USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Boscawen > The history of Boscawen and Webster [N.H.] from 1733 to 1878 > Part 3
USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Webster > The history of Boscawen and Webster [N.H.] from 1733 to 1878 > Part 3
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the first settled minister, one for the ministry, and one for school; and also to build a convenient meeting house and settle a learned and or- thodox minister within the time aforesaid."
The order was issued Dec. 8, 1732. The grantees at once pro- ceeded to locate the land.
On the 6th of June, the following year, the plot was confirmed by the General Court, with the boundaries thus described.
THE GRANT.
" Province of Massachusetts Bay :
" A plot of township of land granted at [by] the Court to John Coffin and others lying on Merrimack river above Penacook, surveyed by Richard Hazen and two chainmen on oath being bounded as follows: viz ;- beginning at the middle of Contoocook river, where it empties into the Merrimack, where it joins the Penacook Plantation, thence running west 15° South adjoining Penacook line, four miles to a white pine tree, marked for Penacook corner bound; thence further on the same line three miles and eight poles to a Norway pine marked for the corner bounds; thence turned at eight angles and running North 15° west seven miles and eight poles to a crotched white birch lettered and standing on the south east side of a hill which is the North west corner; thence turned at right angles and run east 15 deg north, near seven miles and a half to a white oak and two white pines marked, by Merri- mack river, and by said river as it runs to Contoocook river to the place where it first began.
"In the House of Representatives, Read, and voted that this plot be accepted; and that the lands within delineated and described be and hereby are confirmed to the within named John Coffin, Joseph Dole and other petitioners their heirs and assigns forever, they complying with the orders and conditions in the grant on their petition in De- cember last, provided this plot does not contain more than the contents of seven miles square nor interfere with any other former grant.
" Consented to, " J. BELCHER.
" A true copy, as among the proceedings of the general court on the 6th of June 1733, p. 394.
" Attest ALDEN BRADFORD " Secretary of the Commonwealth."
THE FIRST MEETING OF THE PROPRIETORS.
The first meeting of the proprietors was called by John Coffin, and was held at the house of Archelaus Adams, in Newbury, on the 2ª of May, 1733.
4
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1733.
" Meeting May ye 2.
" The proprietors as grantees of the plantation lately made & granted by the great and General Court of his Majestys province of the Massachusetts bay in New England of a tract of land seven miles square above Penecook on the west side of Merrimack river, John Cof- fin by virtue of an order to him directed from the above said great and General Court did warn and give Notice to ye grantees of the above said plantation to assemble and meet at the house of Mr Archelaus Adams in Newbury to chuse a moderator and clerk and to make such needful orders and rules as may be propper and needful to bring for- ward the settlement of said plantation according to ye said courts di- rections; and according to said warning we met at said Adams house on the 2 day of May 1733.
" Lieut George little was chosen moderator for said meeting.
" Joseph Coffin was chosen clerk for the above sd Grantees and was sworn then to the faithfull discharge of his office by richard Kent jus- tice of the peace.
" Joseph Gerrish Esq, William Ilsly, John Coffin, Joshua Noyes, & Tristram little, were chosen a committee to take a plan of the planta- tion aforesaid & make return of their doings to the above sd great and general Court and the committee were all so impowered to warn a meeting of sd grantees as they should judge needful.
" Mr Daniel Hale was chosen treasurer for said proprietors.
" Mr John Weed was chosen collector for said proprietors.
"Voted that the proprietors of the aforesaid plantation shall pay five pounds a piece towards the laying out and settling the aforesaid plantation &c. This was put to vote by the moderator & it passed on the affirmative.
.
Voted that the aforesaid committee (viz) Joseph Gerrish Esq, Will- iam Ilsley, John Coffin, Tristram Little, Joseph Noyes shall have power to draw the money from Mr Daniel Hale aforesaid Treasurer to pay the necessary charges that the said proprietors shall be at in bringing forward the settlement of said plantation this put to vote by the mod- erator and passed on the affirmative."
WHAT WAS KNOWN IN REGARD TO THE LAND.
