USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Boscawen > The history of Boscawen and Webster [N.H.] from 1733 to 1878 > Part 10
USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Webster > The history of Boscawen and Webster [N.H.] from 1733 to 1878 > Part 10
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Upon assembling in Mr. Fowler's house, the following vote was passed :
Voted, that Moses Call be paid "ten pounds old tenor for services as constable ensuing year exclusive of what is custom- ary for gathering on the pound."
91
CIVIL HISTORY.
1764.]
Dea. Jesse Flanders, Oliver Fowler, and Ensign Henry Ger- rish were appointed to call former selectmen to account.
This is the first appearance in town affairs of Col. Henry Ger- rishi, who, from this time on till 1790, held many offices of trust and honor at the hands of his fellow-citizens.
Capt. Stephen Gerrish and Capt. John Flanders were appointed to set the time when the lower intervale should be opened in the spring and closed in the fall.
TAXES.
It was voted that the constable should have one shilling in the pound for collecting the taxes.
The rates charged Constable Moses Call for the year are thus divided :
" to a province tax to a minister's tax to the town rates 111-16-0 to a wood Rate 135-00- 0
£171-1-6 822-17- 0
1260-14-6"
The wood rate was for wood to be supplied to Rev. Mr. Morrill, and if added to his salary makes £957 paid for sustaining relig- ious privileges, against £303 for all other town expenses, or more than two thirds of the whole! Not lightly did the men of the time value their religious instructions.
In the constable's account are these items :
" Discounted Savrill Rates of Churchmen's taxes £153-5-0
Paid to Doctor Carter for medicine to a transient
woman 8-0-0" " Doctor Carter " was Dr. Ezra Carter, of Concord. There was no physician in Boscawen at this date.
By discounting the taxes against Friends and those who ad- hered to the Church of England, the town acted honorably and justly. The citizens were in no sense bigots.
A town-meeting was held December 27, at the house of John Fowler, "To see if the Inhabitants will pass a vote to Defend the Constable for the present year, from Damage by Delaying to Colect the province Rate for som farther time as shall then be agreed on."
92
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1765.
It was voted not to defend the constable, Moses Call. The cit- izens believed that men should be held responsible. . Duty was an obligation.
No school was taught during the year, unless by private sub- scription, the town not having made an appropriation.
The paper money having depreciated, the town voted to make good the salary of Mr. Morrill, against which Capt. Stephen Ger- rish entered his dissent. The indemnity was £200 old tenor for two years, at the rate of £6 per dollar for the first year, and £7 per dollar for the second year.
FIRST LAWSUIT.
July 17, 1765. The first action in law, in which the town was a party, occurred this year. At the regular town-meeting, which was held on this day, besides choosing officers, a committee was ap- pointed-George Jackman, Jr., and Thomas Carter-" to answer to the action commenced by Maj. Samuel Gerrish against said pro- prietors, also for any other suits that may be brought." What the question in dispute may have been does not appear.
Voted " to lay out a highway from Marlborough street to Con- toocook, in the most convenient place for building a bridge over the same."'
Capt. Stephen Gerrish, Capt. Joseph Eastman, and Thomas Foss were chosen a committee to lay out said highway.
The rates charged to Constable Thomas Carter were,-
" To a Province tax 297-0-9
To a Ministers' tax 848- 1-11
To a Town Rate 178-12-6
To Money or Wood 148-0- 8
1472- 0- 8
the same in Lawful Money
73-12-0"
BRIDGE OVER THE CONTOOCOOK.
Athough the proprietors, soon after settling the town, had chosen a committee to construct a bridge across the Contoocook river, nothing had been done in regard to it. All communication between the towns of Concord and Boscawen was by ferry ; but it was now resolved to construct a bridge. Both towns engaged in the enterprise, sharing equally in the cost, although the site se-
93
CIVIL HISTORY.
1765.]
lected for its construction brought it wholly within Boscawen. It was located in the bend of the river, above the Harris woollen mill, near the residence of Capt. John Chandler, in 1765. The builders were John Flanders of Boscawen, and Henry Lovejoy of Concord.
The contract specified that it was to be constructed with "king posts " and "long braces." It was the first bridge that ever spanned the Contoocook.
March 4, 1766. Voted £200 old tenor to defray town charges ; " that all ox sleds shall be made four feet ; that all & every per- son that shall not observe this vote & make their sleds accord- ingly, being an inhabitant of this town shall for each offence be liable to pay a fine of one shilling Lawful money for each of- fence."
Voted "that there should be four days worked out on the high way by each man & no more except necessary."
