USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Canaan > The history of Canaan, New Hampshire > Part 14
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The committee began to clear the ground and rocks, as di- rected, but dissensions arose among themselves, and several parties sprang up in town, each with its objections as to the de- tails of the plan, locality, etc. An objection urged very earnestly by one party was that it would not accommodate the people, most of whom lived upon South Road, Town Hill and Sawyer Hill. The discussion became so energetic and irritating that the project was dropped to give time for "second thoughts." What trans- pired at the adjourned meeting on the "2nd thirsday" in June will never be known. No record was made. But it has tradi- tionally come down through the old men, Elijah Miner, Ensign Colby, Nat Gilman and others, that there arose a serious and bit- ter contest regarding the location of the house, which resulted in the postponement of further action on the subject. Mr. Bald- win, who was the minister, and a few other good men continued
144
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
to urge the necessity for a house, but he left town before the people became sufficiently united to start out seriously a second time. After four years of discussions, which oftentimes became harsh and bitter, developing much passion and ugliness, the people were summoned together on August 27, 1792, and voted to build a meeting-house, "provided the town can agree upon a spot to set it, and the method how to build it." John Scofield, Wil- liam Richardson, John Currier, John Burdick, Dudley Gilman, Ezekiel Wells, John Worth, Abel Hadley and Richard Clark, 3d, were chosen a committee "to find a spot to set sd Meeting house, propose a method how to build it. Likewise to draw a plan of sd house and make report at some future meeting." At the ad- journed meeting on October 10 the committee reported, the purport of which is left to conjecture from the results which followed: "Voted to build a Meeting house in town by Pro- prietorship." "Voted to accept the Report of the Committee respecting the spot to set the Meeting House."
"Voted to sell the Pue ground in order to bring the matter into Proprietorship." John Currier, John Burdick, Dudley Gil- man, William Ayer and Samuel Jones were chosen to sell the "Pue ground." "Voted to accept the size of the Meeting House proposed by the Committee."
Dea. Caleb Welch was chosen treasurer, "to receive the obliga- tions in behalf of the Committee."
Voted that each person that bids off a pue in sd Meeting House when he gives his obligation, may take a bond for a deed.
The meeting dissolved and the meeting-house disappears en- tirely from our town records, but not from the minds and de- termination of the people. The town stepped aside and left the details of the work in the hands of the proprietors.
The next step taken was to sell the pews upon the plan sub- mitted and approved by the committee. "At a public Vandue holden at the house of Mr. Nath'l Barber in Canaan on Monday the 5th. day of November, A. D. 1792, for the purpose of sell- ing the pew ground in the proposed meeting house, the following gentlemen bid off pews by number for the sum set against their names respectively ;
THE COMMON, BROAD STREET, THE MEETING HOUSE.
20 Jonathan Carlton
£30
6s
30 Joshua Wells
30
0
24 Capt. E. Wells
27
18
47 John Burdick
27 6
38 John Burdick jr
25
10
29 John Currier
24
6
22 Capt. Robert Barber
24
6
25 Lt. William Richardson
24
0
11 Thadeus Lathrop
23
14
10 Richard Clark
23
14
28 John M. Barber.
23
14
2 Dea. Caleb Welch
24
0
46 Oliver Smith
23
17
12 Abel Hadley
24
0
31 Lt. Nath'l Bartlett.
23
17
27 Warren Wilson
23
17
14 Nath'l Barber
23
11
4 Lt. Richard Whittier
23
8
19 J. Wilson
22
8
7 Lt. Daniel Blaisdell.
22
19
8 Reynold Gates
23
5
44 John Kesley
22
16
39 Ezekiel Gardner
19
4
41 John Worth
15
6
43 Simeon Arvin
22
13
42 Richard Clark jr
22
4
37 Hubbard Harris
21
9
40 Simeon Arvin
21
0
3 Clark Currier
21
0
35 David Dustin
20
10
33 Nath'l Gilman
19
10
6 Joseph Flint
19
13
PEWS IN THE GALLERY.
20 John Burdick
14
14
1 Capt. E. Wells & O. Smith.
15
15
3 Samuel Heath
13
16
19 Levi Straw
12
9 Nath'l Whittier
12
6
PEWS BELOW.
