USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Wilton > History of the town of Wilton, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, with a genealogical register > Part 4
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HELIOTYPE PRINTING CO.
RESIDENCE OF GEO I. DOE.
BOSTON MASS
33
MASONIAN GRANT.
In witness whereof I the Subscriber Joseph Blanchard of Dunstable have hereunto set my hand and seal this first day of October 1749.
JOSEPH BLANCHARD.
SCHEDULE OF LOTS DRAWN BY THE GRANTEES.
GRANTEES.
DRAUGHT.
NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
Robert Fletcher, Jr.
1
4
9
3
11
Joseph Blanchard, Jr.
2
8
4
S
3
20
Oliver Colburn
3
10
6
1
10
16
3
Minister.
6
12
17
10
20
4
Oliver Farwell.
8
6
5
6
1
1
Thomas Spalding
9
18
1
13
1
14
1
John Lovewell. Jr.
10
8
6
2
10
1
5
Peter Powers.
12
13
16
10
20
1
Humphrey Hobbs.
14
4
4
6
3
10
2
Jolm Combs
16
4
3
8
6
3
10
Josiah Swan.
20
13
6
10
10
11
10
Ezra Carpenter.
12
6
17
3
15
3
Thomas Parker, Jr.
3
3
12
2
-7
·)
John Varmmm
25
3
1
1
3
1
1
Ministry. .
28
17
S
8
9
1
Thomas Read, Esq.
30
11
1
19
4
19
3
William Foster .
32
7 10
20
8
10
-
Mr. Thomas Parker
34
18
19
1
18
3
Josiah Butterfield.
35
17
14
2
17
6
Anthony Emory.
36
15
2
2
8
3
8
Benjamin Parker. Jr
40
11
8
10
8
13
10
Peter Powers.
41
13
S
14
8
20
6
Nehemiah Abbot.
43
13
9
3
I
16
1
Samuel Greele
45
9
S
9
9
S
Benjamin Farwell.
46
16
9
9
6
19
9
Oliver Whiting
47
6
1
4
7
2
Joseph Richardson
48
17
5
16
5
·
. .
Benjamin Farley
50
19
8
18
6
. .
. .
Joseph Blodgett.
51
16
1
13
5
. .
..
John Kendall
52
5
0
6
8
14
5
Abraham Kendall.
53
19
5
. .
. .
..
.
Peter Powers
55
16
4
18
4
15
3
David Adams
56
17
1
. .
. .
. .
.
Joseph French .
57
4
7
5
7
6
10
Eleazer Blanchard .
60
11
6
1
9
1
6
Robert Fletcher, Jr.
61
18
2
19
19
1
Zacheus Lovewell.
.. . . 62
20
10
10
5
9
·
·
·
·
·
.
7
S
4
·2
11
. .
...
.
·
·
. .
. .
. . .
.
-
11
5
-1
1
2
Joseph Blodgett
17
5
5
5
9
2
Samuel Fowle
19
13
3
13
12
Jonathan Cumming
23
8
2
School lots
42
12
9
10
10
1
John Shead.
49
14
6
15
6
. .
. .
5
Peter Powers & A. Dale.
27
John Usher.
34
HISTORY OF WILTON.
SCHEDULE OF LOTS DRAWN BY THE GRANTEES. - CONTINUED.
GRANTEES.
DRAUGHT.
E NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
= NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
SCHEDULE OF LOTS DRAWN BY THE GRANTORS.
GRANTORS.
5.4 DRAUGHT.
7 C-IS NO. OF LOT.
5 + org, RANGE. 4
x. NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
NO. OF LOT.
RANGE.
Thomas Parker. Esq .
M. H. Wentworth. Esq.
Jotham Odiorne, Esq .
11
12
12
3
12
I
Joseph Blanchard. Esq .
13
5
1
10
3
1
8
Thomas Wallingford, Esq
15
5
3
11
Joshua Pierce. Esq .
18
4
5
1
1
William Parker, Esq.
21
12
19
10
18
10
John Wentworth, Jr.
26
3
5
2
G
3
6
John Moffatt, Esq ..
29
5
8
6
1
8
1
Nathaniel Meserve and others
31
18
9
17
9
20
George Jaffrey. Esq
33
18
8
17
Daniel Pierce and Mary Moore
37
9
3
3
10
Matthew Livermore, Esq
38
1
9
4
10
5
10
Richard Wibird. Esq ..
