USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Exeter > Men and things of Exeter. Sketches from the history of an old New Hampshire town > Part 3
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Joseph French of Hampstead, James Cochran of Pembroke, and John Mc- Kean of Londonderry, were the princi- pal persons engaged in the riotous de- monstration. Some of the prisoners were indicted, others were brought to a court martial, and still others were dealt with by ecclesiastical authority, but while all were pretty thoroughly fright-
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ened, and very penitent, none of them were severely punished.
The spirit of organized resistance to law and order, received on this occasion a timely and effectual check, and the state authorities and people of Exeter are entitled to no little credit for their judi- cious and spirited conduct.
VII. INCIDENTS.
In the afternoon of March 20th, 1754, a troop of about thirty men, on horseback, and carrying axes, made their appear- ance in Exeter. They came from Can- terbury, Contoocook and the vicinity, and their purpose was probably pretty well understood in Exeter and through- out the province.
Two trading Indians of the St. Francis tribe in Canada, Sabatis and Plausawa by name, had rendered themselves very obnoxious to the people of Canterbury and Contoocook, the preceding summer. Sabatis had been formerly concerned in spiriting away two blacks owned by in- habitants of Canterbury, and both In- dians not only proclaimed the opinion that there was no harm in stealing ne- groes, but threatened and even offered vi- olence to the wife of a white settler. They indulged in boasts of former deeds of bloodshed and robbery, and in threats of committing others, until the people were so alarmed and incensed that they stern- ly warned them to depart. The Indians would have done well to heed the admo- nition, but in complete infatuation they still lingered in the neighborhood, and abated not a jot of their blustering.
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Peter Bowen and one Morrill, with whom they were staying, at length un- doubtedly concerted a plan to take their lives. Bowen, who was a rough and vio- lent man, procured a gallon of rum from Rumford, and treated the Indians to it freely, until they became intoxicated. Meantime his confederates took the op- portunity to draw the charges from the Indians' guns, and then enticed them into the woods, where Bowen slew them almost without resistance.
Yet so great was the dread and hatred of the Indians which prevailed through- out the province, and so favorably was the story related for the murderers, that when Bowen and Morrill were indicted for murder and imprisoned in Ports- mouth jail to await their trial, the public sentiment was aroused most strongly in their behalf. Their trial was fixed for March 21st, 1754 ; and the cavalcade which appeared in Exeter on the preceding day, as already mentioned, was composed of persons who were determined to rescue the accused persons, from imprisonment.
A few of the people of Exeter are said to have joined the lawless band, but their names have not survived to our time. The party, thus reinforced, rode through mud and snow, that night, to Ports- mouth, beat down the doors of the jail, knocked off the irons from Morrill and Bowen, and set them free. Rewards were offered by the Governor for the re- arrest of the prisoners, but they were never retaken, though they were at their homes again as usual, soon after. Their course was justified by the popular voice, and it was not thought expedient to mo- lest them, or their rescuers. In no very
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long time the incidents would have been generally forgotten, but for a song which some village poetaster composed on the occasion, and which preserved the mem- ory of the transaction, being afterwards commonly sung at the huskings, in Ex- eter.
Sixteen years afterwards, an occur- rence of a very different character aroused the attention of the town. News was brought that George Whitefield, a preacher of world-wide celebrity, was to address the people of Exeter. It may easily be supposed, that none would willingly lose the opportunity of hearing his eloquent voice. So although the time appointed was the forenoon of Saturday, (September 29th, 1770,) almost the entire population thronged to the church where he was to officiate,-which stood nearly on the spot where Mrs. Cobbs' house now is.
The building was not capable of con- taining the crowd, and Mr. Whitefield determined to address them in the open air, a course he was often compelled to adopt. It is said that he at first essayed to speak from the meeting-house steps, but the sun shining in his face, he crossed to the other side of the street, where some boards laid across two bar- rels or hogsheads, furnished him a stand, from which he preached to his out door congregation a discourse nearly two hours in length, from 2 Corinthians xiii, 5.
This was the last sermon which that eloquent and devoted minister delivered. He went in the afternoon to Newbury- port, Mass., where, the very next morn- ing, he breathed his last. So that Exe- ter witnessed the closing effort in the ca-
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reer of one of the most distinguished di- vines of the world, whose name will be held in honor and reverence, so long as zeal, piety, and self-denial shall be known and appreciated.