CALLING THE SELECTMEN TO ACCOUNT.
May 15. Winthrop Carter, Moses Morse, and Peter Kimball were chosen to settle the accounts of the selectmen for 1764 and 1765, "to know what they have done with the money that has been assessed in said year, and also to call the selectmen to an ac- count concerning the improvement of the school intervale."
Voted to make Rev. Mr. Morrill's salary "good, agreeable to the vote in his settlement."
DISCOURSING WITH REV. MR. MORRILL.
Sept. 15. "It was put to vote to see if said town or inhabi- tants will chose a committee to discourse with Mr. Robie Morrill. Voted in the affirmative."
The action of the town in voting Mr. Morrill a lot of land, and the later vote to indemnify him on account of the depreciation of the currency, caused much dissatisfaction : hence the above vote. The committee " to discourse " with Mr. Morrill consisted of John Fowler, Jesse Flanders, Moses Call, Oliver Hoyt, and Joseph Fowler, who were to see on what terms he would consent to a dis- mission.
Sept. 29. The committee reported Mr. Morrill's proposals,
94
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1766.
which were rejected by the town. They subsequently reported a second proposition from him, which was accepted.
MR. MORRILL'S PROPOSITION.
1. " If the town of Boscawen vote that I shall be free from all rates excepting proprietors' tax on what I do or shall possess in Boscawen until the end of the year 1776, not exceeding 30 acres of improved land, four ratable heads of stock, & no wild land not exceeding the quantity of one whole right being rated by the town & that my heirs be free in same manner if I decease.
2. " That I or my heirs if I decease have the full use of the pasture two years longer, which the proprietors voted me for the sum of £25 old tenor. [This was the school lot and parsonage on King street.]
3. " That the Town pay my salary as first voted excepting their pro- portion who joined themselves to the Church, this year & the last ex- cepting their proportion after they signed & that they pay me all the rest, If any leave the Church excepting what the town excuses.
4. " That I be free from the charge of the Council.
5. "That I have a copy of the subscriptions concerning me. If these things are this day complied with to my mind I will ask a dismission this year 1766. R. Morrill."
DISMISSION OF REV. MR. MORRILL.
The proposition was accepted, and a committee was appointed to represent the town in dismissing Mr. Morrill, the town voting to pay the expenses of the council. Pastor and people alike seem to have acted fairly and honorably. Mr. Morrill remained in town, gave himself to every good work, and was respected and hon- ored by his fellow-citizens. He taught school many years, teaching in private houses in the various districts, before the erection of school-houses.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
In Rev. Mr. Price's history, it is stated that George Jackman, Jr., was appointed justice of the peace in 1760, by His Majesty's authority, George II. We have not been able to verify the state- ment. George III was now on the throne, and from the petition given below it would seem that George Jackman received his ap- pointment under George III, in 1766 :
" To Ilis Excellency Benning Wentworth &c
" Whereas the Town of Boscawen in said Province has ever since its first settlement been destitute of a commissioned Justice of the peace
95
CIVIL HISTORY.
1766.]
such an office being often needed (more especially since our Late favor- able Incorporation by your excellency) we the subscribers and Inhabi- tants of said town pray your excellency to commissionate Mr. George Jackman junior of said Town to be justice of the Peace, he having de- served well for several years Last past in the acceptable discharge of public Trust to him committed and your petitioners will ever pray for the granting of their prayer.
" Boscawen January 29, 1766
" Ezra Carter John Fowler
Thomas Corser Ephm Woodbury
Thomas Carter
Jesse Flanders
John Webster
Stephen Call,
John Flanders
William Emery John Corser
Moses Foster petitions tho' not an Inhabitant of Boscawen."
ITEMS FROM THE SELECTMEN'S ACCOUNT-1766.
" Paid to the selectmen for perambulating the line between Boscawen and Almsbury [Warner] 4-0 B
paid Nathan Corser for wolf's head 4-0
Paid Capt Eastman for entertainment for the council at Mr Morrill's Dismission 1-4-0
Paid Mr Thomas Foss the Sum of Savin shilling for his Sarvice toward Laying out highways & perambula- ting between Boscawen & hopkinton 0-7-0
Paid mr William Jerome for preaching two Days 2-8-0
paid Capt fowler to expense of the town in the house [Mr. Fowler's] 3-0-0
at another time paid him for two Bowls of punch 1-8-0 0-14-0
at another bowl of punch for the Justice
paid Capt fowler for entertaining Revd mr ware after preaching 2-0-0
paid him for keeping mr morrills horse some time 4-0-0
also paid Capt Fowler for entertaining Som of the Com- mittee that ware chosen to appoint a place for a meeting house 6-0-0
Remaining on his Book not settled Savrill persons Rates who call themselves churchmen the whole of the money being 6-9-0"
ITEM FROM CONSTABLE THOMAS CARTER'S ACCOUNT.
