USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Wilton > History of the town of Wilton, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, with a genealogical register > Part 7
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Geo : Jaffrey, Treasť
EXTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS.
1765. Sept. 17. Voted. to raise three pounds twelve shillings Sterling money for procuring the new Charter.
69
TOWN RECORDS.
1765. Sept. 17. Voted. to raise three pounds ten shillings Sterling money for furnishing the meeting house.
Oct. 7th Voted, to raise thirteen Pounds three shilling's and eight pence Sterling to pay the committee for supporting Preaching before the town was incorporated.
1766. April 4.
Voted, to raise £28 9%. silver old tenor for Jonathan Cram for building Richard Stratton's house.
1767. March 9th
Alowed Timothy Dale four Pounds ten Shilling's Silver old tenor for Plank for covering the Bridge near Jacob Putnam's saw Mill.
Sept. 7.
Voted. to raise six pounds lawful money for to support a school this present year.
Voted. the selectmen a committee to provide said school. Noted, to raise E6 lawful money for finishing the meet- ing house in said town.
1768. April 27th
Voted. to raise £9 lawful money to defray town charges. The 5th article negative concerning raising money to rebuild the Bridge near Capt. Nathan Hutchinson's Mill.
June 9th
Voted. to raise €9 lawful money to rebuild the bridge near Captain Nathan Hutchinson's mill. and that each person should have the liberty to work out his rate to the sum aforesaid.
Voted, to raise £6 lawful money to be laid out for a school this present year.
Nov. 4th
Voted, to raise six Pounds lawful money to be laid out for a school this present year.
1769. April 5.
Chose JJacob Abbot Alexander Milliken and Philip Put- nam a committee to provide a school the present year. Voted. to raise 5£ 124, ad. lawful money to defray town charges.
Voted, to raise £4 lawful money to support Richard Stratton and wife.
Voted, to sell the school Right of land in said town.
Chose Abiel Abbot. Jonathan Cram and Alexander Milliken a committee to sell said school right.
Voted, to uphold said committee in selling said school right to the highest bidder and in giving a good deed of the same.
Get. 19.
Accepted the security taken by the committee for sell- ing the school Right. and the security to be lodged in the hands of Abiel Abbot and to remain there tijl further orders.
Alowed to the committee for selling the school Right of said town seventeen shilling's and six pence lawful money,
Agreed on the several places for which a school to be
70
HISTORY OF WILTON.
EXTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS .- CONTINUED.
1769. Oct. 19. kept this year Viz: Over the river at the house of Nathan Ballard and over Gambrel Brooke and at David Kenney's and at John Dales and near ye mid- dle of ye Town.
Voted, to raise six Pounds Ten shillings and eight pence for the support of a school this present year.
Chose John Stevens. Alexander Millikin. JJohn Dale and Richard Taylor a committee to see said school money schooled out proportionably.
1770. April 11.
Voted, to raise eight pounds lawful money to defray town charges.
April 25. Voted. to raise £20 to rebuild the bridge over the river. known by the name of Parker's bridge.
Sept. 28.
Voted. to raise thirteen pounds lawful money to rebuild Parker's bridge so called.
The following bridges allowed to be maintained by the town : Parkers bridge. the bridge by Captain Nathan Hutchinson's mill, the bridge over the river by Timo- thy Dale's, the bridge to Lyndeborough, the bridge by Jacob Putnamns saw mill. The bridge by David Kenneys and the bridge over Gambrel brook.
Voted. to raise three pounds seventeen shillings and ten pence for building the bridge by Capt. Hutchinson's Mill.
Oct. 1st Voted. to raise £6 10s. 8d. to be laid out for the use of a school the present year. Chose the seleetmen a com- mittee to provide the school.
1771, Sept. 25. Voted, to raise six Pounds ten shillings & pence to pro- vide a school the present year. Chose JJonathan Bur- ton Jonathan Martin Thomas Russell and William Pierce a committee to provide said school.