39
12
8
15
8
16
8
Theodore Atkinson. Esq
44
14
9
14
10
20
5
John Tufton Mason, Esq .
54
14
7
15
7
14
3
Mark H. Wentworth, Esq.
58
15
9
15
10
20
3
S. Solly and C. March. Esq.
59
6
9
8
9
19
9
4
14
4
John Dale
68
16
21
Jacob Putnam.
69
15
18
·
. .
Stephen Herryman
70
17
1
15
1
. .
Archalans Dale ....
71
16
6
Nathaniel Putnar
72
16
3
. .
..
Ephraim Putnan
73
15
5
. .
1
1
Jonathan Powers
65
3
4
Samuel Cummings
66
(;
2
6
1
Mill lots. ..
67
13
9
11
9
William Cumming
64
2
1
.
The schedule of the lots drawn is certified thus :
The afore-written lists were drawn and finished at Dunstable. the 16th day of October 1749.
Copy examined for
Jos. BLANCHARD.
Proprietors' Clerk.
.
9
10
5
1
4
10
1
6
4
. .
Samuel Farley. .
63
35
COUNTY BOUNDS.
PETITION RELATIVE TO COUNTY BOUNDS, ETC.
To his Excellency John Wentworth Esq Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over the Province of New Hampshire, and to the Honorable his Majesty's Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled-
The Petition of us the Subscribers, humbly sheweth, That Your Petitioners being Inhabitants within the lines of the County Prescribed. (viz) Peterborough West Line and the Easterly Line of Litchfield, And Whereas by Information we are by a Petition from others to your Hon's rendered incapable by the fewness of Inhabitants and the unlikeness of Increase to Support the Officers of the County in such Sort. That any Gentleman suitable therefor will be Unwilling to Undertake the Same : All which is a mistake. The People are many And as We think able and Sufficient and the Increase More and More, the greater part of the County within sd Lines being Unsettled, And that is Small in Comparison of other Advantages accrewing if Amherst is made the Shire Town, All the roads leading from the Towns adjacent center to Amherst and there is Food and Forrage and other things necessary. But if carried further East will increase Travel and if over the River will make it inconvenient both for Men and Women in many seasons of the Year. Therefore we pray that the Lines prescrib'd may be fixed and no Additions made and that Amherst may be the Shire Town, And Your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray.
WILTON, April 5. 1769.
Joseph Holt Daniel Barker
George Coburn
Nathan Ballard
Nathan Abbot
Asa Cram
Jacob Abbot
Franeis Putnam
Stephen Putnam
John Brown
.Joseph Putnam Joseph Cram
Jeremiah Abbot
Jonathan Cram
Nath' Haseltine
Abiel Abbot
Richard Taylor Abner Stiles
William Ball
David Blanchard
John Cram
Stephen Blanchard
Jonathan Burton
Jacob Putnam Junr
*Jonathan Cram
Stephen Buss
Joseph Butterfield
*David Cram
Ephraim Peabody
James Maxwell
*moses Stiles
Jacob Putnam
Amos Butterfield
*Solomon Cram Timothy Gray
William Brown William Pierce
*Benjamin Cram
John Burton JJur.
.Jonathan Greele
*Ephraim Putnam juner
James Dascombe Joseph Holt Jur. Jeremiah Holt John Cram Junr.
.Joseph Stiles Philip Putnam
*Jonathan Chamberlain
*Ephraim Putnam
*. Jonathan Chamberlain
*John Caskir
*John Hutchinson *James Johuston
*William Carson
*John Johnston
*Jacob Wellman
*. James Boutell
*Osgood Carlton
*Adam Johnston
*George Gould
*Timothy Carleton
*Daniel Gouid
*Melcisedekt
*John Stephenson
*Jonas Kidder
*Robert Badger
* Banjaman Dutton
*David Stephenson
[junr
*John Stiles
John Burton Ephraim Butterfield *Samnel Chamberlain
Amos Fuller
*George Person
Those with this mark (*) were probably Lyndeborough men .- [S. Putnam. t Illegible.
36
HISTORY OF WILTON.
RELATIVE TO A BRIDGE OVER SOUHEGAN RIVER.
Wilton. Febly ye 11-1773.