34 John Bean
16
16
36 Jehu Jones
16
16
5 Joseph Clark
20
2
18 John Scofield
15
12
20 Samuel Heath
15
12
18 Capt. E. Wells
17
13
13 Half to Henry Springer
5
8
10
145
26 David Dustin
24
146
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
The land as above described was purchased of William Doug- lass. The notice for the construction of the building follows :
1792 ADVERTISEMENT.
Public Notice is hereby given that the building and finishing of the new proposed meeting house in Canaan, will be sold at Public Vandue to the Lowest Bidder (or the person who will do it for the least sum) at the dwelling house of Capt. Robert Barber, on Wednesday Dec. 26 in- stant at 10 of the clock in the forenoon. Every person wishing for a good bargain is invited to attend.
DANIEL BLAISDELL, Vandue Master.
Canaan Dec. 3 A D 1792.
Dec. 26. 1792 Vandue opened according to Advertisement and Pro- ceeded as follows. viz: the building and finishing of the above said Meeting House is struck off to Mr. William Parkhurst for £561.
OLIVER SMITH, Proprietors Clerk.
1. The building and finishing of said Meeting House is to be struck off to the lowest bidder, and he to be the builder and purchaser of said house, providing he give his obligation with sufficient bond to the satis- faction of the Proprietors.
2. The dimensions of said house are to be as follows: 42 feet in width and 52 feet in length, and the posts to be 26 feet long between joints, & the roof in proportion thereunto.
Also two porches, one at each end, each porch to be 12 feet square the posts to be 23 feet long.
3rd. The underpinning is to be raised one and a half foot, with rough stones and gravel on the lowest corner, and leveled off properly, and one foot three inches with hewn stones, and pointed with lime. The steps at each door to be of hewn stone, well proportioned & prop- erly placed.
The painting of the outside is to be done in the same manner and exactly like the lower meeting house in Salisbury as to color. The house is not to be painted until the summer after it is covered. The windows are to have 40 lights of 7 x 9 glass. The Pews are to be made and placed exactly according to the plan by which they are sold, and the inside work to be done and completed in every respect equal to the upper meeting house in Salisbury.
The frame of the house is to be raised and outside by the first day of October next. And the Meeting house is to be built finished and completed in every respect in a neat and workmanlike manner, by the first day of September 1794.
The builder is to be compensated in the following manner: At the time of giving bonds he shall receive an obligation signed by the pro- prietors committee to deliver to him by the 10th. day of March next, good authentic notes of hand signed by the prptrs of pews on said
147
THE COMMON, BROAD STREET, THE MEETING HOUSE.
house to the amount of the sum for which he is to build and finish it with sufficient power to collect the same; one quarter of said sum to be raised in money one quarter to be paid in lumber, and one half to be paid in neat stock; The lumber is to be paid to the acceptance of the prptrs, as to qualify and sorts, and at the following rate of prices, viz; 18 shillings per m for good merchantable white pine boards, de- livered on the spot, and 33 shillings per m for good merchantable white pine split clapboards; and 7 shillings per m for good merchant- able short shingles delivered on the spot, all other sorts of lumber to be estimated at the same rates.
These prices were afterwards modified : "Merchantable boards 16s, clear boards 27s per M. Clapboards 30s per M and shingles seven & six pence per M all to be delivered on the spot."
At a subsequent meeting the proprietors voted that half the lumber should be delivered by the middle of June, 1793, and the other half by the middle of September next. "One half of our money payment shall not be called for until the first day of August next, 1793. And the committee shall hold the obliga- tions against the several prptrs until the 10th. day of March next (1793)."
At the time of the building of the house, Douglass clearing did not embrace much of the Common. On the east towards the pond, there was no clearing except a roadway that led to the water. A swampy jungle of bush alders and hemlocks obscured the view. South, to the lower end of the street where Robert Barber then lived, nearly all the clearing was the street along whose sides and even in the traveled way pine stumps obstructed the traveler. On the west, towards David Dustin's, it was only forest and jungle. It was not until September, 1793, that the great timbers for the frame of the house were ready to be put together. The sills were twenty inches square, the plates the same, and all the other timbers in the same proportion. During all this year the people and propriety had watched the work which they thought slow and halting. Robert and John M. Barber were sureties for Mr. Parkhurst and they were often appealed to to hurry the work, but without effect. It still lin- gered, one of the chief causes of the delay being found in the free use of Sampson Ballard's extract of molasses.
On the day early in September, appointed for the raising, the people for miles around were present. "Everybody was there."
148
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
A barrel of rum had been procured from Jesse Johnson at East Enfield to steady the nerves and increase the emulation of the workmen.