1772. April 14. Voted. to raise £30 lawful money to rebuild and repair the town bridges in said town.
Voted. that each person taxed to said bridges should have two shillings per day and each yoke of oxen one shilling per day.
Voted. that each person should begin their days work at seven oclock in the forenoon.
Voted. to raise one hundred pounds lawful money to be laid out in making and repairing the highway the present year.
Voted, to allow each person taxed in town two shillings and eight pence. and each yoke of oxen one shilling and four pence per day, and each cart and each plough eight pence per day.
71
TOWN RECORDS.
1772. Sept. 1st
Noted, to build a meeting house in the town of Wilton. Voted. to build said house sixty feet long. forty five feet wide and 27 feet ve posts.
Oct. 5.
Fated. to set said house on the common about five rods northerly from where the meeting house now stands. Voted, to raise £6 10s. 8d. lawful money to provide a school the present year.
foted. to raise one hundred and fifty pounds lawful money to provide materials to build a meeting house in said town and chose John Burton. Jun. Jonathan Martin Joseph Butterfield JJohn Stevens Abiel Abbot Samuel Pettengill and Abner Stiles a committee to provide Materials and build said house.
l'oted. that said committee shall vendue the timber, boards shingles and stones and other materials to build said meeting house. to the intent that every person rated in said town may have an equal chance to provide said stuff and that said committee shall give notice of said vendue at least seven days before said time of vendning.
1773, April 20.
Voted. to raise fifty pounds lawful money for highways the present year.
Voted. to allow the same pr. day for men. oxen, plow and cart as the year before.
Voted, to build a pound in said town to be thirty feet square within the walls, the wall six feet high 4 feet thick at the bottom. I-foot at the top and a hewed stick of timber & in. square on top.
Voted. to raise six pounds lawful money to build said Pound.
Voted, to build a porch on the front side of the meeting house.
Voted, to provide one barrel of West India rum tive barrels New England rum. one barrel of good brown sngar. half a box of good lemons, two loaves of loaf sugar. for framing and raising said meeting-house.
Voted, the present committee for building said meeting house should provide entertainment for those persons that help raise the same.
Oct. 21.
Voted, to raise £6 10s. Sd. to provide a school this pres- ent year.
Chose Philip Putnam. Jeremiah Holt. Jeremiah Abbot. Amos Coburn. and Abijah Perry a committee to pro- vide a school this present year.
1774. Jany. 18.
Voted. to dismiss the committee chosen to build the new meeting-house and chose Jonathan Burton Wil-
72
HISTORY OF WILTON.
EXTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS .- CONTINUED.
Reconsidered and committee to stand as before.
liam Abbot and Jacob Abbot to finish the outside of the meeting house. Jonathan Burton. William Ab- bot, and Jacob Abbot a committee to borrow the school money which the town hath at interest and appropriate it to the finishing of the meeting honse. Voted. to build the pews according to the plan exhibited. Noted, the pews should be built by the town.
1774, Jany. 18.
Noted, that the pews should be sold to the highest bid- der. he. or they taking their choice throughout the whole.
Toted, that none but the inhabitants of the town that are freeholders shall be allowed to bid on. or purchase either of said pews. Chose Jonathan Martin. Jona- than Burton, and Abner Stiles, committee for the sale of said Pews.
Feb. 19.
Voted. to reserve the pew at the foot of the pulpit stairs for a ministerial pew.
Voted. that the committee appointed to sell the pews execute a proper deed to the purchaser or purchasers of all right and title of the town of. in. and unto, said pews.
Voted, to have the pews in said meeting house complet- ed in 15 months.
Voted. that the purchasers of said pews pay one half of the purchase in one year and the other half in eigh- teen months.
April 4.
Voted. to raise £100 lawful money for making and re- pairing highways the present year.
Voted. to ceil the meeting honse from the bottom floor to the bottom of the windows and the same in the galleries.