To the Honourable the Council and House of Representatives for the State of New Hampshire in General Court to be Conrend at Exeter on the Second Wednesday in February Instant.
The Petition of the Subscribers humbly showeth-That the Bridge (in the one Mile Slip) over the River formerly known by the Name of Souhegan River. is in Great want of being Repaird or Rebuilt. that the Bridge is of Public Benefit being in the Direet way from Exeter to Charlestown No. 4 that Three Bridges. have been Erected in that Place. and Repaired from time to time at the expense of the Inhabitants of Wilton and a few other Persons -that the Inhabitants of one Mile Slip are few in Number and they think it a Hardship to be put to the Charge of it Alone- Therfore your Petitioners pray that Your Honours would take it into your wise Consideration and Direct in What Way the same shall be re- built-and your Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall ever Pray-
Amos Fuller Samuel Shelden
Stephen Buss
Ebenezer Chandler
Joseph Abbot
Jacob Abbot
Joseph Snow
William Brown
Fitiekl Holt
Fifield Holt Jr
Amos Holt
Mary Pettengill
Samuel Hutchinson
David Chandler
Uriah Wilkins
* Benja Lewis
*Simon Blanchard
*Jotham Blanchard
* Bena Lewis Junr
*Richard Boynton
* William Pearson Juner
* Willm parson
*Thomas Pearson
*Ebenezer parson
*Sammel parson
*Nathan Hutchinson
*Benja Hutchinson
*Nathan Hutchinson
+Samuel Mitchell
+ William Alld
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
Province of New Hampshire-George the third by the grace of God of Great Brittan France and Ireland King Defender of the faith de: To all and to whom these Presents shall come. Greeting : Whereas our Loyal subjects Inhabitants of a tract of Land within our Province of New-Hampshire Known by the name of No. 2. Lying on the branches of Sonhegan River between Peterborough and Monson and contains five miles square, have humbly Petitioned and Requested us that they may be erected and ineor- porated into a township and Infranchized with the same powers and privileges which other towns within our said Province by law have and enjoy : and it appearing unto us to be condusive to the general good of our said Province as well as of the said Inhabitants in particular by maintaining good order and encouraging the culture of the Land that the same should be done.
Those with this mark (*) undoubtedly lived in what is now Mitford.
Those with this mark (t) are Peterborough names .- [S. Putnam.
37
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
Know ye therefore that we of our special Grace Certain Knowledge and for the encouragement and promoting the good purposes aforesaid by and with the advies of our and well beloved Benning Wentworth Esq : our Gov- ernor and Commander in cheif and of our Council for said Province of New Hampshire have erected and ordained and by these presents for us our heirs and successors do will and ordain that the Inhabitants of the tract of Land aforesaid and others who shall inhabit and improve thereon here- after. the same being butted and bounded as follows viz: Beginning at the southwest corner of the premises at a white pine tree which is the north west corner of No. (1)* and runs from thence north five miles to a white ash tree marked: from thence past five miles to a strake and stones: from thence south tive miles to a Chestnut tree marked: from thence west five miles to the white pine tree first mentioned : Be and hereby are declared and ordained to be a Town Corporate and are hereby Erected and Incorporated into a body Politiek and Corporate to have continuance until his Majesty's Pleasure shall be further known by the name of Wilton. with all the powers, authorities, privileges, immunities and franchizes which any other town in said Province by law hold and enjoy to the said inhabitants or who shall hereafter inhabit there and their successors for said term always reserving to us our heirs and successors all White Pine trees that are or shall be found growing and being on said traet of Land fit for the use of our Royal Navy, Reserving also to us our heirs and sue- cessors the Power and Right of dividing said town when it shall appear necessary and convenient for the Inhabitants thereof :
Provided Nevertheless and it is hereby declared that this charter and . grant is not intended and shall not in any manner be construed to extend or effect the private property of the soil within the limits aforesaid, and as the several towns within our said Province are by the laws thereof enabled and authorized to assemble and by the Majority of the Voters present to chose such officers and transact such affairs as in the said laws are declared. The annual Meeting in said Town shall be held, for the choice of such officers and the purposes aforesaid, on the second Monday of March annually
In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness. Benning Wentworth Esq. our Governor and Commander in Chief of our said Province the Second day of January in the Fifth year of our Reign and in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred sixty five
By his Excelleneys command with advice of Council
T. Atkinson Sec,y.
B. Wentworth
A RECORD OF WILTON PROCEEDINGS, 1768-1773.