Mr. Parkhurst built and lived in the house for a long time the residence of S. P. Cobb, and kept a store in it. He married Sally Barber, daughter of Robert, who had provided well for his children. After the raising of the frame there was to be a grand banquet to the workmen at his house.
It is said that Mr. Parkhurst, who was a handsome young man, cool headed and of firm nerves, while working upon the ridge pole, was called to assist in arranging the heavy plate, and that he walked down the western rafter upright with his axe upon his shoulder, and several times during the raising exhibited feats of surprising coolness. At last, he proposed riding up astride one of the heavy timbers, but when near the top some of the rope tackling broke, and he was precipitated to the ground. He was seriously injured by the fall, and remained unconscious for a long time. His wife, assisted by the neighbors, was preparing dinner for the men engaged in raising the frame. The news of the accident soon reached her, and she left her work to go to him, supposing him to be dead. She came upon the ground weeping bitterly. After a while he opened his eye and, upon learning what had happened, said to her: "Sally, don't you see, if you spend your time crying and wringing your hands, that you won't have dinner ready, and all these men will be hungry? Now get home as soon as you can, and I'll come after you in a little while." He was carried home, but never recovered the use of his limbs, nor did any more work upon the building. He made money in after years by trading in patent rights. But he and his family disappeared from our midst, like many others who figured in our early annals, and left no trace behind.
But the work went on under the direction of the committee and the Barbers, and was completed the following day. The first meeting held in the new house was on the 19th of September, when it was not yet entirely covered. It was a business meeting, called at 12 m., when they "proceeded to sell several more pews," and "to allow Lt. Daniel Blaisdell's act of 5 shillings" and "Dr. John Harris' act of 9 shillings." During the winter and spring of 1794, no work was done on the house, but the workmen were
149
THE COMMON, BROAD STREET, THE MEETING HOUSE.
always getting ready. Major Levi George of Salisbury, was hired to build the pulpit and do much of the panel work. The contractors were directed "not to build the pulpit and canopee like Salisbury, but that he build them exactly like the Pulpit and canopee of Chelmsford Meeting house." They also "voted that the sides and wall of the house be colored a stone couler, the roof a Spanish Brown, and the doors a sky blue." It was also "voted to receive neat stock instead of lumber from any proprietor to whom the change might be most convenient."
The house was still unfinished on the first of September, 1794, the day it was appointed to be delivered to the proprietors. It was not completed during the year 1795, and the work was still incomplete up to February 1796, when they voted that William Richardson, Lieut. Daniel Blaisdell and Capt. E. Wells be a com- mittee to wait upon Captain Barber, respecting the completion of the house. In November of this year the proprietors finally got mad with Captain Barber and his son, John M., and deliberately threatened that "if the meeting house is not completed by the first day of May next," they will immediately prosecute the con- tractors on their bond. It was completed and offered for accept- ance. The proprietors were not entirely satisfied with the work and after examination their committee made the following report :
We do not accept of the work upon the house at large.
The frame good
The underpinning Bad.
The outside Good
The wall pews in the gallery Good.
The seats not Good.
The plastering Good.
The seats not Good.
The breastwork good.
The insides of the porches bad.
The floors in the Galleries not good.
The Singing seats bad
The Pulpit Good.
The pews on the walls below Good.
The body Pews on the West side Good.
The body Pews on the East side Bad.
The Glass badly set.
The bottom floors good.
150
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
Though not "excepted" in all its parts, it was received and occupied as a house of public worship, and for the transaction of town business. There is no record of the dedication of the house to God, either by sermon, prayer or anthem, neither the day nor the reverend men who took part in it; but their names are doubtless written along with Ben Adhems, nor the banquet which followed at Caleb Pierce's new tavern.
The house was built without steeple or bell, with three entrances, one on each end, under the porticoes, and one on the south. The pews were square boxes, those in the center placed in squares of four, and a row of pews round the walls, raised one step above the floor. The pulpit was reached by a flight of ten steps, and from this elevation the minister could look into the gallery. A picturesque and large-toned sounding board was suspended over the desk. The original clapboards were split from pine logs and then sawed -shingles the same. The timbers were cut, mostly, near the Common or near by, and the boards were sawed by Jonathan Carlton at his mill at the village. The nails were of wrought iron, cut out of nail iron of various thicknesses, by the aid of a machine made for that purpose, and set up in Mr. Carlton's mill.