Nov. 7. Voted, to raise eight pounds lawful money to pay for a school the present year.
Der. 22.
Noted, to sell the pews in the gallery of the new meet- ing house.
Chose Jonathan Burton Philip Putnam and William Abbot said committee.
Voted, to sell the old meeting house when the new house is finished.
1775. Jan. 17.
Chose the selectmen a committee to sell the old meet- ing house.
Chose Jacob Abbot to keep the keys of the meeting house and take care of the christianing bason.
March 13. Voted. to appropriate the money acquired by the sale of
David Wilson
HELIOTYPE PRINTING CO., BOSTON MASS.
73
TOWN RECORDS.
1775. Mar. 13.
the pews in the new meeting honse towards finishing the same.
April 1. Voted. to raise fifty pounds lawful money to make and mend the roads the present year. men and oxen 2s. 8d. Plow and cart Is. 8d.
Oct. 3.
Noted. to raise £6 10s. Gid. for the support of schools the present year. Chose Jonathan Cram. John Dale. George Coburn, Jacob Adams and Jonathan Burton a cononittee to see the money schooled ont proportion- ably and to agree upon places where said schools should be kept.
Nov. 21.
Voted. to choose a committee to repair and rebuild the town bridges as they find occasion therefor for the term of one year.
Chose Abiel Abbot, Daniel Holt. Jonathan Burton JJon- athan Martin and Richard Whiting said committee.
1776. April s.
Voted. to raise £30 lawful money to make and repair highways in said town the present year the price of ratable polls to be 2s. 8d. oxen 18. 4d. Plow and vart Is. Sd. per day.
Sept. 23.
Voted. to raise £6 10s. Gid. to support a school the pres- ont year.
1777. Jan. 13.
Chose Joseph Holt and Jonathan Burton selectmen to serve until the next annual meeting in place of Rich- ard Whitney deceased, and Jacob Adams who was engaged in the countrys service.
June 13. ' Voted. to choose a committee to regulate and affix the prices of sundry articles in the town of Wilton agree- able to an act of the general Court.
Chose Jacob Abbot. Abiel Abbot. Joshua Blanchard. William Abbot and John Burton said committee.
Chose William Abbot a trustee to take (charge) of the school money in the room of Mr Jacob Adams who has moved out of town.
Oct. 1.
Voted. to raise £13 34. 1088. for schooling the present year. Chose Ebenezer Chandler Jacob Putnam Jr. Nathan Ballard. Jonathan Parkhurst and Stephen Butterfield a committee to see the money schooled ont proportionably to their districts and to appoint the places for the schools and provide Masters and Mistresses.
Nov. 5. Allowed various individuals for supplies and conveyance rendevonzed soldiers, £14 108. 9d.
Allowed Sammel Sheldon for housing and dealing out town stores El.
Nov. 26. At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Wilton Lyndeborough and the districts of Duxbury
74
HISTORY OF WILTON.
EXTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS .- CONTINUED.
1777. Nov. 26. *school Tarm and Mile Ship at the Meeting house in Wilton. Chose Abiel Abbot to represent said towns and districts in the general assembly to be holden at Exeter in the State of N. Hampshire on the third Wednesday of December next.
Voted. to instruct and thereby instructed the represent- ative agreeable to the precept from the General Is- sembly.
1778.
In a warrant for a town meeting dated Feb. 20 1778, is the following article. " In conjunction with the town of Lyndeborough if they see fit" to consider of the Articles of confederation and perpetual Union be- tween the United States of America : And to give our representatives instruction agreeable to the vote of the house of Representatives. At a meeting held mi- der the aforesaid warrant Feb. 9th, 1778. after di- tinetly and repeatedly reading the Articles of Con- federation the town was dissatisfied with some clauses in several Articles. Therefore
Voted, to choose a committee to consider and draw up some petition to the General Court to be convened at Exeter on the second Wednesday in February instant. Chose Jacob Abbot Esq. Messes. Jonathan Martin Joseph Holt Philip Putnam and Joshua Blanchard for said committee.