Wilton June ye 9th day 1768 this Day it being Townmeeting at wilton & we the Subscribers attended where was the Committee from peterborough Slip to see wheather the Town of wilton would Vote to Re Ceive the East
* Now Greenville and Mason.
38
HISTORY OF WILTON.
part of peterborough Slip or Give them haf a mild of wilton & when we Came to article mr Butterfield who was moderator would not Call for a Vote on it But Said we will a Jorn the meeting til ye 7 of July which he did the Committee a fore Sd Deziered a Coppy of their proceedings but Could not obtain it
William mansur test Stephen Putnam his Alexander O Milliken
mark
Portsmouth June 11th 1768
Whereas we the Subscribers being Agents appointed to carry on the Affair For Peterborough Slip & wilton Relative to their Petition Have agreed to Leave the whole Affair to His Execelleney and Council to do as in their Wisdom and Prudence Shall think Best Praying further opportu- nity to Lodge Such Papers as to Give your Execelleney and Honours Further Light as witness our Hands Provided Such Papers are filled before the Day appointed for the Governors & Councils Determination.
agent for Peterborough Slip
agents for Wilton
Ephraim Heald Joseph Butterfield James Dascombe
PETITION FROM WILTON :
addressed to the Governor and Council. 1768
We the inHabitants of wilton Humbly petition your Excellency & Honours That the East part of peterborough Slip May Be anexed to wilton & InCorporated in to one Town with us & in Duty Bound Shall Ever pray &C
Wilton the 10 day 1768* William mansur
Ebenezer Perry
James mansur Jonas Perry his
Abijah Perry Alexander O Milliken
mark
Stephen faruam
REMONSTRANCE FROM THE INHABITANTS OF WILTON :
addressed to the Governor and Conneil. 1768.
May it please your Excellency and Hours We the Inhabitants of Wilton in said Province are notified by mr Secry Atkinson, that the Inhabitants of Peterborough Slip have lately petition'd your Excellency and Hon's for a Charter of incorporation granting Town privileges & with Addition of one mile in wedth & the length of town to be taken off from the Town of Wilton and Added to Peterbor Slip : in Consideration whereof a Slip to be Added on the Opposite part of the Town &e.
That we may shew cause if any we have why the prayer of said petition should not be granted.
* The month is missing.
39
REMONSTRANCE FROM WILTON.
Therefore we take liberty to say, that the situation and Circumstances of the said Peterborough Slip was known by the late Govr & Councel at the Time said Wilton was incorporated : Notwithstanding saw fit to incorpo- rate Wilton for a Certain Limited Term according to its present form, and at the end of said Term granted another Charter of the like Contents (which were costly things to us) Add to this the purchasers of John Tufton Mason Esq patent fix'd the boundaries of said Wilton as it is now held by Charter, and we have a Meeting house in the Center of the Town very well Situated, have been at large expence in Making highways to the same, and during the late war, many of us suffered largely. Yet being Encouraged by having our Town Continned in its present form sur- mounted those Difficulties : and have found means of late to defray part of the Public Charge of the Province for which reasons among many others that may be offered by our Agent, are humbly of Opinion that the prayer of the petition above refered to ought not to be granted but if it should be thought otherwise, we beg leave to suggest further that the Design of Granting an incorporation to us, which was to promote Good order, and encourage the Cultivation of our Lands will be greatly retarded, that we shall be thrown into the utmost Confusion and Disorder about our Meeting house. Bridges and highways &c Indeed our Brethren of Peterbo Slip seem Conscious to themselves that taking a part from us on the West will be detrimenle to us and therefore propose to have the Mile Slip Added on the East to make amends, but we humbly beg and pray, that if any part of our Town must be taken from us that there may not be any Added to us on the Easterly part, which cannot lessen but must Angment onr Diffi- . culty-Your Excellency & Hon's will reflect upon the premises and do as your wisdom and prudence shall Direct-And we'as in Duty bound will ever pray-
Wilton April 27 1768.