"Credit to warning moses Danford's wife out of Town & returning ye warrant 7-9-3"
96
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1766.
MR. MORRILL'S ACCOUNTS.
In 1775 a committee was appointed to adjust the town's ac- counts, which were in arrear, going back to the incorporation in 1660. In connection with the settlement with Rev. Mr. Morrill, that gentleman made the entry, as below, on the records :
" March 4, 1766
" These adjusted accounts with the selectmen of Boscawen, re- specting all things but the wood rate which remains unsettled from the beginning of the world to the end of my third year's salary, which ended Dec 28, 1764 & there was due me from the town of Boscawen upon balance respecting that time, the full & just sum of one hundred & seventy-five pounds, fourteen shillings & six-pence old tenor. " 175-14-6 ROBIE MORRILL "
There is also the following entry by Mr. Morrill :
" The subscriber remits to his People, and never will require the Inhabitants of Boscawen to make up to him, that proportion of his sal- ary due or to be paid the year 1765 & 1766 which proportion would have belonged to any Inhabitants of Boscawen to pay, if they had not been made free from it by law, so that no Inhabitants of this town, shall ever be required by me or by my heirs any more, by means of any inhabitant being exempted from paying toward my salary due or to be paid this year and the last
" ROBIE MORRILL."
This action of Mr. Morrill undoubtedly was prompted by a sincere desire on his part to allay all irritation in regard to the levying of taxes to make good the deficiency of his salary caused by the depreciation of the bills of New Hampshire old tenor. Capt. Stephen Gerrish, a prominent citizen, had protested at the outset against indemnifying Mr. Morrill. The levying of the tax had caused several citizens to declare themselves churchmen, to escape the payment of all ministerial rates. The growing dis- satisfaction had caused the dismissal of Mr. Morrill, but it was so deep-seated and wide-spread, that the collector could not collect the rates levied on the proprietors, and legal proceedings were begun to recover rates levied and paid for the land purchased and settled upon Mr. Morrill. Under the law, the proprietors were powerless to collect the rates, and they accordingly petitioned the legislature for relief :
.
97
CIVIL HISTORY.
1767.]
" To His Excellency the Hon Benning Wentworth & the Hon Council & House of Representatives.
" The Petition of us the subscribers hereby showeth that the Propri- etors of the Town of Boscawen have at their meetings from time to time voted sums of money as they thought needful to carry on their publick affairs and particularly a sum of money to purchase a Right of land in said Town of Boscawen for the encouragement of the settling a Gospel minister in the Town.
" The Right has been purchased & given to the Rev Robie Morrill. The money has been assessed and such original Right was pro- portionately Taxed. And now for the want of Legal power to collect said money some part of said proprietors (notwithstanding their for- wardness in voting said money) neglect or Refuses to pay their equal part thereof & for want of said money's being collected and paid in there is an action in Law commenced against said proprietors in order to recover said money which is greatly to the prejudice & Damage of the rest of said proprietors who have paid their full part of said money & tends greatly to hinder the propagation and settlement of the same.
" Therefore we Humbly pray your excellency & Honors to Invest said proprietors with full power & legal authority to collect what money hath already been or shall hereafter be voted by said proprietors for their use by making sale of Delinquent proprictors Land or in any other way your excellency & Honors in your Great Wisdom shall think best & your petitioners as in Duty bound will ever pray.
" Dated at Boscawen Aug 24, 1765.
" GEORGE JACKMAN THOMAS CARTER
Com for said Proprietors."
The petition was not acted upon till 1767, when the petitioners were notified through the Boston Gazette and New Hampshire Gazette, printed at Portsmouth, to present their case.
TOWN-MEETING.
Feb. 3, 1767. Dea. George Jackman, George Jackman, Jr., and Jesse Flanders were chosen "to supply the desk till next March meeting."
It was also voted "to begin a town school the present month." Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Merrill was employed as a preacher.
March 3. Voted " to hire a school two months longer in the present year." 7
98
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1767.
It was also voted that £200 old tenor be raised for town ex- penses ; that the selectmen "hire some regular preaching " as long as they shall think proper.
Voted "to clear Mr. Pelatiah Watson for taxes if he leave the Town by the last of June next."
Voted, " that the selectmen be paid after serving the town one year for nothing."
NEW MEETING-HOUSE.