The Merrimack valley was well known. As early as 1628, a century previous, an exploring party was sent out by Massachu- setts to discover the source of the Merrimack, which ascended to Penacook, if not farther. In 1652, the General Court of Massachu- setts ordered a survey of the northern boundary of the colony. The survey was conducted by Edward Johnson and Simon Wil-
CROSSING TO THE CONTOOCOOK.
5
CIVIL HISTORY.
1733.]
lard, commissioners, and John Sherman, of Watertown, and Jona- than Ince, of Cambridge, surveyors, with Indian guides. They ascended the Merrimack river to Lake Winnipesaukee. John Endicott was at that time governor of Massachusetts. The com- missioners left a record of their visit upon a large rock at the outlet of the lake. The inscription was discovered in 1834, and is as follows :
EI W P
SW
IOHN ENDICVT GOV
At that period one character represented the letters I and J. V and U were also represented by one character. The inscrip- tion therefore represents the initials of the commissioners, Edward Johnson and Simon Willard, and also Worshipful John Endicott.
The party ascended the Merrimack in a " bote," and were ab- sent nineteen days. The expense of the expedition was £84.
A few years later, Richard Waldron, of Dover, traded with the Indians in the vicinity of Penacook. In 1675, at the time of King Phillip's war, Capt. Mosely, with about one hundred men, ascended the Merrimack to keep the Penacooks quiet. In 1668, Mr. Thomas Hinksman, with others, under a warrant from Gov. Bellingham, ascended the river to Waldron's trading-house, which stood on the east side of the Merrimack, in Concord, to capture an Indian who had killed a white man.
The first historic event within the limits of Boscawen was the killing of the Indians, in 1697, by Mrs. Hannah Duston, Mrs. Mary Neff, and Samuel Lannardson.
MRS. DUSTON'S EXPLOIT.
On March 15, of that year, a party of twenty Indians made a descent upon Haverhill. The first house attacked was that of. Thomas Duston, who was at work in his field. Hearing the war- whoop of the Indians, he ran into the house, and ordered his children, seven in number, to flee. Mrs. Duston was sick, having given birth to a child the week previous. She was attended by
6
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1733.
Mary Neff, a woman in middle life. Finding it impossible to remove his wife and infant, he left them with the nurse, mounted lis horse, and overtook his children. His first thought was, to take two or three of them on his horse, and leave the others to their fate. But he could make no choice where all were equally dear, and resolved to do what he could to save them all. Dis- mounting from his horse, standing behind the animal, or shelter- ing himself behind a tree, firing with deliberate aim, he kept the pursuers at bay while the children ran ; then springing upon the back of the horse, hastened to overtake his family, with the bul- lets of the savages flying past him. Upon overtaking them he dismounted once more, loaded his gun, and awaited the approach of the enemy, who were exceedingly wary in their advance, skulk- ing behind trees. Again he fired, and then galloped away,-thus defending the children till they reached a place of safety.
A portion only of the Indians followed Mr. Duston ; the others entered the house, took Mrs. Duston and Mrs. Neff prisoners, dashed out the brains of the infant against a tree, and fired the house.
Nine other houses were set on fire, twenty-seven persons killed, and eleven, besides Mrs. Duston and Mrs. Neff, were captured. It was the middle of March. In the woods there was still much snow; the streams were swollen with its melting; and yet, with but one shoe, Mrs. Duston was driven at a quick pace by the savages. Her feet were torn, her steps marked with blood. Soon her fel- low captives began to tire ; but as soon as they lagged behind, a tomahawk was buried in their skulls, the scalping-knife encircled their brows, and their bodies were left by the way.
The route taken by the Indians was up the valley of the Mer- rimaek, to their canoes. It is not known where the Indians had deposited them; but the hardships of the march were so great, that, before reaching them, all the Haverhill captives, except Mrs. Duston and Mrs. Neff, had perished. They found a boy, Samuel Lannardson, of Worcester, who had been more than a year in their hands, still a captive. He had acquired the Indian language. It is probable that on the third day the Indians reached their general rendezvous-the island at the junction of the Merrimack and Contoocook, a favorite resort ; for at the falls of Contoocook, near by, they could supply themselves with salmon, while the
7
CIVIL HISTORY.