Nathan Abbot
Richard Whitney
Joseph Holt
Jotham Maynard
John Steel
Philip Putnam
James Brown Junt
Josiah Parker
William Pierce
George Coburn
Thomas Richardson
Richard Taylor
Jeremiah Holt
Joseph Stiles
Ephraim Butterfield
Jonathan Greele
Joseph Snow
James Brown
Gerge Lancey
Benjamin parker
Nathan Blanchard
Stephen Butterfield
Nathaniel Greele
John Dale Timothy Gray
John Burton Amos Butterfield Zela Holt
Stephen Buss Benja Rideout
Uriah Bolton
Abijah Perry
Jacob Putoam
Nathan Ballard
Joseph Holt JJunr Jnº Burton Junr
Jonathan Cram
John Brown Jeremiah Abbot
Jnº Cummings Joseph Putnam William Felton
Timothy Dale Nathaniel Putnam Oliver Holt
Abiel Abbot
James Maxwell
John Burton
David Kenney
John Holt
amos Fuller
Jonathan Burton
Abner Stiles
John Cram Junr
Simon Keyes
Amos Holt
Stephen Putnam
40
HISTORY OF WILTON.
EXTRACTS FROM PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF TEMPLE.
We the In Habitants of The west Side of wilton in Sd province are willing To Be annexed To The East part of peterborough Ship
Wilton April 27-1768 William Felton
Robert Mann
Stephen Putnam
James mansur
William Mansur
Stephen farnam William Thompson
EXTRACTS FROM A PETITION OF A COMMITTEE OF THE INHABITANTS
of Peterborough Slip for an aet of Incorporation
" Then running about East on New Ipswich north line To the Southeast Corner of Sd petersborough Slip Still East on wilton South Line the Lenght of Two Lots Then Running North Between the Eighth & Nineth Ranges of Lots in Sd wilton includeing Two Teer of Lots to Lynds Borough South Line Then Running West on wilton and peterborough Ship North Line to peterborough East Line " " allso we Humbley pray your Excel- leney & Honours That the Loss of Wilton may Be made up to Them By your annexing a Tract of Land To Them on the East Side of wilton Called & Known By The Name of Mild Ship and we in Duty Bound Shall Ever pray : &: C.
Franeis Blood peterborough Ship : John Marshall Committee 11: April 1768
Ephraim Heald
CHAPTER V.
THE EARLY SETTLERS.
The first settlers upon the territory now called Wilton, but origin- ally Salem-Canada, were from Danvers, Massachusetts, and Notting- ham, New Hampshire, now called Hudson. The dangers. labors and sufferings which they underwent were not unlike those to which all the pioneers of New England were subjected. Hard work, meagre fare, solitary lives, exposure to an untried climate. apprehensions from the savages, sickness and wounds withont surgical or medical care, deprivation of social, intellectual and religious privileges-these and kindred ills were their lot.
For three years after the settlement began the wife of Jacob. Putnam was the only woman who resided permanently in the town. During one winter such was the depth of snow in the woods, and such the distance from neighbors, that for the space of six months she saw no one but the members of her own family.
In 1739 Jacob and Ephraim Putnam. John Dale, and John Badger commenced a settlement on the southerly side of the territory thus laid out of Salem-Canada. Ephraim Putnam located on what is now Lot No. 14, in the fifth range, at the intersection of the roads near the north cemetery, and a daughter of his was the first child born in Wilton.
Jacob Putnam located on the southeast part of Lot No. 15, in the fifth range (the original boundary of the lots was a large pine tree on the north bank of the stream a short distance below the old saw- mill). He built the house where Michael Mccarthy now lives. It was two stories in front and one back, the front rafters being short, and the back ones long. Many of the old houses were built in that style of architecture. The house remained in that shape until it was remodeled, with some additions, by Mr. Joseph Wilson, a few years before he sold it and removed to western New York.
42
HISTORY OF WILTON.
John Dale's first camp was near where the roads cross, east of the old house that he afterwards built, now owned by Mr. S. H. Dunbar, and that is said, to be the first two-story frame house built in what was afterwards Wilton. It is lined between the outside and inside finish with bricks, for protection against the Indians. The farm remained in possession of John Dale, JJohn Dale, Jr., and John Dale, 3d, who died AApril 3, 1843, and was sold at anction by the administrator in November following to Abel Fisk, Jr.
