jeremiah Berry
Mark Lang
Benjamin Garland
Levi Berry
George Rand
Benjamin Garland Junr
Jonathan Hobbs
Amos Parsons
Amos Garland
Benjamin Marden Junr
Benjamin Marden
Huntington Porter
Solomon Berry
Alexander Salter
Joseph Rand Junr
Levi Goss
Daniel Mason
Elexander Lear
John Goss
Wm Norton
Nathaniel Rand Junr
Benjamin Lear
Simon Johnson
Daniel Fitzgrell
Joseph Goss
Richard Jenness
Jonathan Goss
Jonathan Wedgewood
Samuel Rand
Nathaniel Rand
David Wedgewood
Thomas Rand
Nathaniel Jenness
David Lock
Samuel Wallis Junr
Noah Jenness
David Lock Junr
John Fry (Foye)
Stephen Rand
Jonathan Lock "the third" John Fry (Foye) Jun
John B. Jenness
EBenezar Berry
Amos Seavey
Jeremiah Brown
Merefield Berry
Wm Seavey
Jonathan Philbrick
Jonathan Lock
Daniel Philbrick
Jonathan Lock Junr
The legislature of that time could evidently make quick dis- patch of business, on occasion, for this petition was introduced in the house on December 23, 1789, and on January 12, 1790, an act authorizing the lottery was passed and approved. Al- though Rye was then a town, the petitioners describe them- selves as "Inhabitants of the Parish of Rye," though they speak of " the ancient town of New Castle;" and their plea for
206
HISTORY OF RYE.
the granting of their petition is that a bridge would be a public convenience for reaching the only place conveniently situated for carrying on the fishery, and for reaching the only fortress in the state. They say nothing of the desired bridge being a probable convenience for people wishing to reach the meeting houses in either Rye or Newcastle. Records of the drawing of the lottery and the building of the bridge have not been found, but the lottery was undoubtedly drawn, for the bridge was built. It stood about where the present Wentworth bridge, so called, is located, and was standing during the early years of the last century. On the " plan of Portsmouth, including Newcastle or Great island," drawn by Phinehas Merrill in 1805, this bridge is depicted and given the name of " Newcastle bridge"; on B. P. Morrill's plan of Rye, bearing the same date, the bridge is shown but not given a name; and the late Thomas J. Parsons remembered passing over the bridge when a boy. According to tradition it was allowed to go to decay, and was finally car- ried away in a great winter storm, probably at some time prior to the building of the " three bridges" between the northwes- terly point of Great island and Portsmouth, which were opened to public travel in 1822. No record of a public lottery in Rye at a later date than 1790 has been discovered.
EARTHQUAKES.
The greatest earthquake that New England experienced after it was settled by the English occurred October 29, 1727. There was a great deal of lightning, thunder, and tem- pest this year, followed by very cold weather in October. The twenty-ninth (Sunday) was fair and pleasant,-in the evening the moon shone brightly and the air was calm. At about eleven o'clock at night a rush of air and a terrible noise fol- lowed by a roar woke the people. Houses rocked, chimneys fell, beds shook, doors flew open. Movable things were tossed about, and people ran out of doors in their night clothes. The shocks were repeated several times with less force, and the roar of the ocean was louder than usual. On June 3, 1744, there was a smart shock of an earthquake which lasted two minutes.
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INDUSTRIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
On the morning of March 18, 1755, at 4 o'clock people were aroused by an earthquake. It came with a roar like thunder, and shook terribly. It was immediately repeated, each shock continuing more than two minutes. (Taken from Daniel Pierce's Memorandum, Portsmouth.) The course of this earthquake was from the northwest to the southeast. Some thought of nothing less than being buried instantly in the ruins of their houses. Oxen and cows lowed and hastened to their barns. Dogs went to their masters' door and howled, and birds left their perches and flew about. The ocean was affected. The principal damage consisted in the destruction of chimneys.
THE DARK DAY.
The 19th day of May, 1780, was unprecedented in New England for its great darkness. Belknap says,-"It presented a complete specimen of as total darkness as can be conceived." The darkness became noticeable about eleven o'clock and it soon became necessary to have lights. Fowls went to roost and the cattle collected around the barn-yards. For some days previous the air had been filled with smoke, probably arising from vast forest fires.
September 6, 1881, was known as yellow day, the sun was obscured and lights needed at mid-day. Fowls went to roost and in some places it caused fear and excitement.
FIRES.
There have been comparatively few fires in this town since it was organized. The first of which we have any record occurred in the year 1784, when Samuel Jenness' house was totally des- troyed. In 1789 Abraham Libbey's house, which was located in the field opposite William Cutter Garland's, was burnt. John Jenness also had a house destroyed by fire about this time.
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