1733.]
open spaces on the intervale, opposite "Muchyedu," were favorite feeding-grounds for deer.
It appears that after leaving their captives on the island, the Indians, with the exception of twelve, departed on a second ma- rauding expedition. The thought of being carried a captive to Canada, of enduring the hardships of the march, of the almost certain fate that would await her, aroused all the heroic nature of the woman who had seen her child's brains dashed out against a tree. Death would be preferable to life. She would strike boldly for life and liberty. She laid her plan with deliberation. " Ask them where they strike when they want to kill a person instantly," said Mrs. Duston to the boy Lannardson. "Strike 'em here," said one of the savages, in answer to the question artlessly put by the lad. The Indian placed his finger on his temple. Little did he think that his own hatchet would be bur- ied in his own skull by the keen-eyed woman who was watching his every movement. Then the savage showed the boy how to mun a knife around a person's head, and how to strip off the scalp : all of which the resolute woman noticed. She informs Mrs. Neff and the boy of her plot, stimulates them by her heroic courage. Night comes. There are two men, three women, and seven children, all of them asleep. No one keeps watch of the captives. There is no danger of their attempting to escape. The birch canoes are drawn up beneath the alders. The three captives rise softly. Each seizes a tomahawk. Mrs. Duston and Mrs. Neff stand over the prostrate forms of the men. A signal, and the hatchets descend with almost superhuman strength, crushing through the skulls; and then the women and children are dis- patched, all except two, who escape in the darkness. The pris- oners-prisoners no longer-gather up the provisions, take the guns of the Indians, scuttle all except one canoe, and take their departure down the Merrimack. A thought comes to the heroic woman. Will their friends believe them when they inform them that they have killed the Indians ? She will have indisputable evidence. A few strokes of the paddles bring them to the island. She runs the scalping-knife around the brows of the Indians, takes their scalps, and then starting once more, guides the canoe over the rippling waters at Sewall's falls, then floating on calmer waters to Garvin's, steering the bark canoe in safety down the
8
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1733.
rapids, landing and carrying it when they dare not trust them- selves amid the whirlpools and sunken rocks, reaching Haverhill with her bloody trophies, to the astonishment of her friends.
The General Court of Massachusetts voted her a present of fifty pounds, and many private citizens also presented her with testi- monials of their appreciation of her heroic conduct.
Penacook was granted in 1726, and settled in 1727. The fer- tile lands of Contoocook were well known to the people of the lower towns.
FIRST SURVEY.
Mr. Richard Hazen, an experienced surveyor, who had been employed by the proprietors of Penacook to survey that planta- tion, was engaged to make the first survey of Contoocook. The original plot, as laid by him, is on file in the archives of the sec- retary of state, Boston.
PROPRIETORS' MEETING.
A meeting of the proprietors was held July 4 at John Man- cher's tavern, Newbury :
" Voted Mr Richard Hazen surveyor, shall have ten pounds for his service for taking a plan of the plantation & the three chainmen that were with said surveyors, six days a pice, shall have six & thirty shillings a man for their service in assisting him, the said surveyor, this put to vote & passed in the affirmative
"Voted that the committee namely Joseph Gerrish, William Ilsley, John Coffin, Tristram Little & Joseph Noyes, they being nine days with Mr Hazen in taking a plan of the aforesaid plantation shall have ten shillings a day each man for their service, this put to vote by the moderator & passed on the ffirmative.
" Col Joseph Gerrish, Lient William Ilsley, Benjm Pettengill, Daniel Pierce & John Weed jr were chosen a committee to lay out the home lots so called in the above tract of land put to vote & passed on the affirmative
" That the aforesaid Committee chosen to lay out the home lots so called shall have power to lay out said lots & intervale lot to shares alike in quantity & Quality according to the best skill and judgment leaving a convenieney for highways & private ways this put to vote by the moderator & passed on the affirmative.
3
DUSTIN, NEFF, AND LEONARDSON,
9
CIVIL HISTORY.