VIII. INCIDENTS.
It was nearly six years after the death of the earnest and eloquent Whitefield. In that period an immense change had taken place in the opinions, feelings and situation of the American colo nists. From remonstrances and peti- tions against the exactions of the mother country, they had proceeded to open and armed resistance, and at length to the decisive step of declaring themselves in- dependent of the British crown. In June, 1776, the Legislature of New Hampshire instructed her delegates in Congress to join with those of the other colonies, in such a measure, and on Thursday, the eighteenth day of July following, the Declaration of the thirteen United Colonies of North America, au- thenticated by the bold signature of John Hancock, reached Exeter by express, having been fourteen days on the road from Philadelphia.
The committee of safety, sometimes called the little congress, was in session at the time, and we can readily believe that the startling but joyful intelligence that the Rubicon was passed, flew rapid- ly from lip to lip through the village. It was determined that the immortal words should be read in public ; and the impatient citizens thronged in a dense mass about the front yard of the lower
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church, or "colony house" as it was termed when used for civic purposes, to witness the formality. The venerable president of the council, Meshech Weare, with the members of the Committee and other principal citizens, of the town and county, made their appearance before the assembled people, with John Taylor Gilman, who was selected for the honor of first pronouncing on New Hampshire soil, the words of the charter of Ameri- can liberty. As he read the impressive, solemn and eloquent periods of the De- claration, the great concourse before him listened in silence but with deep emo- tion, and he himself was so overcome with the tumult of his feelings on the joyful and momentous occasion, that he was for a time incapable of proceeding. The emotions of the hearers were too deep for applause ; but the words found a response in their inmost hearts, and thenceforward there was no hesitation nor faltering. Nothing short of absolute independence was admissible as the re- sult of the contest, from that time forth.
Thirteen years later, Exeter saw anoth- er sight, not soon to be forgotten by its citizens. The war was happily conclud- ed, independence won, and the insuffi- ciency of the old confederation becoming apparent, a new form of government had been established. Washington, the sa- vior of his country, had been elected its first chief magistrate, and after the new administration was fairly launched, had set forth on a tour through the northern states. It was known that he was to leave Portsmouth on the fourth day of November, 1789, for Exeter; and the good people made their preparations to
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meet him with a cavalcade of citizens to escort him into town. But they mistook the hour of his departure from Ports- mouth, or forgot his rigid habits of punc- tuality; for before the volunteers were in the saddle, Washington made his ap- pearance. He arrived here before ten o'clock in the forenoon, accompanied by his secretaries, Col. Lear and Maj. Jack- son, and a single servant. Washington rode in an open carriage, and is said to have worn a drab surtout and military hat. The street was lined with specta- tors as he drove up to the door of the res- idence of Col. Samuel Folsom, who, as was not unusual among the leading men of that day, kept a public house. It was the same dwelling now occupied by by George W. Dearborn at the easterly corner of Court square and Water street.
It is unnecesaary to say that the whole population gathered eagerly to catch a glimpse of the distinguished visitor. Col. Nicholas Gilman, who had been an officer of the staff under the commander- in-chief at Yorktown, and other officers of the revolution and principal citizens, paid their respects to Washington, and did the honors of the town. They invited him to remain and partake of a public dinner, which his arrangements com- pelled him reluctantly, as his diary in- forms us, to decline. He however ac- cepted a breakfast or collation, at the public house, on which occasion a young lady related to Col. Folsom, waited on him at table. His quick eye discovered that she was not a servant, and tradition informs us that he called her to him, ad- dressed her a few pleasant words, and kissed her.
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The hour or two of his stay in Exeter were soon over, and he again resumed his journey by Kingston towards Haverhill, Mass. He was accompanied a part of the distance by some of the gentlemen of the town. When he reached the top of Great Hill, he called on his driver to stop, and casting his eyes back over the wide and charming landscape, he remarked in ad- miring tones upon its beauty ; and with this pleasant word at parting, he bade our town adien.