Voted. to adjourn to the 10th of this instant Febry. at four o clock in the afternoon.
Feb. 10.
The town met according to adjourmment The commit- tee as above presented the Petition which was dis- tinetly and repeatedly read and the town unanimous- Iy voted the acceptance.
Voted. that the selectmen sign the petition and prefer it to Court.
Voted. to instruct Maj Abiel Abbot their Representative in conjunction with other representatives at the next session of the General Court to appoint and call a full and free representation of all people in this state to meet in convention at such time and place as shall be appointed by the General Court for the sole purpose of framing and laying a permanent plan or system for the future government of this state. And he is accordingly instructed.
March 9. Voted. to sell a part of the Ministerial Right in said town.
* Duxbury school farm is now the northwest part of Milford. Mite slip lay south of Duxbury school farm.
75
TOWN RECORDS.
1778. March 9.
l'oted. to sell the ninth lot in the first range and the seven- teenth lot in the second range of lots in said town. Joseph Holt. Jonathan Martin, and Jonathan Burton were chosen a committee to sell the lots. Put to vote, to see if the town will empower the committee to ex- change the two lots for land to accommodate a par- sonage if they can, but if that cannot be effected then to sell by vendue, and it passed in the affirmative.
April 7.
Voted, that the price of hand labor at highways be 6s. per day for oxen. 34. per day. for a cart and Plow. Is. 4d. per day.
Voted, to appropriate the money acquired by the sale of the old meeting house towards finishing the new.
May 27.
Chose Mr. Moses Putnam tovonvene at Concord in the state of N. H. on the tenth day of June next for the sole purpose of forming and laying a permanent plan or system of government for the future happiness and well being of the good people of said state.
Oct. 1st
Voted. to raise £50 to hire schooling the present year. Voted, that the money to the town by the sale of the Ministry Lots now in the hands of the committee of sale should be put on interest.
Foted. to raise £100 to build and repair bridges.
Oct. 28th
Chose Messes Amos Coburn, Jonathan Gram. Jonathan Parkhurst. Abraham Burton 'Amos Holt and Simon Keyes, to provide schooling the present year.
Dec. Ist
A dispute arising concerning the accounts brought in : Voted, to choose a committee to examine accounts to be brought to the town and lay them before the town in proper order.
Chose. Maj Samuel Greele. Lis Jonathan Burton and Nathan Ballard for said committee.
Dec. 15.
Voted, to raise £54 15 3d in addition to £100 before raised to make and repair bridges.
Voted, that the committee for the sale of the ministry Lots take counsel of some attorney respecting the lot in dispute with Mr Dale.
1779, April 13.
Voted. to raise $400 to make and repair highways the present year, also voted 30s pr day for a man 15s per day for a yoke of oxen and 7 6d per day for eart and Plow.
Voted. to act on the circular letter from Maj Samuel Ashley and Col. Benjamin Bellows.
Voted, to instruct our Representative respecting this eir- cular letter as above (viz) not to oppose the state of Vermont being a separate State, but to use his inthe-
Voted, to raise ESO to make and repair highways the present year.
76
HISTORY OF WILTON.
EXTRACTS FROM THE TOWN RECORDS .- CONTINUED.
1779. April 13. ence. that claim may be laid by this state to its being annexed to this State in case it is not made a sepa- rate State upon the principle of said letter.
Sept. 6. Noted, to choose a committee of five to take the Plan of goverment under consideration and make such re- marks as shall think necessary and make report to the town at the adjourment of this meeting. Jacob AAbbot Esq. Messrs Jonathan Martin. William Abbot Jr. Capt. Philip Putnam and Dr. Ebenezer Rockwood were chosen.
Sept. 8th
Voted, to choose one person to represent them in Con- vention at Concord on Wednesday the 224 of Sept. 1779 in compliance with the request of the town of Portsmouth.