Sept. S. The log meeting-house on King street had been in use from the first settlement, in 1733-thirty-four years-and the time had arrived for a better edifice. The population was rap- idly increasing, and was extending westward and northward from King street. It was therefore voted at this meeting that a new meeting-house should be erected, and a committee was appointed to select a site.
It was voted that, pending the erection of the meeting-house, the meetings should be held half the time at the house of Jesse Flanders (house now occupied by F. P. Atkinson).
The committee appointed to select a site, reported as follows :
" Boscawen Sept 8, 1767
" We do hereby deliver it as our honest and impartial judgment that it be erected on that sapling pine land about 10 or 12 rods from the road towards Jesse Flanders, from that knowl above Ephraim Woodbury's, which was the last voted place, and that this meeting house be placed for those only that live on the Easterly side of Battle street so called, and that those who live on the Westerly side of said street be exempted from any cost in building said house.
" As witness our hands,
" Ezekiel Morrill Sinkler Bean Com " Archelaus Moore
From this it may be inferred that settlers had pushed west- ward to the Blackwater. Probably Mr. David Corser was living on Corser hill, and Mr. Day and Mr. Cass west of Blackwater river.
Dec. 1. At a town-meeting, it was voted "to give Mr. Nathan- iel Merrill forty-two pounds lawful money which shall be his stated salary to be paid to him yearly, during the time he sus- tains the character of a minister in said Town.27
99
CIVIL HISTORY.
1767.]
Subsequently it was voted, that if this was not a sufficient sal- ary to support him, they "would add thereto as much as should be sufficient."
Dec. 7. At an adjourned meeting, voted that the above vote advancing Mr. Merrill's salary shall be " null & void."
It was then voted " to give Mr Merrill 80 acres of good land in the Town of Boscawen lying as near the middle of said inhabi- tants & as convenient as may be had for a reasonable price to be his own forever upon his settling in said town in the work of the Gospel ministry."
POPULATION-1767.
A census of the province was taken during the year,-the first, so far as is known. The population of Boscawen is thus given :
Unmarried men between 16 and 60,
17
Married men,
45
Boys under 16,
77
Men 60 and above,
8
Females unmarried,
83
married,
52
Widows,
3
Male slaves,
0
Female slaves,
0
Total,
285
Other towns in the vicinity-population :
Concord,
752
Salisbury,
210
Canterbury,
503
Dunbarton,
271
New Boston,
296
Hillsborough,
64
Canaan,
19
Plymouth,
227
Newport,
29
Haverhill,
172
From this it will be seen that the advance of population was directly up the Connecticut and Merrimack valleys. The popu- lation of the province was about 52,000.
100
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1768.
SETTLEMENT OF MR. MERRILL.
Jan. 9. At a town-meeting, held at "the house of Capt John Fowler Innholder," it was voted "to give Mr Nathaniel Merrill 20 cords of good wood, cut & corded at his house or place of abode, yearly, together with all the income & improvement of the parsonage, so long as he shall sustain the office of a gospel minis- ter in said town."
Voted, that the people above the pond (Great pond) should not be free from charge in the construction of the meeting-house.
March 1. The town-meeting was held at the house of Jesse Flanders, but adjourned "for Sundry Reasons."
March 31. Voted, "that the 15th day of June next be the time for the ordination of Mr Nath1 Merrill."
George Jackman, Jr., Peter Kimball, Lieut. Moses Burbank, Thomas Foss, and Jesse Flanders were chosen "to agree with some suitable person in the town to provide in a decent manner for the ministers, delegates, & scholars that should attend Mr Mer- rill's ordination."
Seven pounds lawful money was raised to defray the expenses of the ordination ;- also, seven pounds and ten shillings lawful money for the use of the town for the year.
Oct. 5. Voted to raise "one hundred dollars" towards the building of a meeting-house. This is the first instance in the records of the use of the term dollar, in distinction from the word pound.
One sixth part was to be paid in money, and the balance in labor at two shillings per day.
Thomas Foss, Benjamin Eastman, Peter Kimball, Joseph At- kinson, and George Jackman were appointed a committee to over- " see the construction of the house.
TAXES.
The first list of ratable polls on record is for the year 1768, the number being sixty-three. Taxes were levied for the province, town, meeting-house, ordination, minister, wood for the minister, and a labor tax on the meeting-house. The labor tax was five- fold the money tax.
Bry. I Homebule
101
CIVIL HISTORY.
1769.]
THE NEW MEETING-HOUSE.