Nine years later, a ludicrous occur- rence took place in Exeter, in connection with an expected visit from Washing- ton's successor in the office of president. In the summer of 1798, while the Court was in session, and the public houses filled to overflowing, two young men from Boston drove into town at a late hour, and attempted to obtain lodgings for the night. There was no room at any public house, and the private houses were all closed and dark. The young men cast about for an expedient to rouse the people. It took but a moment to concoct a story. They informed the sit- ters-np at the public houses that Presi- dent Adams was coming on from Haver- hill to Exeter that night, and would shortly arrive. They had ridden on in advance to give the information. The news spread like wild-fire. Lights were soon visible in every house, and there was mounting in hot haste to form a cav- alcade for the President's reception. Meantime the two young men who had caused all this commotion found a pri- vate house whose occupants being aroused, were willing to give them lodg- ings, and were soon snug in bed ; while
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the victims of their practical joke, after having waited and ridden for hours in vain, were fain at last to betake them- selves to rest, with the consciousness of having been egregiously hoaxed. It is doubtful whether it was any satisfaction for them to feel that though they were too late to escort Washington, they could not be said to be behind time with re- gard to Adams !
XI. ECCLESIASTICAL.
The little colony which accompanied or followed John Wheelwright to the falls of Squamscott in 1638, was essen- tially a religious one. It was composed in great part of those who had been mem- bers of his flock in England, and of those who had suffered for adhering to his the- ological opinions in Massachusetts. It is not strange, therefore, that a church was gathered, within a few months after their arrival here. From the records of the church at Boston we learn that on the 30th of December, 1638, "dismission was granted to our brethren, Mr. John Wheelwright, Richard Morris, Richard Bulgar, Philemon Pormont, Christopher Marshall, Isaac Grosse, George Wayte, Thomas Wardhall, and William Ward- hall, unto the church at the falls of Pas- cataquack, if they be rightly gathered and ordered." It is probable that they all became members of the first church of Exeter, and that an equal or larger number of Wheelwright's former Eng- lish parishioners were also connected with it. Of the thirty-four persons who signed the "combination" with Wheel-
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wright, in 1639, we know from the pre- amble of the instrument itself that a part were brethren of the church, and the others inhabitants, simply. It has been stated, upon what authority we know not, that the church was formed of eight members, comprising Wheelwright and those who as his adherents had been dis- missed from the church in Boston; but this is apparently erroneous. As no re- cords are in existence to afford the infor- mation, the number of those who com- posed the original church can probably never be ascertaincd ; but there is reason to believe that among them were at least one-half of the signers of the combina- tion. It is evident from the terms of the mode of government adopted by the set- tlers, and from their laws and ordinances, that the religious element was the con- trolling one in their little community.
Mr. Wheelwright remained in Exeter, as is supposed, until 1643, when all the settlements in New Hampshire having passed under the authority of Massachu- setts, from which colony he had been banished, he removed with a few connec- tions and intimate friends to Wells in Maine. It is probable that he did this from an apprehension that he might be subjected to further annoyance, if he continued within the jurisdiction of Mas- sachusetts, without having made his peace with the authorities of that colony. There is some reason to believe that Mr. Wheelwright's removal was not expected to be permanent. There are votes upon the town records which indicate that the inhabitants understood that he might re- turn to Exeter. And before he had been very long at Wells, too, he took the first
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steps towards a reconciliation with the authorities of Massachusetts, which re- sulted in the reversal of the sentence of banishment against him.
When it became evident that Mr. * Wheelwright was not to return, the peo- ple of Exeter made an attempt to call the aged Stephen Bachiler, who had been dismissed from Hampton for irregular conduct, to become their minister. But as there was a division on the subject among the people, and as Mr. Bachiler was not thought to be a peace-maker, the general court of Massachusetts inter- fered, and prohibited any action in the premises, "until this court or the court of Ipswich upon further satisfaction of their (the people's) reconciliation or fit- ness, shall give allowance thereunto." Divers petitions from Hampton and Ex- eter followed ; and the court ordered two or three magistrates to go to Hampton with full power to hear and determine all differences there. The result was that the intention of settling Mr. Bachiler was abandoned.