Chose Mr. Moses Putnam for that purpose.
Voted. not to accept the plan of government as it now stands, by a majority of 36.
The committee appointed to take into consideration the plan of government for the State of New Hampshire formed by a convention at Concord June 5th 1779. l'e- port as follows :
That it is their opinion that those relative to the choice of Councillors: the President of the Council and the Secretary and the Militia officers. as also the Article ascertaining the number constituting a Quorum in each branch of the legislature are exceptionable.
Our reasons are as follows: Ist That the councillors in each County should be chosen by the Representatives of their respective Countys or County Conventions.
2d That the President of the Council and Secretary ought to be elected by both branches of the Legisla- ture.
34 That each company of the militia ought to choose their own captains, Subalterus and under officers.
4th and that no law be enacted nor any grant made without the consent of the major part of the repre- sentatives and Councillors of the states.
Voted. manimously to accept the report.
Oct. 13th
Put to vote to see if the town will vote that so much of one mile ship (so called) as joins said town should be annexed to said town as a body politic. And it passed in the negative.
Voted, to comply with the advise of the convention hold- en at Concord in Sept. to establish some regulations in our trade.
Chose Abiel Abbot. Jonathan Martin Philip Putnam
77
TOWN RECORDS.
1779. Oct. 13h
William Abbot Jr. Joshua Blanchard Abner Stiles and Sammel Greele a committee for that purpose.
Voted, to raise £300 for the use of schools the present vear. Chose Archelaus Putnam. Stephen Butterfield. William Abbot JIr. Richard Whiting. George Coburn. and Jeremiah Holt a committee to see said money schooled out.
Voted. to allow the spleetmen something for their ser- vices.
Dec. 10.
At a meeting held in conjunction with the town of Lyndeborough. Mile Ship and Duxbury School farmi at the Meeting house in Wilton on the joth of Dee. 1779. Chose Abiel Abbot to serve as Representative for the above said towns and districts in the Assem- bly to be held at Exeter on the third Wednesday ol December and to empower said representative for the term of one year from their first meeting to transact Initsiness and pursue such measures as they may judge necessary for the public good, and in particular to vote for members of the Continental Congress.
1780. April 11.
Voted. to raise £4500 to make and repair highways the present year.
Voted. £6 per day for hand labor. £3 per day for a yoke of oxen and 30s. per day for cart or Plow.
June 12.
Voted, to allow for hand labor at highways the present . year * £12 per day for ox labor £6 per day, for a cart or plow £3 per day instead of the sunis voted at the meeting on the eleventh day of April last past.
July 19. Voted. that the selectmen call on the delinquent sur- veyors to rebuild the bridge over the north branch of Gambrel brook on the road that leads to George C'o- burn's.
Det. 5. Voted. to petition the General Court for the privilege of representation separate from Lyndeborough.
Voted. to choose a committee of three men to wait and consult the committee from Lyndeborough to kuow their minds concerning this matter. Lt Nathan Bal- lard Mr. James Dascomb and Dea. John Burton. were chosen said committee.
Voted, to join the town of Lyndeborough in petitioning the General Court for separate representation.
TOWN CLERKS OF WILTON FROM 1775 TO 1887. No of Years:
Jacob Abbot. 1775. 81-83 Joseph Holt. 1776-80. inclusive
1
* Showing the worthlessness of the currency at this time. S. P.
78
HISTORY OF WILTON.
TOWN CLERKS OF WILTON .- CONTINUED.
No. of Years :
William Abbot. 1784-93. inclusive
93
Mr. Abbot died Nov. 30. 1793. and Abiel Abbot was appointed to fill out the year.
Abiel Abbot. 1794-96. inclusive
Abiel Wilson. 1797-1815. inclusive 19
Jonathan Burton. 1816-22. inclusive. 1824-25 .
John Stevens, 1823
Mr. Stevens removed to Mason Village in the fall. and Jonathan Burton was appointed to fill out the year.