In 1804, pew No. 48 was sold by auction to Jacob Trussel for $36, and the committee had to "call" upon him several times before he paid it. This pew was sold to pay the expense of repairing the house. At the same time "Chose Dr. Caleb Pierce to keep the kee and sweep and take care of the house for one year, and to give him one dollar therefor." A division was made for the "occupancy of the house, by the several denominations in their several proportions," and to "fix on the days when each should improve their opportunity." In 1812 the town voted "to paint and repair the outside of the meeting house at the expense of the town, whatever repairs are necessary. The town having the privilege as usual of holding public meetings in said house. It shall be painted with white lead and a Red Rough."
In 1814, it was "voted to repair the meeting house doors and windows but not to exceed the sum of twenty five dollars cost."
In 1820 there was a strong feeling that the town should own its building for public meetings and the warrant contained an article to see "if the town will build or hire a house for town
151
THE COMMON, BROAD STREET, THE MEETING HOUSE.
meetings." They voted to spend $50 in repairing the old meet- ing house for the privilege of holding meetings for five years. And the proposal of the proprietors to repair the meeting house from time to time for the privilege of holding meetings was accepted. They also voted to take a lease of the house and repair it and voted $25 additional.
In 1825 they voted to shingle the meeting house. In 1829, "voted to raise $400 to repair the meeting house provided the proprietors of said House will lay out and expend $200 more. And also that the said proprietors convey to the said town, the use of the said house for the purpose of holding all their town meetings in." Jonas W. Smith and John Fales were appointed to lay out the money in behalf of the town.
The 12th of April, the same year, at a meeting of the pro- prietors of the meeting house, Daniel Blaisdell was appointed an agent to convey such title to the house as would be satisfac- tory to the town. Mr. Blaisdell made a deed according to his instructions, in which he conveyed to the town, the control of the house and "the right to use it for a town house forever," upon consideration that the town should make all necessary repairs upon the house. On June 9, 1829, by formal vote, the town accepted the deed. On this occasion the house was clapboarded and shingled, the western porch removed and placed upon the eastern one, forming the present tower, about fifty-three feet high. The sounding board was also removed, apprehensions being felt that it might fall and harm some one.
About the year 1841, a change was made in the interior of the house. Some persons procured the written consent of the pro- prietors to have the box pews removed and seats arranged as at present. The Baptists, also, had permission at this time to put a floor across the gallery and fit up the upper hall as a place of worship, but they failed to realize all their wishes. The floor was put in and the upper part left in dilapidation and con- fusion, relic hunters carrying off the old pew doors and wide panels until, more than fifty years after, in 1884, the Canaan Lyceum Hall Association was formed, and a hard wood floor was laid, for roller skating, about four feet above the floor the Baptists laid, and it was otherwise finished and decorated for the use of public and private gatherings. A stairway was
152
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
also added to reach the hall from the outside. In 1849, $200 was appropriated by the town for repairs on account of damage done by some ruthless persons.
When the first bell was placed in the belfry is not known, but in 1853 Eleazer Martin was appointed an agent to sell the old bell and buy a new one of 1,200 pounds and hang the same. This bell has tolled for the dead and dying, for young and old to assemble, for the scholars in the academy, who always took delight in turning it over as many times as possible, and it was considered a great feat for any boy. It swung for many years, pulled by a long rope running down to the ground floor of the belfry. Its tongue has pealed the alarm for every fire in the vicinity, and on almost every night before the Fourth of July it has not been forgotten. Its tones are so clear that it can be heard in Tunis. In 1894, a clock was added to the tower, just beneath the bell, and the bell was fastened, that the clock might strike the time of day upon it, so that it no longer swings. In 1870, the town voted $400 to repair the house.
CHAPTER XII.
DAME'S GORE AND STATE'S GORE.
In the granting of townships in New Hampshire and the ad- justment of their boundary lines, there were found to be numer- ous strips, or gores of land, not large enough for a whole town- ship. These strips or gores Governor Wentworth granted to those who had done him some personal service and were his. friends. One of these strips lay between Canaan and Dorchester. It was discovered in 1772, when the southern line of Dorchester was run and Gov. John Wentworth, in 1773, granted it to Capt. Theophilus Dame, then high sheriff of Strafford County, for his services in the late war, in the following terms :
Province of New Hampshire.