In 1646 another attempt was made to procure a minister in Exeter; and some of the inhabitants went so far as to bind themselves to pay what Mr. Wheelwright should ask for his house and land, for the use of Mr. Nathaniel Norcrosse, who was a young minister, and an "universi- ty scholar," in Massachusetts. It is not known that Mr. Norcrosse received a call ; if he did, it was not accepted. There were still divisions and dissensions among the people, in regard to their spir- itual affairs, and at least one petition was forwarded on that account to the general court of Massachusetts, the great resort
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for the remedy of all grievances; and on the 27th of October, 1647, that body pass- ed an order that Mr. Ezekiel Rogers, Mr. Nathaniel Rogers and Mr. Norton be requested and authorized "to exam- ine the grounds of the complaint, and if it may be, to compose things amongst them (the people of Exeter),-which if they cannot do, then to certify to this court what they find, and also think best to be done, which may conduce to peace and the continuance of the ordinances amongst them."
Possibly the labors of these gentlemen may have had a pacificating effect upon the discordant elements, for on the 16th of November, 1648, it was voted by the inhabitants of Exeter that Mr. Thomson of Braintree, be invited to become their minister, "and in case he can be attained to come, that he shall be allowed by the town £30 a year, and the profits that shall come to the town by the saw-mill, and the use of the house and land which was purchased of Mr. Wheelwright, so long as he continues with us as a minis- ter; and Christopher Lawson, Edward Gilman, and John Legat are appointed to act in the invitation to him if he may be attained, or if not then to have power to act in the invitation of some other, with the counsel and advice of the elders of Boston, Charlestown and Roxbury."
It would appear that Mr. Thomson de- clined the invitation.
At a town meeting held the 22d of April, 1649, it was voted to invite Mr. Emerson of Rowley, to come to Exeter as the minister ; but he did not see fit to accept the call.
But the wishes of the people were at
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length gratified ; for at a town meeting on the 30th of May, 1650, it was unanimous- ly agreed between Rev. Samuel Dudley and the town of Exeter "that Mr. Dudley is forthwith, as soon as comfortable sub- sistence can be made by the town for him and his family in the house which was purchased of Mr Wheelwright, that then the said Mr. Dudley is to come and inhabit Exeter and to be a minister of God's word unto us until such time as God shall be pleased to make way for the gathering of a church, and then to be or- dained our pastor or teacher according to the ordinance of God." The town agreed to fit up the Wheelwright house, and to fence in a yard and garden, and to allow £40 a year towards the maintenance of Mr. Dudley and his family, with the use and sole improvement of the house and lands and meadow bought of Mr. Wheel- wright, during the time he, Mr. Dudley, should continue to be their minister. The town also agreed that "what cost Mr. Dudley should bestow about the said house and lands in the time of his im- provement, the town is to allow unto him or his so much as the said house and lands are bettered by it, at the time of the said Mr. Dudley's leaving it, either by death or some more than ordinary call of God otherways." And it was far- ther stipulated "that the old cow-house which was Mr. Wheelwright's, shall by the town be fitted up fit for the setting of cattle in, and that the aforesaid pay of £40 a year is to be made in good pay every half year in corn and English com- modities at a price current, as they go generally in the country at the time or times of payment."
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The agreement with Mr. Dudley took effect immediately, and he undoubtedly entered upon the discharge of his minis- terial functions at once. Indeed there is reason to believe that he had been serv- ing the town in the same capacity before that time. We learn, moreover, from the agreement, that the church that had been gathered and maintained during Mr. Wheelwright's stay in Exeter, had failed to preserve its organization for the seven years when it was without a pastor.
At a town meeting on the 26th of June, 1650, it was voted to pay Francis Swaine 20s "for his pains and time in going into the bay to collect Mr. Dudley his pay." This refers, no doubt, to the "English commodities" which the town were to furnish Mr. Dudley in part payment of his salary. There was little money in the frontier settlement, and some mer- chant in the bay (Massachusetts) was contracted with, to supply the imported goods for Mr. Dudley, and to receive in exchange from his Exeter parishioners lumber and such other articles as they could furnishı.
At the same town meeting it was re- solved "that a meeting-house shall be built, of twenty foot square, as soon as workmen can conveniently be procured to do it ; and the place appointed for it is at the corner of William Taylor's lot next the street, and William Taylor is to have of the town 20s for five rods square of his land in that place."