Timothy Parkhurst. 1826-40. inclusive. 1843-60
33
Oliver Barrett, 1841. 42
Sammel Barrett. 1861
1
C'alvin B. Dascomb. 1862
1
David A. Gregg. 1863-65. inclusive . 3
William W. Giddings. 1866
Thomas H. Dillon, 1867-69, inelusive . 1
23
Mr. Dillon left Wilton in the fall. and William D. Stearns was appointed to till out the year.
William D. Stearns. 1870-86. inclusive
173 John M. Mahoney. 1887
DELEGATES TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.
1850-Oliver Barrett.
1877-William 1. JJone- and George S. Neville.
The preceding copy of the town " doings " during the colonial period suggests several instructive lessons. Public spirit was a marked characteristic of the founders of Wilton. Hard as were their toils and suffering's in establishing their little commonwealth, they did not forget the welfare of the community, while striving for their private and personal interests.
1. They expended sums yearly, large for that period, for pub- lic improvements in roads and bridges. The bridges were built over streams subject to annual floods, and were often either entirely carried away or materially injured. The roads were built over steep hills or along water courses, where they were badly gullied. and required often to be repaired.
2. The fathers of the town were fully alive to the value and necessity of education for their rising community. Schools to them were as much a necessity as daily bread. If the inhabitants of Wilton have been noted for their intelligence. and for the large number of liberally educated persons, it is due to the wise care and foresight with which they fostered the free public schools.
79
PATRIOTISM OF WILTON.
3. Nor did they care only for their town and local interests. They had an eye also to the well-being of the state and nation. Patriotism was a passion in the breasts of these pioneers of the wilderness. They early chafed under the petty despotism of the mother country. They perhaps first hinted at complete independ- ence, and before the Mecklenburg resolutions of North Carolina. or the great Declaration, boldly proclaimed the idea of national eman- cipation, and the free United States.
4. But the best of all, and crown and conservation of all other interests. was their devotion to religion, and its great instruments, the church and the ministry. The original charter bore this testi- mony, and made permanent provision for religious institutions. Successive meeting houses were built, and pastors ordained for this special work. The whole commmity was laid under contribution. It was made a part of the solid business of the town to see that re- ligion received no detriment or decrease of zeal and interest in the new community. Unity of purpose prevailed. Calvinist and Ar- minian alike gave of their substance to the Lord and His public service. The day of speculation and indifferentism had not arrived. What was done, was done with a will.
Whatever may have since been the ways and works of the town. it is satisfactory to know that the roots of public spirit. education, patriotism, and Christian faith struck deep into the primitive soil, and bore abundant fruit in the institutions, lives and characters of succeeding generations. Long may this be the character of our be- loved town as it respects these important interests in all coming time !
CHAPTER IX.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
The United States, remote as they are from the old world, have been harassed by repeated wars ever since their settlement. In the early colonial period the Indian guerilla warfare was a constant danger to the pioneers. Later the complications of European pol- ities entered into the problem, and the French and their savage allies devastated the frontiers. The Revolution of 1775-1783 fol- lowed, to which this chapter is specially devoted. The war of 1812 with Great Britain, which was a species of second Revolutionary war, was next in succession. Then came the Florida war with the Indians, and other border contests. From 1845 to 1848 the Mexi- can war was waged to extend the area of slavery, and. hence. did not awaken enthusiasm in New England. And. last and greatest of all, the civil war of 1861-1865 aroused the military ardor of the whole country. north and south, and ended with the glorious result of the overthrow of slavery, and the more perfect union of all the states and territories in one American nation.
It is not strange, therefore, that military affairs should engross a large share of attention in our history. Our civil and religious liberties have been purchased and maintained by the price of blood and sacrifices, "labors, dangers and sufferings." In the absence of any standing army of importance. the institution of "the citi- zen soldiery" has taken precedence. Military honors have often opened the way to the chief offices of the republic, and seven gen- erals have been chosen Presidents of the United States.
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