The history of another of the early settlers, John Badger. is a romantie one. We glean from Mr. Grant's History of Lyndeborough and Dr. Ephraim Peabody's Wilton Centennial the following inter- esting particulars :
John Badger was a native of England, and emigrated with two of his brothers, Joseph and Eliphalet, to America about 1728-9. His father was wealthy and had business for him to transact in Scot- land. There he met Mary McFarland, with whom he fell in love, but his father, with the prejudice then prevailing against the Scots, forbade the connection. So the brothers were despatched to Amer- ica, and settled first in Nottingham, New Hampshire. But the pre- caution of the father was defeated. Mary followed her lover to America, and they were married in Maine. But after some removals they came to live in Salem-Canada, and located their dwelling about a third of a mile east of John Dale's house. The swell of land on which they lived has ever since borne the name of the Badger Hill. Badger moved into his cabin in April, 1739, but the hardships of the pioneer life were too much for him. The other settlers near him went in the winter to a block-house situated on the hill northeasterly from the present glass works in Lyndeborough. But the Badgers with their three children, David, Robert and Mary-a younger one. Betsey, having died of injuries received in the burning of a house in Nottingham-remained in their cabin during the winter. Badger died of consumption in February, 1740.
Dr. E. Peabody thus tells the pathetic story in his Wilton Centen- nial address :
Mr. Badger died in the night. The nearest neighbor was three miles distant and the ground was covered with snow. His wife composed him on the bed as for rest. left her children (of whom she had three, the oldest but eight years of age) with their breakfast, and with strict injunctions not to awake their father. as he was asleep. and. putting on her snow-shoes. proceeded to seek assistance. That. indeed, was a dreary morning. as she went forth through the solitary woods of winter. Death is in her home.
43
RARLY SETTLERS.
and her children wait her return. Uphokl her trembling heart, thon Father of the fatherless and the widow's God! Neighbors returned with her. A tree was hollowed out for a coffin. and so in the solitude was he committed to the earth. Death at all times comes chilling the hearts of men with awe and fear. Even in populous cities. in the midst of the throng and busy voices of life. an awful sense of solitude rests on those who witness the departure of the dying ; and days and years shall pass. and they who beheld the seone shall enter that chamber with silent steps and hushed voices and a shadow over their souls. What. then, must have been her loneliness, -a solitary widow in the wilderness! She must watch by the bedside of her children alone ; her tears shall be shed alone : she shall no more kneel by her husband's side to pray : his voice shall no more waken her at morning. and when the night approaches she shall unconsciously look forth to the forest, watching for bis return. who shall never return again.
A single example like this shows the hardships of the first settlers of a new region better than any general description, however ex- tended or graphic.
But the terrible hardships and trials through which Mrs. Badger passed were too much for her nervous system, and she became insane. In this condition of irresponsibleness, after a few years, she committed suicide.
David and Robert Badger settled in Lyndeborough a little north - of the Badger Pond.
The descendants of the English John Badger and the Scottish Mary McFarland are widely scattered over New England and the Western States.
There is a conflict of authorities in regard to the place to which Mrs. Badger went after the death of her husband. Mr. Grant. in his History of Lyndeborough, states that she removed with her children to Nottingham. But Mrs. Mary Pettengill of Wilton, granddaughter of Mary Badger, says she went to Hollis. We can- not decide which is correct.
There is also some variation in the account of the Badger children. Mr. Grant, a grandson of David Cram and Mary Badger, in his sketch of Lyndeborough in the County History says : " The names of the children of Badger were David, Robert. Mary and Betsey, the last named of whom was the youngest and died young in consequence of injuries received in the burning of a house in Nottingham." The mother and children after the death of the father moved back to Nottingham.
44
HISTORY OF WILTON.
Mr. Grant also says he " has attempted to gather up a few frag- ments of history connected with ' the first settler' of his native town from a source which will soon be removed from earth," viz. : Sarah Badger, a granddaughter of the said JJohn Badger. who now resides on the spot where David. the son of said JJohn, lived and died. Ile believes the substance of it truthful and correct.
But Mr. Sewall Putnam learned from Mrs. Hermon Pettengill, a daughter of Gideon Cram. and granddaughter of David and Mary (Badger) Cram, who had consulted records in Lyndeborough, that Mr. Badger died in February. 1740, and Mrs. Badger soon went to Hollis. And that on August 27, 1740, a daughter was born to Mrs. Badger, who was named Mary, who was the grandmother of Mrs. Pettengill, and after whom she was named. Mary Badger married David Cram, and their son David was the father of our respected townsman, David Cram.
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