The site finally selected for the new meeting-house was near the north-west corner of the cemetery, west of Woodbury's plain. The frame was erected in July, and a town-meeting held around it July 25, to see what measures the town would take towards fin- ishing the house. It was perhaps the only open air meeting ever held in town.
Voted " to Raise two hundred & fifty pounds old tenor Toward De- fraying the charges already arisen in building the meeting house frame to be paid in Labour at fifty Shillings a Day and whoever Don't La- bour when Notified or pay Stuff fit for the use of the house to pay money."
Voted "to begin, & Go on with the finishing said meeting house as far as the pew privileges will go together with the money as above voted.
" George Jackman, Jun, Mr Joseph Atkinson, Ens Peter Kimball, Mr Benjamin Eastman, & Deacon Jesse Flanders ware chosen and fully Impowered as a committee to carry on the finishing said Meeting house."
The old tenor currency had so far depreciated that fifty shil- lings was only equivalent to about forty-two cents lawful money, a shilling being less than one cent.
Aug. 1. The committee appointed to appraise the pew privi- leges reported the appraisal and articles of sale as follows :
" 1st The pews to be sold to the highest bidder.
" 2-The money bid is to be understood Hampshire's old tenor.
"3ª That no person bid less than 20 shillings a bid. [About sixteen cents.]
" 4 That every purchaser shall pay one fourth part thereof in money & the remainder in labor or lumber as said committee & purchaser shall agree,-provided the same be at Cash price & when wanted for the use of said house.
" 5th That Each pew be forfeited unless the purchaser pay the sum for which the same was bid off at in the following manner, viz:
" The money to be paid in three months from the time said pew was bid off and the other to be paid when called for by the committee for the use of said house.
" 6. That every person shall forfeit his pew privelege except that the purchaser have the same well finished within twelve months from the time said pew was bid off.
102
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1769.
"7. That any purchaser shall pay down or give security for one tenth part of the value of what said pew was bid off at-which sum shall be forfeited unless the articles are fulfilled.
"8 That any person who will pay Nails & Glass at Cash price, or provide a joiner acceptable to the committee when wanted the same shall answer in lieu of money."
Voted by the town, that " no wall pew be raised more than 12 inches above the meeting house floor, & that no body pew be raised more than six inches."
There is no writing that sets forth the dimensions of this first framed meeting-house. It was nearly square, and had a gal- lery, which was not finished till several years later, even if it was ever wholly finished. There was a pile of boards in one corner of the gallery, behind which the boys used to secrete them- selves, greatly to the annoyance of the tithing-man. The present town-house in Webster was modelled after this house. There was a porch at each end, and a front door. It was built after the prevailing style of the time,-a box-like edifice.
1770.]
CHAPTER VI.
PREPARING FOR THE GREAT STRUGGLE.
OR some reason not stated in the records, the annual town- meeting was held at the house of Rev. Mr. Merrill, near " Merrill corner," a half mile west of the new meeting-house. At. this meeting, Capt. Peter Coffin was chosen constable. "At the same time," reads the record, "Captain Coffin hired Mr. Benjamin Eastman to serve in his stead & the town did by a major vote ac- cept said Eastman to take the oath & serve as constable."
From this and similar votes, it would seem that the office of constable was one which a citizen could not decline. There was a prevailing sentiment that every citizen, if called upon, should bear his part of the burdens of office.
PROVINCE ROAD.
The proprietors held a meeting, and voted "to clear a road leading to No. 4, & that the northern, or upper road so called shall be cleared for the public road leading to No 4."
This road was Long street, as laid out in the first survey by John Brown.
"No. 4" was Charlestown, on the Connecticut. During the French war, all troops marching to Lake Champlain had passed through Massachusetts to Albany ; but this great highway was opened under the direction of the province, and was known as the Province road.
In the precept issued to Constable Benjamin Eastman for the collection of taxes, he was instructed to levy upon the inhabitants " twenty cords of good cord wood corded & put up at Rev Mr Nathaniel Merrill's door."
104
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1772.
The highway leading south, from the new meeting-house to Queen street, was laid out during the year, to enable the inhabi- tants in that section to reach the meeting-house.
March 5. The town raised fifty dollars, to be worked out on the school land, and one hundred dollars to be worked out on the highway.
April 19. An adjourned meeting was held. It was put to vote "to see whether the town would buy a piece of land for Mr Merrill at two dollars and a half per acre & decided in the nega- tive."
From this and other records, it may be judged that the average value of unimproved land at this period did not exceed this price. Probably one dollar per acre would have been an average price.
June 11. Voted to accept the highway laid out by the select- men "from the intervale road to the town house brook so called, to Marlborough street."
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