The people of Exeter having engaged the services of Mr. Dudley, took prompt and efficient measures to secure the pay- ment of his stipulated salary. The town records inform us that at a ineeting on
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the 5th of December, 1650, it was "agreed upon that the townsmen (who performed substantially the duties of selectmen) shall have power to make a rate upon all such of the inhabitants of the town as do not voluntarily bring in according to their abilities, for the satisfying of the town's engagement unto Mr. Dudley for his maintenance." It had previously been determined that every inhabitant of the town should pay, "for every thousand of pipe-staves they made, two shillings, which should be for the maintenance of the ministry; and for every thousand of hogshead staves one and sixpence ; and for every thousand of bolts that is sold before they be made in- to staves, four shillings; and also what is dne from the saw-mills shall be for the maintenance of the ministry." And in order to establish the priority of this claim above all others, it was provided that "any man that shall deliver any staves or bolts before they have satisfied the town order, shall pay ten shillings for every thousand staves, and twenty shillings for every thousand bolts."
It was also voted at said meeting on the 5th of December, 1650, that if Francis Swaine and Henry Roby or either of them shall make a bargain with any able merchant of the bay, to pay or cause to be paid unto Mr. Dudley the sum of £40 in good English commodities in May next, for his whole year's maintenance, and to accept of hogshead staves or pipe staves for the said £40 worth of goods, then the town do agree to stand to their bargain which they shall make, and to bring in their proportional parts of hogs- head staves or pipe staves unto the said
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Henry Roby or Francis Swaine to satisfy their agreement."
While the inhabitants were thus solici- tous to secure their minister from want, they were no less ready to protect him from defamation. They authorized the three townsmen, Henry Roby, Thomas King and John Legat, "to vindicate the credit and reputation of Mr. Dudley against the reproachful speeches and cal- umniations of John Garland, by proceed- ing against him in law, according to the demerits of his offence." It is not known that any suit was ever brought against the slanderer ; he probably found means by apology, or otherwise, to avoid such a result.
Apparently nothing was done under the vote to build a meeting-house, passed June 26th, 1650, for a couple of years after. To be sure at a town meet- ing held September 1st, 1652, it was or- dered that the house should "begin to be built upon the next second day (Mon- day), and a rate to be made how much work every man shall do towards it, and so to be called forth to work upon it by Thomas King and John Legat as need shall require, that the work be not neg- lected till it be finished, and that every man that neglects to come to work upon a day's warning he shall pay five shil- lings a day to be forthwith levied by the constable." Yet at a subsequent meet- ing , July 8th, 1652, "it was ordered that a meeting house shall forthwith be built, and that every man both servants as well as others, shall come forth to work upon it, as they are called out by the sur- veyor of the work, upon the penalty of five shillings for every day's neglect ;
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and teams are to be brought forth to the work by the owners as they are called for by the said surveyors upon the pen- alty of ten shillings a day for their neg- lect, and the surveyors or overseers ap- pointed for the said work are Mr. Ed- ward Gilman, Thomas King and Edward Hilton, Jr., and they are to see the work finished and not to have it neglected."
Undoubtedly the people were moved to commence and carry through the en- terprise soon after ; for a vote of the town in November, 1652, alludes to the "fin ishing" of the building, and the return of a board of commissioners to lay out the west part of Hampton, in August, 1653, mentions the "Exeter meeting- house," which would imply that it was then completed.
Where Mr. Dudley's congregation worshipped in the meantime, whether in the primitive structure that is under- stood to have been erected in Mr. Wheel- wright's ministry or elsewhere, we have no means of knowledge. Nor is it cer- tainly known where this church was lo- cated ; but there is reason to believe that it was not far from the site which tradi- tion assigns to the earlier building. It continued to be used as the place of pub- lic worship for more than forty years.
In 1664, a lean-to with a chimney was added to the meeting-house, to serve as a watch-house. Some time after this, probably, Edward Smith, Biley Dudley, Edward Gilman and perhaps others built a gallery in the house, which was con- firmed to them by a vote of the town in 1678, and at the same time said Smith, Gilman, Jonathan Thing, Peter Folsom, Nathaniel Lad and Moses Levit were al-
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