1733.]
"Voted that the men that Col Gerrish shall or have admitted into our society may as he and they can agree draw their lots with us this put to vote by the moderator and passed on the affirmative."
October 9th.
A meeting was held on this day at the house of Archelaus Adams in Newbury, at which John Coffin was added to the committee to lay out the home lots. The associates admitted by Col. Gerrish were accepted at that meeting,-viz., Col. John Alden, Samuel Beadford, James Alden, John Choat, Benjamin Bird, Ebenezer Burrill, Esq., Jeremiah Getchell, John Wain- wright, Esq., Richard Kent, Esq., John Chandler, Junior, Esq., Lieut. Moses Gerrish, Joseph Gerrish, Esq., Richard Hubbard, Mr. Edward Shove, Mr. Henry Sewall, of Boston, Richard Coffin, Benjamin Pettingill, John Akers, Daniel Dole.
The proprietors at this meeting took measures to lay out the village, or "town " as it was called :
"Voted : That these six men, namely, Moses Gerrish, Daniel Hale, Joseph Lunt, Jonathan Poor, Thomas Torla & Edward Emery may go up to Contoocook with the other Comte & have the power to advise & consult as the other committee men have & the major part of them shall set the town where they shall Judge most convenient & these six men shall have twenty shillings a pice for their services."
"Voted, that any man or men belonging to the society aforesaid see cause to go to the said plantation on their own cost & charge they shall have power to advise with the committee in order to the setting of the town to the best advantage."
The money in use at that time was undoubtedly the old curren- ey of Massachusetts Bay. Each colony had its currency, its notes or bills of eredit. As nearly as can be ascertained, the pound of Massachusetts at that time was worth about one dollar and thirty cents, and a shilling not far from six and one fourth cents of the present currency of the United States.
At a meeting of the proprietors, held Nov. 20th, it was voted that Henry Rolfe draw lots for the proprietors. Five shillings was raised on each original right, to defray expenses. It was voted that all the intervale should be fenced in, the next spring, at the proprietors' cost. Thomas Thorla, John Coffin, and Jonathan Ilsley were appointed a committee to see that the fencing was seasonably completed.
10
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1733.
The committee for dividing the lands reported :
" They have laid out five farms on the northerly side of Contoocook, & the whole of said five farms are in breadth one hundred & seven rods two feet & five inches, running from the river Merrimack, unto the westerly end on line of sd tract of land which is seven mile back from said river and also four farms on the southerly side of sd tract of land & the whole of said four farms are in breadth eighty six rods & running from Merrimack river to the westerly side of said tract of land which is seven miles from said river and the above said nine farms are for these gentlemen here under named, (viz)
Ebenezer Burrell Esq ; John Wainright Esqr ; Richard Kent Esqr ; Mr Sam1 Beadford ; John Chote Esqr ; Mr Edward Shove, Mr Benja. Bird, Mr Jeremiah Gatchel, Mr Richard Hubbard"
THE GENTLEMEN'S FARMS.
The tract of land thus set off to these nine gentlemen amounted to twenty-seven hundred acres, or three hundred acres to each in- dividual. The lots have always been known as "the gentlemen's farms." When we turn to the records of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts for the period, we find that Mr. John Wainwright was clerk of the General Court in 1731. He was well acquainted with legislative affairs, and doubtless was able to aid the petitioners for grants of land-for a consideration. His name appears as a proprietor in many of the towns granted at this period. The other " gentlemen " who aided and assisted were members of the General Court, which consisted of the Assembly and Council. John Chandler was a member of the Assembly. There was a lot of land, containing about five hundred acres, set off to him by the proprietors of Contoocook. The tract was one hundred and fifty rods wide, and extended from the Merrimack westward two miles. The Stirrup Iron brook ran through it. The name of John Chandler appears in nearly every township granted while he was a member. But one conclusion can be drawn,-that the members of the General Court were, to use a modern phrase, "land-grabbers," and made use of the official position to advance their individual interests.
All of the gentlemen who thus received large tracts of land were in some way connected with the government ;- nor was it considered a breach of trust thus to advance their individual
11
CIVIL HISTORY.