George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defend of the Faith &ca-
To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting -
Whereas we have tho't fit by our Proclamation at St. James the. Seventh Day of October in the year of our Reign Anno Domini 1763 - among other things to testify our Royal Sence and Approbation of the Conduct & Bravery of the officers & Soldiers of our armies and Signi- fied our Desire to reward the same & have therein com'anded & Im- powered Our Several Governors of Our Respective Provinces on the continent of America to grant without Fee or reward to Such Reduced officers as have Served in North America during the late War and to such Private Soldiers as have been or Shall be disbanded there and Shall Personally apply for the Same Such Quantities of Land re- spectively as in & by our aforesaid Proclamation are particularly Mentioned Subject Nevertheless to the Same Quit Rents & Conditions. of Cultivation and Improvements as other our Lands are Subject to in the Province in which they are Granted; and whereas Theophilus Dame of Portsmouth in our County of Rockingham & Province Afore- said Esq, had our appointment as Captain and Served during the late War and having personally applied & Solicited for such Grant agreeable to our aforesaid Proclamation KNOW YE that we of our Special Grace certain knowledge & mere motion do Signify our Ap- probation as aforesaid & for encouraging the Settlement & Cultivation of our lands within Said Province of New Hampshire in New England Have by & with the advice of our Trusty & well beloved JOHN WENT- WORTH Esq Our Governor & Com'ander in Chieff of Our Said Province
154
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
and of Our Council of the Same agreable to our aforesaid in part re- cited Proclamation, and upon the Conditions & Reservations hereafter mentioned given & granted & by these Presents for us our Heirs & Suc- cessors do give & Grant unto the Said Theophilus Dame and to his Heirs & Assigns forever a Certain Tract or Parcel of Land Situate lying & being within our Said Province of New Hampshire and containing by Admeasurement Four thousand Two hundred & Seventy Two Acres in- cluding Ponds Roads & unimprovable Mountains according to a Plan or Survey thereof exhibited by our Surveyor General of Land for our Said Province by our Said Governor's order & returned into the Sec- retarys office of our Said Province a Copy whereof is hereunto an- nexed butted & bounded as follows (Viz) beginning at the North West Corner of Canaan from thence running South Sixty one degrees East Six miles to A spruce Tree which is the North East Corner of Said Canaan thence running North fifty three Degs East One Mile & Sixty Eight rods to the South East Corner of Dorchester thence North Sixty one degrees West Six Miles to the South West Corner of said Dorchester thence South fifty three degrees West one Mile & Sixty Eight rods to the Bounds first mentioned TO HAVE & TO HOLD the Said Tract of Land as above expressed with the Appurtenances to Him the Said Theophilus Dame & to His Heirs and assigns forever upon the following Terms (Viz)
First-That the said Grantee Shall cut Clear & make Passable for Carriages &ca a road of three rods Wide thro' the Said Tract as Shall at Any Time hereafter be directed or ordered by the Governor & Council aforesaid which road shall be compleated in one year from the Date of Such Order or Direction aforesaid on Penalty of forfeiture of this Grant & its reverting to us our Heirs & Successors-
Second-That the Said Grantee shall Settle or cause to be Settled Five Families in five years from the Date of this Grant in failure whereof the Premises to revert to us our Heirs & Successors to be by us or Them entered upon and regranted to such of our Subjects as Shall effectually Settle & Cultivate the Same-
Third-That all White & other Pine Trees fit for Masting our Royal Navy be carefully preserved for that Use & none to be Cutt or fell'd without our Special Licence for so doing first had & obtained on Pen- alty of the forfeiture of the right of the Grantee in the Premises his Heirs & Assigns to us our heirs & Successors as well as being Subject to the Penaltys prescribed by any Present or future Act or Acts of Parliament-
Fourthly-yielding & Paying therfor to us our Heirs & Successors on or before the Tenth day of May 1778 the rent of one Ear of Indian Corn only if lawfully demanded-
Fifthly-That the Said Grantee his Heirs & assigns shall yield & Pay unto us our Heirs & Successors Yearly & every Year forever from & after the Expiration of Ten Years from the .Date of this Grant which will be in the Year of our Lord Christ Seventeen Hundred
155
DAME'S GORE AND STATE'S GORE.
Eighty Three, ONE SHILLING Proclamation Money for every Hundred Acres he so owns Settles or Possesses and So in Proportion for a greater or lesser Tract of the Land afore Said - which money shall be paid by the Proprietor Owner or Settler in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth or to such officer or officers as shall be appointed to re- ceive the Same and these to be in Lieu of all Other Rents & Services whatsoever-
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