1733.]
interests. Such gifts were the perquisites of office, well understood, acknowledged, and acquiesced in by the entire community. No disgrace attached to a man who used his official position for his own interests. No investigating committees were appointed to inquire into such transactions. In later years, Gov. Benning Wentworth became one of the largest landed proprietors of the country, through the " gifts," or, to use a truer term, through the exactions which he imposed upon grantees upon signing the grants.
In October, Mr. John Brown, surveyor, was employed to survey the intervale, which, being partially free from trees, furnished valuable mowing, pasture, and tillage lands. A lot was laid out to each proprietor. He laid out four streets on the high land, upon the site selected for the town-King, Queen, Newbury, and Marlborough-with a house-lot for each proprietor, a lot for the church, one for the school, and one for the minister.
The proprietors manifested their loyalty to their sovereign by naming two of the streets for the king and queen, one for their home, Newbury, and one for the great Duke of Marlborough, then in the zenith of his fame.
MR. BROWN'S JOURNAL.
" Oct 23d 1733. I set out for Contoocook with the committee who were to lay out ye Intervale & home lotts, who were Col Gerrish, Wm Ilsley, Benja Pettengale & Dan1 Peirce and also David Hale & Benja Willet, this proving a rainy day & setting out late we got no farther than
24 " Being rainy we came to Pennycook.
25 " We came to Contoocook & viewed ye land in order to find a place to settle ye Town; there came also with us George & Richard Jackman.
26. " We run lines between the Intervale & upland: this day came up Mr Moses Gerrish.
27 "We viewed ye place to set ye Meeting House on & Run out ye Highway to Lay Lotts on. Gerrish & Emery went Home. Ye rest went to Pennycook settlement except Pierce & Myself.
" Oct 26 being friday we measured up from Pennycook line 98 rods for 4 Lotts & one halfe to be left there from whence we had to the river 62 rods E 15 North. Thence between the upland & intervale we Laid
12
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1733.
a Way running North 29 W 57 rods and on Said Way from the 98 rods are laid the following Lotts Viz:
No 60 | which are in 11 & in Length 61 width on 11 running down 62 way running 11 in to ye Intervale 63 No 29 Deg West 12 East 15 Deg No
64
12 62 rods
On the upper Line of 64th Lott is a way of one rod broad & on the end of the sd Lott & partly on the lower end of the 63d until it comes to the 76th Lott.
No 165 are in width 12 | & in length running
66 on a way 12 E 15 D N to the 78
67 running north 12 Lott 62 rods "
1 D West
THE HOME AND INTERVALE LOTS.
[From Surveyor Brown's Book.]
" An account of the draft of the Intervale and home lots at Con- toocook which are as hereunder written,
Intervale.
home lots.
No
Abraham Adams jr
No
51
53
Stephen Jaques
73
79
Joseph Coffin.
72
77
Robert Greenough.
70
70
Joseph Moss jr.
69
83
Benja Lunt.
52
49
John Akers
82
22
Daniel Richards
44
57
Daniel Dole.
47
42 86
Joseph Tappan.
58
54
William Ilsley
42
52
John Adams
67
84
John Alden.
57
40
Joseph Knight Jr.
48
38
James Mitchel.
21
2
Stephen Moody
61
75
Benja Petengill.
62
Richard Jackman
27
7
Richard Greenough
20
01
Cornelas Wood.
33
41
Joseph Moss 3d
76
69
Henry Sewell.
93
96
John Webster.
89
29
Joseph Gerrish Esq.
80
20
Sam1 Bailey
·
29
93
John Chandler Esq
71
13
CIVIL HISTORY.
1733.]
Intervale.
home lots.
No
Benja Smith.
No
39
31
Robert Adams
81
21
Richard Kelly
74
78
Samuel Gerrish.
85
25
John French Jr.
78
81
Joseph Jackman.
16
65
Nicholas Cheany
06
61
Joseph Willet.
31
34
Jacob Noyes.
91
88
John Poor ..
68
71
Stephen Dole
19
15
Moses Smith.
60
76
Cutting Lunt
SS
28
Jonathan Plumer
40
50
Thomas Pierce
87
27
Archelaus Woodman.
31
95
John Smith
02
09
Isaac Hall.
23
59
Edward Emery
86
26
Willoby Favor.
01
08
Jacob Pillsbury.
11
18
Stephen Emery.
32
40
Amos Stickney . .
83
23
George Jackman
53
32
Jonathan Sampson
95
14
Richard Petengill
14
66
Moses Gerrish.
15
16
Joseph Dole.
34
46
John Plumer jr
55
33
Elezar Pierce.
43
55
Daniel Pierce.
73
87
Theodor Coker.
36
35
Joseph Gerrish .
59
56
Richard Coffin.
08
62
James Allen .
03
10
William Ripp.
90
30
Abraham Titcomb
94
91
John Coffin.
09
13
John Waight
12
67
William Moody
92
89
John Moody jr
17
64
Moses Knight
45
58
Daniel Knight
79
19
Edmund Greenlief.
04
11
Daniel Hale.
28
92
Henry Kingsbury
22
03
Nathan Whelar.
10
68
Joshua Pillsbury
..
07
12
Thomas Woodbridge
63
74
Daniel Coffin.
18
63
Moses Coker.
77
80
14
CIVIL HISTORY.
[1733.
Intervale. home lots.
No
Joseph Noyes 3d
No
38
36
James Morrill.
13
77
James Noyes.
37
45
Thomas Webster
05
60
Joshua Hale
49
43
William Atkins
65
73
George Little.
30
94
Jonathan Ilsley
84
24
Richard Hale.
50
37
Sam1 Sweatt jr.
41
51
Tristraum Little
56
47
John Noyes 3ª
64
S3
John Weed jr
54
48
Sam Little ..
46
39
"'The aforesaid list was returned into the proprietors of Contoocook at their meeting on Nov the twentieth 1733, and was then excepted and ordered to be recorded.
JOSEPH GERRISII r
WILLIAM ILSLEY
JOHN COFFIN
JOHN WEED JR
BENJAMIN PETTENGILL
DANIEL PIERCE
Committeemen.
"JOSEPH COFFIN
Proprietors Clerk "
Ho, checada F. ellers
1734.]
CHAPTER II.
SETTLEMENT OF CONTOOCOOK.
N the spring of 1734, the proprietors of Contoocook made prep- aration to comply with the conditions of their grant. Those intending to settle in the plantation left their homes in April. The route was from Newbury to Haverhill, or Hampstead to Nut- field (Derry), thence to Amoskeag falls, and from thence, by the east side of the Merrimack, to Penacook ferry, which had been established 1731. [Hist. Concord, p. 101.] Another route, lead- ing from Newbury to Chester, thence to Pembroke, had been blazed through the woods in 1726, but the road through Derry was the one most travelled.
FIRST SETTLERS.
During the year, thirty-three settlers came to Contoocook, to be- gin, as it were, life anew in the wilderness. Rev. Mr. Price has handed down the names of twenty-seven only ; but from a deposi- tion made by Moses Burbank in 1792 [Col. Henry Gerrish's pa- pers ] the number is stated as being thirty-three.
Barker, David
Dagodon, William
Bean, Sinkler
Danforth, William
Bowen, John
Danforth, Nathaniel
Bishop, Josiah
Bohonnon, Andrew
Eastman, Joseph Emery, Edward
Burbank, Moses
Fitzgerald, Edward
Call, Philip Cook, Thomas Corser, John
Flanders, Jacob
Flood, Richard
Fowler, John
16
CIVIL HISTORY. [1734.
Gerrish, Stephen
Meloon, Nathaniel
Gould, Ambrose
Peters, William
Jackman, Richard
Rix, Nathaniel
Jackman, George
Rolfe, Daniel.
Manuel, Joel
In imagination we see them toiling through the forest, follow- ing the rude path from Nutfield (Derry) up to Suncook, across the " dark plains" in Concord, crossing the Merrimack just above the mouth of the Contoocook.
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